Design Thinking: Reflection on Personal Development and Problem Solving Approach

This individual assignment discusses the author's experience and learning from a workshop on design thinking. It covers personal development, problem-solving approach, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The author reflects on different activities and models of design thinking and presents an action plan for implementing an automatic parking system. The report concludes that design thinking is a useful approach for personal and knowledge development.

Running Head: DESIGN THINKING 0
Design Thinking
Individual Assignment
Student name

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Reflection on personal development...............................................................................................2
Design thinking tool; Prototyping................................................................................................4
Finding issues and problem solving approach.............................................................................5
Reflection on Knowledge development...........................................................................................6
Design thinking models...............................................................................................................6
Action Plan......................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
That was my best experience of my life; I enjoyed, and experienced a lot from that
workshop. I leant about different things from that workshop, and it will reflect in my career
planning. It was based on design thinking and reflection. Everyone need to have some qualities
in them for understating problems and finding solution for that problem, such as learning,
patience, visual laborer, watching, accepting of other views for that problem, and failures. I
learnt that, I should start a business with my innovative ideas. However, I also thought about a
sentence that it is not my age to do business. I start my learning for business-oriented work for
my plans.
Reflection on personal development
I learnt about innovation and imagination. Innovation is like just thinking about any
problem and found a feasible solution for that problem (Nelson, 2013). There are some other
subject also for learning, such as creativity, and design ability. It was not like drawing and
planning. It was different from all other activities. We had an activity in which we learned about
success and failures of a product. We take coco-cola for finding problems and provide some
innovative ideas to solving problems. I learnt that customer satisfaction was must for success of a
product in the market (Brown & Wyatt, 2010) we picked a soda launching process in which we
found different problems related to soda of an organization. There are many reasons for failure of
a product, but main point was taking knowledge of market and necessities of customers. It was
necessary that, always considered present competitor in market by an organization for launching
their product. I learnt that customer’s feedback is necessary thing for a good product, so I need to
plan a product according to customers’ needs and fulfillment (Asheim, 2007).
It was also compulsory that what is new in your product apart from other available
products in market. Therefore, if any organization change their product or launch any new
product in market then there are many ways for testing that product, such as samples distribution

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for taking feedback of the product. So they can know about changes in their product based on
feedbacks of customers ( Claes, 2017). I participated in an activity in which some mind set
tasks are given by our professor. We discussed about the purpose of that activity. We found some
key values of the activity for our mind set to solving a problem using design thinking (Martin,
2009). I learnt that, everyone had different views for a problem. They also knew that how to
solve that particular problem with his or her innovative ideas. It was also necessary that always
focused on the understating of a given problem first, then start searching of solution of that
problem. We learned that, we have to set your mentality towards the problem and defiantly we
get a solution of that problem in the future. I learnt about self-assessment from that module.
According to my professor Dr. Mike Turner, always finding issues in the product first
than try to solve them with the help of your fresh ideas, this thing I also motion in my weekly
blogs. It was so important that differentiate between problem findings and solutions according to
the problem. It was a critical process to founding issues in a product (Dorst, 2011). I learnt from
a lot from framework thinking, but there are other models for solving problems, such as keep it
simple, prototyping, visualization, and observation. All are helpful for solving issues in a product
or service, such as handling slippery issues, and human caring. I leant that breakdown the
problem in small chucks then integrate the solutions of each chunk. There are lot of things to
understand from innovative ideas and isolating the mechanical assemblies as mentioned in my
blog. I enjoyed that activity in which couple of pictures showed to us and on those pictures, we
have to give some solutions according to photograph (Drucker, 2014). From that activity, I
learned about finding problems in particular condition and finding innovative ideas for that
problem. I got many ideas for finding solution of particular problem concerning the principles of
arrangement thinking, (see photo in blog entry, 2nd October 2018). We were assigned a problem,
in which we have to found a solution for a specific problem; we need to breakdown the blueprint
thinking.
It was an iterative process in which just design something with the help of your
innovative ideas as a solution of a particular issue in the product, then get feedback about that
solution, if it was good and satisfied answer for customer then complete it. Otherwise, found a
new ideas for same problem, it means just changed the approach for solving that issue. There is
an activity in that we have to draw possible solution for a problem using 30 circles, ( see photo in

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blog entry, 2nd October 2018), it was really amazing activity. It was just two-minute activity, but I
learnt a lot from that activity. The purpose was critical thinking for an instant problem in a short
time. I got lot of benefits from that activity, such as mind-set, and right sensitivity for future
action plan. I also learnt about adventure mapping and voyage mapping ( Dubey, 2018).
I learnt about business and configuration approaches from some imaginative stories,
which were disclosed by Mike. I also learnt about blogging and others activity parts as well as
different modules of the design it workshop from the portal. Our trainer Mr. Mike provides these
all information. We learned about creating and inventing new things from our ideas. I learnt
about imaginative personality, which can help us for finding solution of a problem. I also studied
different stories in the moodle. Those stories were good to learning point of view. Those are
helping so helpful for mind-set towards problem solving approaches (Dunne & Martin, 2006).
Design thinking tool; Prototyping
I learnt about different prototyping in that workshop, such as early prototyping, later
prototyping. In whole workshop, we have three assessments, first was related to design mind-set,
and a poster design for display of our learning’s. Second was related to design thinking for
identification of problems using design tools. Last, one was based of three things, which are
blog, reflective report, and SPA ( Fanguy, 2018). We have to complete two things with each
session, before the session we have to prepare as indicated in moodle for the current session.
After each session, reflect our reflection of session in the blog entry on the weekly bases.
We learned about, entrepreneurship in that workshop, it was a process in which
individual person turning an innovative idea into a business approach (Kirzner, 2015). There are
lot of opportunities for stating business but with a proper idea you can got success. However,
when we think about innovation, it was not a new idea for business; innovation is just creating
new things from your mistakes (Lundvall, 2010). It was just like implementation of your new
idea for a particular problem. It is just practical use of thoughts for betterment a product or a
service. Innovation starts from searching ideas for solving problems. There are many ideas for a
single problem so select one idea for that problem, which provides better result as per
calculations before implementing that idea. After implantation of that idea, it was necessary to
take feedback of that innovation. If it is not providing benefits then review that concept and learn
form that so changes can be made according to issues occurred in that implementation (Hobcraft,

