Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Design Thinking and Design Doing: Describing a Process of People-Centred Innovation

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Security by Design

Abstract

This chapter outlines the benefits of Design Thinking as a creative framework for innovation that can be applied to projects and organisations across government, business and the public sector. It includes a short history of the Design Thinking approach to set context and define the concept. However, much of the ensuing discussion and evaluation of ideas and methods is based on recent publications, papers and journal articles to give a current view of academic and practitioner activities. At the heart of the approach is a people-centred focus, and the chapter discusses the role of Inclusive Design and design ethnography in underpinning Design Thinking. It outlines five principles: Involve People, Translate Design Thinking into Design Doing, Create Value and Capture Value, Follow the Arc of Design Thinking and Navigate Complexity. It aims to give an overarching view of Design Thinking, demonstrating the value that it can bring to diverse areas of research and application. Challenges and observations for progressing the approach are also noted.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Antonelli P (2013) Rotman on design. Rotman Magazine. University of Toronto Press, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  2. Beverland M, Wilner S, Micheli P (2015) Reconciling the tension between consistency and relevance: design thinking as a mechanism for brand ambidexterity. J Acad Mark Sci 43(5):589–609

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bowden F, Lockton D, Gheerawo R, Brass C (2015) Drawing energy: exploring perceptions of the invisible. Royal College of Art, UK

    Google Scholar 

  4. Brown T (2008) Design thinking. Harvard Bus Rev 86(6):84–92

    Google Scholar 

  5. Buchanan R (1998) The study of design: doctoral education and research in a new field of enquiry. In: Doctoral Education in Design: Proceedings of the Ohio Conference, 8–11 Oct

    Google Scholar 

  6. Calabretta G, Montaña J, Iglesias O (2008) A cross-cultural assessment of leading values in design-orientated companies. Cross Cult Manage Int J 15(4):379–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Carlgren L, Rauth I, Elmquist M (2016) Framing design thinking: the concept in idea and enactment. Creativity Innov Manage 25(1):38–57

    Google Scholar 

  8. Carroll N, Richardson I (2016) Aligning Healthcare innovation and software requirements through design thinking. In: Proceedings of the international workshop on software engineering in healthcare systems, SEHS ’16, Texas, USA

    Google Scholar 

  9. Chae S (2017) Design thinking in action: changing the public service model. QLA Q 22(3):15–19

    Google Scholar 

  10. Clarke AJ (ed) (2011) Design anthropology: object culture in the 21st century. SpringerWienNewYork, USA, New York

    Google Scholar 

  11. Clemmensen T, Ranjan A, Bødker M (2016) How cultural knowledge shapes design thinking—a situation specific analysis of availability, accessibility and applicability of cultural knowledge in inductive, deductive and abductive reasoning in two design debriefing sessions. In: Proceedings of DTRS 11: design thinking research symposium 2016, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

    Google Scholar 

  12. Coleman R (1994) The case for inclusive design—an overview. In: Proceedings of the 12th Triennial Congress, International Ergonomics Association and the Human Factors Association of Canada

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cross N (2011) Design thinking. Bloomsbury Academic

    Google Scholar 

  14. Curedale R (2015) Design thinking: pocket guide. Design Community College Inc, USA

    Google Scholar 

  15. d.school (2017a) https://dschool.stanford.edu/fellows-in-residence/project-fellowship-history-approach. Accessed 19 Nov 2017

  16. d.school (2017b) https://dschool.stanford.edu/about/. Accessed 19 Nov 2017

  17. Davis J, Docherty CA, Dowling K (2016) Design thinking and innovation: synthesising concepts of knowledge co-creation in spaces of professional development. Des J 19(1):117–139

    Google Scholar 

  18. Department of Trade and Industry (2000) Foresight: making the future work for you. Department of Trade and Industry, UK

    Google Scholar 

  19. Design Council (2005) The double diamond process model. Design Council, UK. Available at: http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/designprocess

  20. Design Council (2005) The double diamond process model, Design Council, London. https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-process-what-double-diamond. Accessed Jan 2018

  21. Dorst K (2015) Frame innovation: create new thinking by design. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  22. Ehn P, Kyng M (1987) The collective resource approach to systems design. Computers and democracy—A Scandinavian challenge. Aldershot, UK, pp 17–58

    Google Scholar 

  23. Eikhaug O, Gheerawo R (eds) (2010) Innovating with people: the business of inclusive design. Norwegian Design Council, Norway

