Design thinking is looking at a problem we want to tackle with a growth mindset. We focus on the present, look at outside information for help and learn from our customers. We cannot rely only on data for results as innovation is driven by customer focus and empathy and a new approach to thinking.
Let us start by looking at three areas of Design thinking:
- Brainstorming Ideas - You should brainstorm multiple ideas from multiple people, then test out these ideas as quickly as possible using prototypes and gain fast customer feedback. Explore the field in lots of detail, improve on existing ideas & try to disrupt new & existing markets.
- Narrow down Ideas - look for sweet spots, then look how it can be delivered and ask yourself why it is such a good idea. The idea needs to be focused on your customers problems, but dig deeper to find out problems they did not know they had.
- Testing Ideas - Prototype your ideas, test, gain confidence in the idea and gain feedback early from your customers. This ensures you spend little budget and time until you understand the benefits and if this is a viable idea that people will love.
The key to a growth mindset is to accept fear and uncertainty, seek new experiences & build a broad repertoire. This means taking small risks often, managing these risks through fast actions, and finding multiple opportunities to succeed more often in new situations.
Doing what we have always done is safe, but innovation and new ideas, drives new profits and helps us to understand our clients’ needs in this moment. Whiteboarding, photographs, images, logos & 3D models are key for helping us visualise these ideas.
Innovation can be developing new products or moving into new markets, which may be key in the current climate for some businesses as the world changes due to COVID-19. It may be automating or being more efficient with the processes you have in place and doing things smarter. It may also be exploring new ways of designing or manufacturing the products you produce, using things like 3D printing, robotics, or the latest machinery. It can mean working more collaboratively and sharing data across teams.
The need for innovation is critical for businesses to succeed, this is clear to see in today’s climate. Consider the Kodak Vs Apple approach, where the marketplace for 35mm film turned digital and now comes within a device that provides a multitude of additional features. Such features have made the iPhone one of the most popular and successful devices worldwide.
Whilst many businesses realise the importance of innovation, many fall short mainly due to the challenges around time constraints and available capacity. Not only this, investing in something that is unknown at the time is difficult to justify causing many to stick with what they know.
The difference it makes to think outside of the box is evident within Houdini Marine. Implementing automation within their design process has reduced bespoke pattern design from 2 hours to 5 minutes. What used to take a three-man team now only requires the one, providing the additional engineers time to undertake more value-added tasks together with an increase in orders.
Since implementing design automation supported by Symetri, the business has seen an increase of 40% within their annual revenue – this is the business transformation that automation and more importantly innovation can achieve.
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