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2017). I learnt that always try to found solution for all problems, which are related to you. If I
take an example of incremental innovation, it was just like just doing better than previous one.
As every software having an older version and in future they got updated version. I also learnt
about, different innovation, such as platform, component, and discontinuous innovation.
Innovations have four dimensions, such as product, process, position, and paradigm. I leant that
every innovation has a space for changing something. Innovation is two types, which are social
innovation and commercial innovation. Commercial innovation provides benefits as increase
profit, productivity, reduce cost, efficiency, growth of company, competiveness, and customer
service handling. Social innovation are provides improvement in society, as well as creating
social changes. Innovation and entrepreneurship are very closely linked (Scarborough, 2016).
Entrepreneurs are used innovation as a tool for implementation their ideas to business and earned
lot of money. Both are very helpful for novelty, practical use, creativity, exploitation, and new
ideas.
Finding issues and problem solving approach
Design thinking is an approach to solving issues in a different way, just like creative-
problem solving approach ( Rosenø, 2018). It was just like skill set or tool for solving a
particular problem. I leant about differences between business and design on the bases of
different aspects, such as process, methods, level of focus, decision drivers, values, assumptions,
and understands. Business is just like numerical model, but design is like an experimental model.
I also learnt about empathy in the workshop, which was really so meaningful thing for me to use
in my future business. Empathy means just see same problem, but as a different point of view
(Kimbell, 2011).
Design thinking bring creativity and critical thinking, it is not like drawing, sculpting,
painting, and fashion. Design thinking provides different approaches to improve innovation
management. It was not like analytical and hypothetical planning approach (Liedtka, Ogilvie, &
Brozenske, 2014). I learnt a lot from poster designing activity. Poster making is way to increase
curiosity and interest of customers towards the product. It is a better way to understand about
product (Ortlipp, 2008).

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Reflection on Knowledge development
I develop my knowledge in various terms from that workshop. There are lot of things to
learn and develop knowledge in different aspects, such as business oriented, innovation,
entrepreneurship, and ethics for business. I enhance my knowledge in different fields. It was a
new topic for me but I learned a lot during the workshop, as well as after the workshop. All
modules are useful for my plans. There are many activities for creativity and innovating new
ideas for problem solving in different style ( Reynolds, 2018).
Design thinking models
I leant about different theories and models of design thinking, such as logic of reasoning,
divergent and convergent thinking, co-creation and co-design, triple loop learning, action
research, and philosophical world view with the help of different activities as I mention in my
blogs. I had a new improvement in myself during the workshop that I reflect on each and
everything on my personal portal and it will help me for solving many problems. Reflection is a
process in which you just reflect about your experience in the form of blogs and reflective
reports. I had an activity in a module in which a problem was given to us, which was related to
security of women in nighttime especially at nightclub streets. Therefore, we all group members
provide different ideas for helping them. It was good approach to develop knowledge in different
aspects (Razzouk & Shute, 2012).
In case of divergent and convergent thinking approach, it used four mental states for
solving problems, which are create new ways, make choices, beak down patterns, and
reassemble the patters ( Fanguy, 2018). I loved that approach to solving problems. Triple loop
learning was also helpful for my knowledge development. It has three steps single loop learning
in which learn the specific idea and follow that idea. In case of double loop learning, learn about
the rules of process and if something required change them. Last one was triple loop learning,
which means learn about learning. It was a cycle in which always learn about new ideas and
implement them for betterment of system or services. I also learnt from creative learning spiral
approach of design thinking in which imagine about something than creating according to that

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idea and share it to the world. After that reflect on that idea and if some problems are their then
imagine again for solving problems (de Andrés Martínez, 2012).
Action Plan
I had a very good experience from that workshop modules and I have to use all of them in
my personal life as well as my corporate life. for that I have an action plan to implement an
automatic parking system in which all things are based on the latest technologies, such as cloud
commuting, Internet of Things, and many more. I have so many innovative ideas for that and I
have to implement those ideas in next six month. I also have some plan about learning process
and I will use my learning’s in my project in way that is more efficient. As I develop my
knowledge from that workshop, I am more confident to plan and implement my ideas in
practical. I want to make a system in which any vehicle take parking in a parking area with a
dedicated space for a limited time. There are also mobile applications by which anyone can trace
the current position of a vehicle.
Conclusion
It is concluded that, design thinking is not like design something; it was a different
approach to find solution of given problem. It is also used to finding problems and issues in a
particular product and service provided by a company. I learnt many things from design thinking.
It is concluded from last part of this report that, design-thinking process is so useful for personal
and knowledge development. It is also concluded that innovation and entrepreneurship are so
beneficial in everyone. From the discussion carried on the previous segments, it can be
concluded that as a learner always accepts new ideas for betterment of a product and service and
use that learning and experience for finding and solving different types of problems.
Finally, it is concluded that design thinking was so helpful for a person improvement in
different aspects, such as social and commercial level.

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References
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Dubey, A. (2018, February 18). 10 Amazing Leadership Lessons From Design Thinking.
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Reynolds, G. (2018). Ethics in Information Technology (6th ed.). Boston, USA: Cengage
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