Design Thinking: Evaluating Design Thinking Tools for Problem Solving

The foremost determination of this reflective report is to evaluate the discussions of each of the blogs week wise using wide range of design thinking tools such as journey mapping, value chain tool, rapid prototyping tool, brain storming procedure, customer co-creation tool and the learning launching tool. The usability of each of these design thinking tools will be identified in this reflective report in a detailed manner. The report will be concluding with the plan of action for the next six months that would help the readers of this document to understand the usability and the impact of using the design thinking tools.

Running head: DESIGN THINKING
Design thinking
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Executive Summary
The foremost determination of this reflective report is to evaluate the discussions of each of
the blogs week wise using wide range of design thinking tools such as journey mapping,
value chain tool, rapid prototyping tool, brain storming procedure, customer co-creation tool
and the learning launching tool. The usability of each of these design thinking tools will be
identified in this reflective report in a detailed manner. The report will be concluding with the
plan of action for the next six months that would help the readers of this document to
understand the usability and the impact of using the design thinking tools.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Week 01: Design thinking process.........................................................................................3
Week 02: Problem finding and needs analysis......................................................................4
Week 03: Needs analysis and problem findings....................................................................5
Week 04: Research skills for design thinking........................................................................6
Week 05: Ethics, empathy and analysis in design research...................................................7
Week 06: Rapid prototyping..................................................................................................7
Week 07: Theory underlying design thinking........................................................................8
Week 08: Learning launch.....................................................................................................9
Week 09: Design presentation & co-creation 2.....................................................................9
Week 10: Design presentation...............................................................................................9
Conclusion................................................................................................................................10
Reference..................................................................................................................................12

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Introduction
According to me, the foremost determination of this reflective report is to present the
self-critical analysis based on the weekly blogs which were created in the earlier sections of
this report. The reflection of the learnings from the previous sections of the report as a result
of experiencing the design thinking activity will also be presented in this reflective report.
This reflective report will also develop an action plan of key events and activities with the
lessons learned from the weekly blogs.
Week 01: Design thinking process
I believe that Journey Mapping can be very much important to understand the
concept of design thinking, which can be very much used to solve any kinds of complications
associated with this concept. At the same time, I also believe that Value chain analysis is the
most significant function of this design thinking tool is its ability of solve complex problems
(Olsen, 2015). Based on this tool, it can be said that the prototype of the design thinking
process can be very much beneficial to solve the complications of commercial
establishments. The elements of the customers experience can also be measured and analysed
using the value chain analysis strategic tool.
I believe that design problems can be successfully modified using this method. Using
the brainstorming process each of the 5 stages of the designing procedure can be modified.
At the same time I also believe that breaking down of the design process can be significantly
boosted using Rapid Prototyping tool. I also believe that Innovation is one of the most
significant contribution of this design thinking tool (Roberts et al., 2016). Each of the 7
methods of rapid prototypes can be successfully used to produce real scale model of an
object. Each of the advantages as well as the disadvantages of the design thinking process can
be analysed and monitored using this design thinking tool using this tool.

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I believe that the Customer Co-Creation have three steps and I think that each of the
three steps of obtaining contribution by clients, selection the best out of the contributions and
incorporation of the contribution to the service can be successfully used to understand the
concept of deep dive which was reflected in the first weekly blog (Mintrom & Luetjens,
2016). Even though I consider Learning Launch, a very important tool and each of
hypothesis of the design thinking process can be successfully monitored using this design
thinking tool. Each of the specific needs of the design thinking process can be successfully
analysed using learning launch.
Week 02: Problem finding and needs analysis
According to me, Visualisation tool can be very much important to understand the
problems associated with the design thinking procedure. Problem shaping and problem
solving can be effectively improved using this visualization tool. I believe that the vision and
insights can also be improved using this deign thinking tool (Yeager et al., 2016). The
shaping of the design thinking can be done using the journey mapping tool as per my
learning experience from the weekly blogs. The creativity of the journey can also be
understood in an organized manner using the journey mapping tool.
I believe that Value chain analysis tool can be very much important to understand
and analyse the problems of design thinking. This tool can be very much beneficial to
understand how the solution of the problems is identified. I believe that most of the factors
which can have a direct impact on the entire design thinking process can be understood and
monitored using this design thinking tool (Meier & Miller, 2016). The market opportunities
can also be boosted using the value chain analysis tool. At the same time, I also believe that
Brainstorming tool can be very much important to generate ideas so that these ideas can be
capitalised and used to solve the solve problems for which design thinking is used. The entire
problem finding process can be boosted using the brain storming tool. Generation of the ideas

