Design Thinking Imbalance
It is hard to believe that “Design Thinking” has existed for over two decades.
While the methodology’s focus on collaboration and research dates back to human-factors engineering and industrial design, the concept took hold of the business community during the ‘00s and has become widely adopted for driving innovation and problem-solving in businesses, non-profits, and governments.
As someone who worked in the innovation and design industry when Design Thinking was being heavily evangelized, it was always clear to many in the design community that it was not a one-size-fits-all solution and had limitations.
A recent article from MIT titled "Design thinking was supposed to fix the world. Where did it go wrong?" provides an excellent overview of the current state of Design Thinking and why it has proven less effective than expected. See the link to the article below:
https://lnkd.in/gCmVmyHf
In my experience, the design thinking approach always lacked the necessary balance to drive innovation and problem-solving effectively (See below). But, also from experience, I know that with a more balanced approach, design thinking remains a powerful approach to problem-solving and innovation.
Balance:
Thinking vs. Making
Empathy vs. Expertise
Desirability vs. Viability
Creativity vs. Analysis
Idealism vs. Pragmatismim