    Google Scholar 

  24. Fraser H (2012) Design works: how to tackle your toughest innovation challenges through business design. University of Toronto Press, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  25. Froehlich JE, Findlater L, Landay JA (2010) The design of eco-feedback technology. In: Proceedings of CHI 2010, USA

    Google Scholar 

  26. Fulton‐Suri J (2007) Design for people? Design with people? Design by people? Who is designing now? In: Proceedings of include 2007: designing with people conference, London

    Google Scholar 

  27. Gaver B, Dunne T, Pacenti E (2009) Cultural probes. In: Interactions, February + March issue

    Google Scholar 

  28. Ghajargar M, Mangano G, De Marco A, Giannantionio R (2017) Design thinking applied to data storage innovation: a case study. Des J 20(1):S3776–S3788

    Google Scholar 

  29. Gheerawo R, McGinley C, Gorzanelli C (2014) Inventory: 7 years|7 projects. Royal College of Art, UK

    Google Scholar 

  30. Gheerawo R, Lee Y (2009) Enabling people—creating inclusive human-computer interactions. In: Proceedings of the 5th international conference on universal access in human-computer interaction—Addressing diversity, UAHCI 2009, held as part of HCI International 2009, USA

    Google Scholar 

  31. Gothelf J (2017) Lean vs. Agile vs. Design thinking: what you really need to know to build high-performing digital product teams. Gothelf Corp, USA

    Google Scholar 

  32. Gray D, Brown S, Macanfuno J (2010) Gamestorming: a playbook for innovators, rulebreakers, and changemakers. O’Reilly, USA

    Google Scholar 

  33. Griffin JH (1962) Black like me. Signet

    Google Scholar 

  34. Gubrium A, Harper K (2013) Participatory visual and digital methods. Left Coast Press, USA

    Google Scholar 

  35. Hargreaves T, Nye M, Burgess J (2013) Keeping energy visible? Exploring how householders interact with feedback from smart energy monitors in the longer term. Energy Policy 52:126–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Hernández-Leo D, Agostinho S, Beardsley M, Bennett S, Lockyer L (2017) Helping teachers to think about their design problem: a pilot study to stimulate design thinking. Paper presented at: 9th annual international conference on education and new learning technologies. EDULEARN17, Barcelona

    Google Scholar 

  37. Hunt J (2011) Prototyping the social: temporality and speculative futures at the intersection of design and culture. In: Clarke AJ (ed) Design anthropology: object culture in the 21st century. SpringerWienNewYork, USA

    Google Scholar 

  38. Huq A, Gilbert D (2017) All the world’s a stage: transforming entrepreneurship education through design thinking. Educ Training 59(2):155–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Johansson-Sköldberg U, Woodilla J, Centikaya M (2013) Design thinking: past, present and possible futures. Creativity Innov Manage 22(2):121–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Johnson-Laird PN (1983) Mental models. Harvard University Press, USA

    Google Scholar 

  41. Kimbell L (2011) Rethinking design thinking. Des Cult 3(3):285–305

    Google Scholar 

  42. Kleinsmann M, Valkenburg R, Sluijs J (2017) Capturing the value of design thinking in different innovation practices. Int J Des 11(2):25–40

    Google Scholar 

  43. Kotina E, Koria M, Prendeville S (2017) Using design thinking to improve strategic decisions during collaborative sensemaking. In: Design management academy conference, Hong Kong

    Google Scholar 

  44. Lawrence G (2001) Hospital beds by design: a socio-historical account of the ‘King’s Fund Bed’, 1960–1975. Ph.D. Thesis, London University

    Google Scholar 

  45. Leonard SN, Fitzgerald RN, Riordan G (2015) Using developmental evaluation as a design thinking tool for curriculum innovation in professional higher education. High Educ Res Dev Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1080/07249360.2015.1087386

  46. Liedtka J, Salzman R, Azer D (2017) Design thinking for the greater good. Columbia University Press, USA

    Google Scholar 

  47. Luchs M (2016) A brief introduction to design thinking. In: Luchs M, Swan K, Griffin A (eds) Design thinking: new product development essentials from PDMA. Wiley, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  48. Mahmoud-Jouni SB, Midler C, Silberzahn P (2016) Contributions of design thinking to project management in and innovation context. Proj Manage J 47(2):144–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Mazé R, Redström J (2008) Switch! Energy ecologies in everyday life. Int J Des 2(3):55–70

    Google Scholar 

  50. McGinley C (2012) Supporting people-centered design through information and empathy. Doctoral thesis, Brunel University, London