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can be hugely boosted using brainstorming tool. However, it must also be said that the
direction of the facilitator is very much recommended for the use of this brainstorming tool.
I consider that the Concept Development can be very much useful to simulate the
ideas which are required in the design thinking procedure. This design thinking tool can be
very significant to improve the intellectual vision which are required to find the solution of
any identified problems. I also believe that Assumption Testing tool can be very much
important to maintain a relationship between the statistical procedures such as the co-relation,
regression and t-test (Liedtka, 2015). The different categories of assumptions which are
required to finding the problems can be identified using this assumption testing tool. The
quality of the group activities can also be boosted using the assumption tool. I can say that
each of the activities of the group members can be significantly boosted using the assumption
tool. The different approaches of each of the group member can be significantly tracked and
boosted using the assumption tool.
Week 03: Needs analysis and problem findings
I believe that Visualisation can be very much effective to understand needs analysis
in an organized manner. Visual context can be very much beneficial to understand needs
analysis which is a type of formal process. However, I also think that Journey Mapping tool
can be equally effective to understand different aspects of the design process. I think that the
narrative approach coming from journey mapping tool can be very much useful for the
commercial establishments to have a competitive edge over the other similar organizations.
I believe that Value chain analysis can be an important design thinking tool which
can help commercial establishments to monitor the performance of both the internal and
external stakeholders. The needs and requirements of human consumers can also be
understood in an organized manner using the value chain analysis tool. At the same time, I

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also believe that Brainstorming tool can be very much important for the commercial
business establishments to work as a group (Levine, Agogino & Lesniewski, 2016). Each of
the activities of the commercial establishments starting from the selection of the service
providers to delivery of the service can be significantly improved using this design thinking
tool.
According to me, Concept Development can be the other key design thinking tool
which can be successfully used in the commercial establishments to get better quality
products and services. New business opportunities can be created using design thinking tool.
For me Assumption Testing can be the other tool which can be used to enhance the net
profitability of commercial establishments (Gray & Malins, 2016). Business reputation as
well as the profit margin of the consumers of the commercial establishments can be
significantly enhanced using Customer Co-Creation. I believe that the engagement of the
consumers can have a significant impact on the business value creation.
Week 04: Research skills for design thinking
According to me, problems statements can be understood in a better way, using the
visualization tool. It can be said visual effects can be very much important to understand the
problem with visual context. However, it can also be said that the visual representation of the
problem statements is also possible using the journey mapping tool, which is also a type of
visualization tool. I also believe that the generation of ideas can be boosted using the
brainstorming procedure as well. I believe that the strength of the participants can be
understood in a better way, using the brainstorming procedure (Gould et al., 2019). The
learning launch tool can be very much essential to understand the problem statements in a
better way. Generation and testing of the hypothesis can be very much important factor to
solve a problem from different perspective and this is possible using the learning launch tool.

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I also believe that assumptions testing can be very much beneficial to understand the
importance of customer service for any commercial establishment. At the same time I also
believe that customer co-creation can be a very important tool which can help the sales and
marketing departments of commercial establishments to understand the needs and
requirements of the consumers in a better way.
Week 05: Ethics, empathy and analysis in design research
According to me, the solution of the problems can be tracked and monitored in an
organized manner suing the brainstorming procedure. I believe that the generation of idea
coming from the brainstorming tool can be very much beneficial for the game in which all the
nine dots were supposed to be joined without lifting the pen. Brain storming tool can be very
much beneficial to solve a problem from different perspective. Suggestions can also be
widely discussed and analysed using the brainstorming procedure. Most of the assumptions
required to solve the problems can be monitored and analysed using the brainstorming
procedure. It can also be said that association between the problems can be identified and
analysed using the assumptions testing tool. The assumptions which are required for this
game can be significantly boosted using the assumptions testing tool (Geissdoerfer, Bocken
& Hultink, 2016). However, I believe that the learning launch tool can also be very much
significant to understand what steps are necessary in the game. The experimental approach
which is required in the game can be understood in a better way using the learning launch
tool according to me.
Week 06: Rapid prototyping
The concept of prototyping which is used in most of the commercial establishments
can be significantly boosted using the visualization tool according to me. I also believe that
the prototyping procedure can be significantly improved using the visualization tool and the
journey mapping tool. I believe that both these types of tools can be very much significant

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to understand the importance of rapid prototyping (Gasparini, 2015). However, I also believe
that the different types of prototyping such as the paper prototyping wireframe and physical
prototyping can also be understood using the design thinking tools such as brainstorming
process. The importance of understanding the business needs of this corporation can be
boosted using the concept development tool. The customer co-creation tool can be very
much effective in this particular scenario as it can help to understand the needs and
requirement of the consumer expectation.
According to me, the functionalities of the application which was shown in our class
can also be evaluated in an organized manner using the learning launch tool. The learning
launch tool can also help to bring new concepts and new ideas in the production room of the
commercial establishments as I think (Elsbach & Stigliani, 2018). Thus, I believe that this
design thinking tools can be very much significant for the development of products and
service in commercial establishments.
Week 07: Theory underlying design thinking
I believe that the theories of the design thinking procedure can be understood in a
better way using the graphical representation tools such as the journey mapping as well as
the visualization tool. According to me, the visual contents in terms of the animation can be
purposefully boosted using these tools. At the same time, it can also be said that the
brainstorming procedure can also be very much important to the importance the learning
experience from the design theories (Carlgren, Rauth & Elmquist, 2016). I think that the
design theories can be learned in an organized manner using the concept development tool.
The assumptions testing tool can be very much to understand the design theories in a detailed
manner, I can also say that the rapid prototyping can also be boosted using rapid
prototyping tool. I believe that the design theories can be both understood and implemented
using the customer co-creation tool. According to me, the concept of logical reasoning can

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also be understood in an organized manner using the customer creation tools, along with that
I also believe that this tools can work collaboratively with other tools such as the journey
mapping tool and the visualization tool. The learning launch tool can be very much
important to identify the complexities of the logical reasoning.
Week 08: Learning launch
According to me, the learning launch application can be a very significant tool among
all the other tools of design thinking. I believe that this design thinking tool can be very much
important to manage each of the activities in a commercial establishment. I believe that the
learning experience can also be determined using the learning launch tool. The bridging
between the expectations of the consumers can also be enhanced using the learning launch
tool. Most of the blogging activities can also be tracked in an organized manner using this
design think tool (Camburn et al., 2017). However, I also believe that the use of this tools
also have significant disadvantages such as less engagement of the workers. I believe that the
best option can also be improved using this design thinking tool. This tool can be very much
significant to create new opportunities and help in the learning process.
Week 09: Design presentation & co-creation 2
According to me, the use of the design thinking procedure can be very much
beneficial to understand the importance of the design thinking tools. The knowledge gather
from the design thinking topics can be significantly used in future ventures (Callahan, 2018).
However, I also believe that the limitation of the design thinking process in terms of the
desirability of the human and the technical feasibility and viability of the business has to be
understood so that the enactment of the design thinking can be done in an organized manner.

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Week 10: Design presentation
I believe that the parking problems which were highlighted on the presentation could
have been understood in a better way using graphical representations using visualization tool
and journey mapping tool (Brenner, Uebernickel & Abrell, 2016). It can also be said that
the rapid prototyping tool can also be used in this scenario as it can help to understand the
parking problem in an organized manner. The entire brainstorming procedure can be
significantly helpful to understand each of the commonest of the parking space of the
university campus (Ben Mahmoud‐Jouini, Midler, & Silberzahn, 2016). The assumptions
required to each the infrastructure can also be improved using this assumption testing tool. I
believe that the concern of the commuters of the commercial establishments can be
understood without any difficulty using the customer co-creation tool.
Conclusion
The learning from the above discussion unit of the paper will be facilitating growth in
both personal skills as well as in knowledge skills. The plan of action in the next six months
is presented in the below tabular description.
Time Element Expected Outcome
Month one Observation exercises Understanding the exact
problem
Month two Kindness and empathy
worksheets
Communication and empathy
skills.
Month three Following up of the
journey mapping and
virtualization tool.
Better understanding of the
problem is overall outcome
after the end of month three.
Month four Identification of the
groups to solve the
problems.
Better ideas can be generated
using group activities.
Month five Customer co-creation tool Engagement of the consumers
in the production rooms of
commercial establishments.
Month six Performance assessment
and behaviours changes
Design thinking process can be
successfully completed after

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the end of the 6th month.
Table 1: Plan of action of the next 6 months
(Source: Created by the author)
The above table can be very much significant to understand the plan of action for the
next six months. Each of the expected outcome after the six months can also be identified
from the above table. Thus, this paper is very much helpful for the readers of this document
to understand the usability of different categories of design thinking tools.

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