About this session
Organizations frequently begin innovation with a solution already in mind. A new platform is commissioned, a process is redesigned or a service is launched before the team has fully understood what customers, employees or other users actually need.
The result can be a technically competent solution to the wrong problem.
Design Thinking reverses that pattern. Participants begin by understanding the people affected by the challenge and the context in which the problem occurs.
They turn observations and evidence into a sharper problem definition, generate a wider range of possibilities and make promising ideas tangible early enough to learn before large investments are made.
Prototypes are then tested with relevant users or stakeholders. Feedback is used to strengthen, change or sometimes reject the original concept — and may even send the team back to reconsider the problem itself.
The goal is not to follow five stages mechanically. It is to create a disciplined cycle of understanding, framing, creating, testing and learning that produces solutions grounded more strongly in real human needs and business reality.
What your people take away
- Understand business challenges from the perspective of the people who experience them
- Turn research and observations into a clear, evidence-informed problem definition
- Generate multiple solution possibilities before converging on a preferred answer
- Create low-cost prototypes that make assumptions visible and testable
- Use feedback to improve, change or reject ideas before larger commitments are made
- Balance human desirability with business feasibility, viability and organizational constraints
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- What each length covers, 30 minutes to full day
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What each length covers
30 minutes
30 Minutes — Key Points: The five design thinking stagesA focused 30-minute session on three key points from The five design thinking stages: empathize, define and ideate.
- Empathize
- Define
- Ideate
Covers 3 of 5 points in The five design thinking stages.
60 minutes
60 Minutes — Understand Design Thinking & Reframe a Business ChallengeA focused introduction to the Design Thinking cycle. Participants explore Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test and use human-centered thinking to reframe a real or realistic business challenge.
- Design Thinking at a glance
- Human-centered problem solving
- Empathize
- Define
- Ideate
- Prototype
- Test
- Design Thinking Quick Challenge Canvas
- Live Q&A
Covers 1 of 4 parts: The five design thinking stages.
90 minutes
90 Minutes — Apply Design Thinking From Insight to TestThe extended session takes participants through the complete Design Thinking cycle with practical work on user insight, problem framing, idea generation, rapid prototyping and testing.
- User and stakeholder insight
- Empathy mapping
- Problem framing
- How Might We questions
- Divergent ideation
- Concept prioritization
- Rapid prototyping
- User testing
- Iteration decisions
- Live Q&A
Covers 2 of 4 parts: The five design thinking stages and Apply Design Thinking to Real Work.
3 hours
3 Hours — Design Thinking in PracticeBuilds on the 90-minute session, with more time to apply Design Thinking to a real or realistic workplace case and to explore the thinking behind it.
- The five design thinking stages
- Apply Design Thinking to Real Work
- The Thinking Behind Design Thinking
- Applied workplace case
- Live Q&A
Covers 3 of 4 parts: The five design thinking stages, Apply Design Thinking to Real Work and The Thinking Behind Design Thinking.
Full day
Full Day — Design Thinking for Business Solutions LabA practical full-day workshop in which participants take a realistic business challenge through the Design Thinking cycle, moving from user insight and problem definition into ideation, prototyping, testing and evidence-based iteration.
- Applied Design Challenge
- User / Stakeholder Insight
- Empathy Mapping
- Experience Journey
- Insight Synthesis
- Problem Framing
- How Might We Questions
- Divergent Ideation
- Concept Selection
- Rapid Prototype Creation
- User Testing
- Feedback & Observation
- Iteration Decision
- Next Experiment Plan
- Live Q&A
Covers all 4 parts.
Also available as a 4-week or 8-week program, for change that lasts. Ask us about it.
What’s covered
The five design thinking stages
Every length- EmpathizeUnderstand the people experiencing the challenge and the context in which it occurs.
- DefineTurn research into a focused and useful problem definition.
- IdeateGenerate a broad range of possible responses before choosing what to test.
