We previously discuss that design thinking has three essential spaces/phases: inspiration-ideation-implementation. Each of these spaces are essential during the course of our project. For a design project to be successful, it must do three things:
The Brief:
The starting point of any design thinking project is the brief, also known as the problem space. It sets the objective, list the limitation/constraint and develop a way to measure progress. While an abstract design brief leads to a mediocre success, a concise or concrete briefs creates barriers to creativity. ” A well constructed brief will allow for serendipity, unpredictability, and the capricious whims of fate, for that is the creative realms from which breakthrough ideas emerge” stated Tim Brown. Furthermore, the brief must motivate and inspire our design team. In reality, the brief is the “difference between a team on fire with breakthrough ideas and one that delivers a tired reworking of existing ones.” The brief must have the right constraint and not be overly vague.
The team:
Most innovative products derive from a diverse collaboration. The sum of ideas is superior to the sum of each of our individual ideas. The team, their level of interaction and their collective ownership of the project will define the success of the team. All members take responsibility. A good define brief requires the right team. A good team is one that is diverse in background and disciplines. Collaboration, not group thinking, is the key to unlocking the power of the team.
Environment:
Certain places or organizations create more innovative products not because they are lucky, but simply because they create the proper environment to unleash creativity. A prerequisite to design thinking is an environment( social and spatial) where people are allowed to fail, to take risk, to be creative, explore and to experiment. In this environment, the team defer judgement, is flexible, and exploratory in nature. Curiosity is welcome, not condemned.
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