Understanding Design Thinking Mindset and its Connection with Business

Design thinking is a process used by designers to bring changes in processes according to client requirements. It is closely connected to business as entrepreneurs apply it to gain competitive advantages. The three aspects of design thinking are empathy, creativity, and rationality. Design thinking fosters innovation and aims to create a preferred future.

What is design thinking
mindset?
Design thinking is a
process which is used by
the designers to bring
changes in the processes
according to the
requirements of the
clients. It is a mindset that
completely depends on
the analytical skills,
reasoning and creativity of
the designers (Lande,
2016). Therefore, with this
mindset the designers can
easily understand the
requirements of the clients
and fulfil their
expectations.
How is it connected with
business?
Design mindset is closely
connected to business as
most of the entrepreneurs
are trying to apply this in
their organisations to get
better opportunities in
the market and
competitive advantages
(Zheng 2018). Therefore,
the business students are
being encouraged to
develop their skills to
support design thinking
so that they bring positive
changes (Gobble, 2014).
There are three aspects of design
thinking of the designers
that includes:
• Empathy
• creativity
• rationality
Design mindset and innovation
DT and innovation is connected as more the designer is imaginative more he will be able to think
differently hence can introduce innovation both in the production as well as the process of the
organisation (Daniel, 2016). To the critics, design mindset is not only problem-focused, this is also
solution focused hence create scope for innovation. It is action oriented and aims to create a
preferred future (Cairns, 2017).
• Cairns, G. (2017). Can design inform effective social innovation? The Design Journal, 20(6), 725-734.
doi:10.1080/14606925.2017.1370658
• Daniel, A. D. (2016). Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset by using a design thinking approach in entrepreneurship
education. Industry and Higher Education, 30(3), 215-223. doi:10.1177/0950422216653195
• Lande, M. (2016). Catalysts for design thinking and engineering thinking: Fostering ambidextrous mindsets for
innovation. International Journal of Engineering Education, 32(3), 1356-1363.
• Gobble, M. M. (2014). Design thinking. Research Technology Management, 57(3), 59-61. doi:10.5437/08956308X5703005
• Zheng, D. (2018). Design thinking is ambidextrous. Management Decision, 56(4), 736-756. doi:10.1108/MD-04-2017-0295