    Google Scholar 

  51. McKnight JL, Kretzmann J (1990) Mapping community capacity. Center for Urban Affairs and Policy Research, Northwestern University

    Google Scholar 

  52. Moore P (1985) Disguised. Word Books, Texas

    Google Scholar 

  53. Mootee I (2013) Design thinking for strategic innovation: what they can’t teach you at business or design school. Wiley, USA

    Google Scholar 

  54. Mubin O, Novoa M, Al Mahmud A (2016) Towards the successful integration of design thinking in industrial design education. In: Proceedings from international conferences ITS, ICEduTech and STE

    Google Scholar 

  55. Nemeroff CJ (1995) Magical thinking about illness virulence: conceptions of germs from “safe” versus “dangerous” others. Health Psychol 14(2):147–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Newton K, Riggs MJ (2016) Everybody’s talking but who is listening? hearing the user’s voice above the noise, with content strategy and design thinking. In: VALA2016: Libraries, technology and the future, VALA, Australia

    Google Scholar 

  57. Noel L, Liu TL (2016). Using design thinking to create a new education paradigm for elementary level children for higher student engagement and success. In: Proceedings of DRS 2016, design research society 50th anniversary conference. Brighton, UK

    Google Scholar 

  58. Norman DA (1999) Rapid ethnography. In: Aldersey-Williams H, Bound J, Coleman R (eds) The methods lab. Royal College of Art, UK

    Google Scholar 

  59. Peterson M, Hempler NF (2017) Development and testing of a mobile application to support diabetes self-management for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: a design thinking case study. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 17:91

    Google Scholar 

  60. Pink S (2005) Dirty laundry. Everyday practice: sensory engagement and the constitution of identity. Soc Anthropol 13(3):275–290

    Google Scholar 

  61. Porritt J (2006) Capitalism as if the world mattered. Earthscan, London

    Google Scholar 

  62. Roberts JP, Fisher TR, Trowbridge MJ, Bent C (2016) A design thinking framework for healthcare management and innovation. Healthcare 4:11–14. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221307641500113X.Accessed Jan 2018

  63. Sanders EBN, Dandavate U (1999) Design for experience: new tools. In: Overbeeke CJ, Hekkert P (eds) Proceedings of the first international conference on design and emotion, The Netherlands: TU Delft

    Google Scholar 

  64. Sanders EBN, Stappers PJ (2014) Editorial. CoDesign Int J CoCreation Des Arts 10(1)

    Google Scholar 

  65. Sewchurran K, Philipp F, Baets W, McDonogh J (2016) Could more thoughtful practice of complexity, design thinking and values-based organising address some of the limitations of current management and organising paradigms? Complex Leadersh Manage 3(3):169–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Szczepanska J (2017) Design thinking origin story plus some of the people who made it all happen. https://medium.com/@szczpanks/design-thinking-where-it-came-from-and-the-type-of-people-who-made-it-all-happen-dc3a05411e53. Accessed Jan 2018

  67. Vavik T, Gheerawo R (2009) The challenges in universal design. In: Vavik T (ed) Inclusive buildings, products & services: challenges in universal design. Tapir Academic Press, Norway

    Google Scholar 

  68. Warbuton N (2003) Everyday inclusive design. In: Clarkson J, Coleman R, Keates S, Lebbon C (eds) Inclusive design—design for the whole population. Springer-Verlag, UK

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Academic colleagues at the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art have been invaluable in producing this chapter, primarily Prof. Jeremy Myerson who articulated the Arc of Design Thinking. Dr. Chris McGinley’s research and ideas have contributed to the Inclusive Design approach and Dr. Jak Spencer supported efforts in assessing the primary research. External academics and practitioners include Sean Donahue from ArtCenter College of Design (USA) and Onny Eikhaug from the Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture, both of whom influenced and supported many of the ideas in this chapter through collaborative work with the author. Prof. Dale Harrow, Dan Phillips and the team at the Intelligent Mobility Design Centre at the RCA were partners on the GATEway project, supporting the creation of the case study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, Royal College of Art, 4 Hester Road, London, SW11 4AN, UK

    Rama Gheerawo

Authors
  1. Rama Gheerawo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rama Gheerawo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Global Disaster Management, Humanitarian Assistance and Homeland Security, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Anthony J. Masys

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Gheerawo, R. (2018). Design Thinking and Design Doing: Describing a Process of People-Centred Innovation. In: Masys, A. (eds) Security by Design. Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78021-4_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78021-4_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-78020-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-78021-4

  • eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation