Design Thinking

Albert Einstein was a smart guy. So when he said, "We cannot solve the problems we have created with the same thinking that created them in the first place," he made a very good point. In order to differentiate our businesses, we need to find new alternatives. We need some "outside the box" thinking. In other words, we need some design thinking.

An NY Times article titled "Design Is More Than Packaging," describes the design thinking process as this: "While definitions vary, design thinking usually involves a period of field research -usually close observation of people- to generate inspiration and a better understanding of what is needed, followed by open, nonjudgmental generation of ideas." Each idea is analyzed and the "more promising" ones are combined and tested as prototypes. (In this sense, prototypes can range from text descriptions or drawings to more complex 3-D models and so on.) The winning ideas are then put into action.

In the retail and display worlds, we should be employing design thinking with every project we work on. Part of creating a branded environment or display is building something that sets the client apart from the competition. If designers rely on the typical solutions, we become one-trick ponies. Not only does design thinking help our clients stand out, it helps us designers and manufacturers stand out as well.

The article uses the example of a Saturn car dealership showroom refurbishment. Instead of reemploying the "touch of home" design elements that were currently being used, design thinking led the design firm to look at the showroom more as a museum exhibit than a retail space. Interactive elements were brought in, including magnetic paint strips that could be attached to the cars and large fabric swatches that could be draped over car interiors. Both designs were meant to create a sense of comfort for potential buyers and both do -in very different ways.

And that's the kind of alternative that design thinking challenges us to find. The main question now is: are we -the designers and manufacturers- up to that challenge?