Design thinking is no longer the exclusive domain of professional designers.
Thanks to pioneers like IDEO’s David Kelley, this powerful problem-solving methodology has become a universal tool accessible to entrepreneurs, innovators, and anyone looking to create solutions that truly resonate.
Tony Fadell’s BUILD demystifies how you can leverage design thinking in your journey to make things worth building.
Let’s dive into how design thinking can guide you from identifying a problem to delivering an impactful solution, even if you’re not a designer.
1. Start with Empathy: Understand the Human Problem
Design thinking begins with a deep understanding of your user’s needs. It’s not about imposing your vision but stepping into your customer’s shoes to uncover what they truly value.
Nest Thermostat
The team didn’t just build a more beautiful thermostat.
They observed users’ frustrations with outdated and inefficient systems. By focusing on simplifying how people manage energy, they created a product that redefined the smart home market.
Spend a day shadowing your customers or interviewing them. What frustrations or inefficiencies do they encounter that you could address?
2. Define the Problem Before the Solution
Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of jumping to a solution without fully understanding the problem. Design thinking insists on framing the problem clearly—this ensures you’re solving the right issue.
Thought-Provoking Question:
Ask yourself, “What’s the root cause of this challenge? If we solve this, what greater impact could we have?”
3. Prototype Fast, Fail Faster
Design thinking champions rapid prototyping. The goal isn’t to get it perfect on the first try but to create quick, tangible versions of your idea to test and refine.
Real-World Example:
When IDEO was asked to redesign a shopping cart in 1999 for the late-night news show Nightline, their team built multiple rough prototypes in days. Each iteration revealed new insights about user behaviour, safety, and functionality, leading to a game-changing design.
Practical Insight:
Sketch your idea, build a rough mock-up, or use digital tools to create a minimum viable product (MVP). What’s one small experiment you can run this week to test your idea?
4. Collaborate Across Disciplines
Great innovation doesn’t happen in silos. Design thinking thrives on collaboration: bringing together diverse perspectives to unlock fresh ideas.
Apple’s success with the iPod was fuelled by interdisciplinary collaboration. Engineers, designers, and marketers worked closely under Fadell’s leadership to create a product that was technically advanced, visually elegant, and easy to market.
Build a diverse team around your project. What expertise or perspectives are missing from your current circle?
5. Iterate, Iterate, Iterate
Design thinking is an ongoing process, not a one-and-done exercise. Every iteration brings you closer to a solution that resonates deeply with your audience.
Thought-Provoking Question:
What’s one piece of feedback from your last iteration that you haven’t acted on yet? How could addressing it improve your solution?
6. Keep the User at the Centre
At every stage—empathising, prototyping, iterating—your user should remain your North Star. Their needs, behaviours, and feedback guide the process.
Practical Insight:
Create a user journey map for your product or service. Are there moments of friction you haven’t addressed?
Conclusion: Design Thinking for All
Tony Fadell’s insights from BUILD remind us that design thinking isn’t just for designers, it’s a mindset that empowers anyone to solve meaningful problems.
By starting with empathy, defining clear problems, collaborating across disciplines, and embracing iteration, you can create products and services worth building.
What’s one problem you’re ready to tackle with design thinking?
The world is waiting for your solution.
Until next time,
Design Zindagi Team
We highly recommend Tony Fadell's book, Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making.
Excellent book that will serve anyone interested in design, entrepreneurship and innovation for the duration of their career.
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