Design Thinking - Solve Business Problems

Before the pandemic, very few people had heard about Zoom. When people started using it, they reported that it was buggy software. There were concerns about its ownership and data privacy. Today, almost all of us use Zoom. The company has fixed all the issues, and it works smoothly.

I researched suitable accounting software for small businesses, subscribed, and tried the free versions. I selected Quickbooks as this software has mapped almost all the needs of a small business. They have integrations with your bank and the GST Portal. It makes bank reconciliation and GST returns a child's play. It has a mobile app, and you can record the expenses on the fly.

Clearly, both these products exhibit the use of design thinking. In the case of Quickbooks, design thinking is not limited only to product design. It touches on all aspects of the business processes, including customer support. You will invariably find a solution to your problem in the FAQ section or the user forum.

People have an incorrect impression about design thinking. They believe that it is limited to be used in product design. It is about looking at problems from a new perspective and coming up with new ways of solving them.

“Designing is more than creating products and services; it can be applied to systems, procedures, protocols, and customer experiences,” said Linda Naiman in European Business Review.

For easy comprehension, design thinking can be thought of as a 5 step process:

1. Observe things from different perspectives.

2. Aim at identifying the real problem faced by the customers.

3. Brainstorm and identify several potential solutions.

4. Prototype solutions and test them.

5. Fail quickly and learn from the experience.

Metrics:

1. Learn more about the design thinking approach.

2. Select a significant problem that your organization is grappling with.

3. Assemble a team and follow the rigor of the process.

4. Iterate and finalize the solution.

If you want to learn the basics of design thinking, you may sign up for my Workshop. To know more about it, click this link.

• Subodh