- PrototypeMake the most important assumptions visible through a simple representation of the solution.
- TestLearn how people respond to the proposed solution and use the evidence to decide what happens next.
Apply Design Thinking to Real Work
90 minutes and longer- Understand the PeopleGather evidence about the people experiencing the problem, their goals, behaviors, frustrations and context.
- Frame the ChallengeSynthesize the insight into a focused human-centered problem and a useful opportunity question.
- Generate PossibilitiesCreate multiple solution directions and select the concepts that deserve further learning.
- Make It TangibleBuild the simplest prototype capable of exposing the assumptions that matter most.
- Test & LearnObserve real responses, update assumptions and decide whether to iterate, revisit, advance or stop.
The Thinking Behind Design Thinking
3 hours and longer- Start With People, Not the SolutionHuman-centered design begins by understanding the people affected by the problem before deciding what product, service, policy or process should be created.
- Treat Assumptions as Things to TestTeams often know less about user behavior and solution effectiveness than they think.
- Diverge Before You ConvergeGenerating several possibilities before choosing reduces the risk of spending the entire project improving the first idea that appeared plausible.
- Make Ideas Tangible EarlyPrototypes create something users can experience and teams can learn from before expensive or difficult-to-reverse commitments are made.
Common Design Thinking Failure Modes
Full day only- Starting With the AnswerRunning interviews or empathy exercises after leadership has already decided the product, system or policy that will be implemented.
- Research Without Real UsersTeams speculate about customer or employee needs internally rather than engaging the people whose experience is supposed to improve.
- Jumping From One Insight to One IdeaMoving directly from problem definition to the first plausible solution without creating enough divergence to discover meaningfully different possibilities.
- Overbuilding the PrototypeInvesting heavily in polish before learning whether the concept solves the underlying problem, making the team psychologically and financially more committed to the idea.
Tools and materials
- User Research Planner
- Empathy Map
- Experience Journey
- Problem Framing Canvas
- How Might We Builder
- Structured Ideation Guide
- Prototype Question Canvas
- Rapid Prototype Planner
- User Test Guide
- Human-Centered Solution Blueprint
Who it’s for
- Managers and teams responsible for improving products, services or processes
- Innovation, transformation and continuous-improvement teams
- HR and People teams redesigning employee experiences and internal services
- Cross-functional teams tackling complex challenges where the right solution is not yet obvious
How booking works
- Book online. Create a free Workbliss profile, then pay with session credits, by card or by invoice.
- Pick a date. Choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or book now and set the date later.
- Choose your expert. Within 3 working days, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date.
- We deliver it. Your expert is briefed on your people and goals, then runs the session live online or at your site.
Questions about Design Thinking for Business Solutions
How long is Design Thinking for Business Solutions?
Design Thinking for Business Solutions runs as 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 3 hours or full day. You choose the length when you book. A 30-minute session covers three key points from The five design thinking stages: empathize, define and ideate. A 60-minute session covers The five design thinking stages in full, with a live Q&A. A 90-minute session adds Apply Design Thinking to Real Work. A 3-hour session adds The Thinking Behind Design Thinking. A full-day session adds Common Design Thinking Failure Modes. It is also available as a 4-week or 8-week program.
Can Design Thinking for Business Solutions be delivered online or in person?
Yes, both. It runs live online, so every office can join at the same time, or in person at your site, in any country.
How do we book Design Thinking for Business Solutions?
Create a free Workbliss profile with your work email, then open Design Thinking for Business Solutions to see the price for each length and book it. You can pay with session credits, by card or by invoice, and choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or set it later.
Who leads the session?
A vetted Workbliss expert, briefed on your people, culture and goals before the session. After you book, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date within 3 working days, so you can choose who leads it.
Can it be tailored to our company?
Yes. Every session is shaped around your goals, your people and the benefits you already offer, and delivered by experts in your people’s languages.