Proposing Types of Design Thinking Tools used in Companies for Non-designers: The Formalization and Processing Degree of Data

Abstract

Background Design thinking is attracting attention as a ‘new paradigm to deal with problems’ in various fields, and its interest and application in the business environment is particularly strong. Therefore, this study proposes a plan to apply design thinking in companies where it is not internalized based on the understanding of design thinking. Specifically, this study proposes a way for non-designers to understand and use the design thinking tool according to the output type. Methods This study consisted of a literature research method and an empirical research method. Through literature research that examines the theory of design thinking, frame works, and tools, design thinking tools and outputs were categorized into structured and unstructured types that may be used in companies. In addition, measurement indicators (i.e., differentiation, applicability, and suitability) that may be evaluated, were derived. Through empirical research, the types of design thinking tools that can be used by non-designers for each project stage, were investigated. The survey was conducted through workshops, surveys, and in-depth interviews. Moreover, quantitative analysis of the survey results and qualitative analysis based on the results of in-depth interviews were comprehensively analyzed considering how they will be used in companies. Results This study proposed the types of design thinking tools that non-designers may use for each project stage. In the stage of problem definition, a tool that may derive ‘structured processed-data’ is useful. It is easy to find out the problems that customers have at the beginning of the project and the improvement requirements of the service based on the opinions of consumers and the insights of the working group. In the stage of ideation, it is necessary to select an appropriate tool that may generate ‘structured processed-data’ and ‘unstructured processed-data’ considering the situation in which a design thinking tool is required. In particular, it is important to check how much the viewer understand the project in order to check the purpose of using the output. Conclusions This study proposes the types of design thinking tools that non-designers may use in companies where it is not internalized, and the direction of its use based on the outputs. This study is meaningful in that it divides the characteristics of design thinking tools in an original way according to the data format generated, and conveys the opinions of working-level companies that could not be confirmed in the existing literature through empirical research. Copyright: This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync/3.0/), which permits unrestricted educational and noncommercial use, provided the original work is properly cited.