summarize the six steps of the problem solving process.

You want to gain an empathic understanding of the problem you are trying to solve. The first stage of the design thinking process focuses on user-centric research. © Teo Yu Siang and the Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. What are the 5 Stages of the Design Thinking Process Stage 1: Empathize-Research Your Users' NeedsĮmpathize: the first phase of design thinking, where you gain real insight into users and their needs. Let’s dive into each stage of the design thinking process. Ideate: challenge assumptions and create ideas. The five stages of design thinking, according to the d.school, are:ĭefine: state your users' needs and problems. We focus on the five-stage design thinking model proposed by the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (the d.school) because they are world-renowned for the way they teach and apply design thinking. Learning about the five stages of design thinking will empower you and allow you to apply the methodology to your work and solve complex problems that occur in our companies, our countries, and across the world.ĭesign thinking is a non-linear, iterative process that can have anywhere from three to seven phases, depending on whom you talk to.

It’s extremely useful when used to tackle complex problems that are ill-defined or unknown-because it serves to understand the human needs involved, reframe the problem in human-centric ways, create numerous ideas in brainstorming sessions and adopt a hands-on approach to prototyping and testing. Design thinking is a methodology which provides a solution-based approach to solving problems.

Summarize the six steps of the problem solving process.