Reflective Report on Design Thinking Workshop

This reflective report analyzes the experience of a design thinking workshop, focusing on personal development, knowledge development, and an action plan for the next six months.

Reflective Report
Student’s Name:
Student’s ID:
Subject:

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Introduction
The primary aim of the paper is to critically analyze the experience based on design thinking
activity that was conducted at the time of the workshop. Design thinking is an effective and non-
linear procedure that creates creative solutions to test and prototype, redefine problems,
challenge assumptions, and understand users. The self-analysis of the process of design thinking
will help focus upon the aspects of personal development along with the development of
knowledge for different topics in the process of design thinking. It will create an action plan for
six months based on executing a design thinking process that would be helpful for a designer as
well as the design team.
Critical self-analysis and reflection of experiencing Design Thinking activity
Last week I had a great opportunity to attend a design thinking workshop, which was the best
professional development experience I ever had. Design thinking is determined to be a design
practice that facilitates a solution-based tactic to solve different issues (Geissdoerfer, Bocken &
Hultink, 2016). It is a human-centered tactic to creation which incorporates the needs for
business success, possibilities of analytics, and digital tech. I was totally involved with the
design thinking procedures and had a great opportunity for learning, brainstorming, outreaching,
as well as collaborating with others. I enjoyed the active workshop approach as it helped me in
enhancing my experience based on design thinking activity. A week later, I am still thinking
about some of the design thinking concepts and reflecting on how to implement design thinking
elements into my curriculum. Therefore, design thinking enhances the world as it possesses an
innovative and disruptive way to create groundbreaking solutions (Callahan, 2019). The figure
given below presents the five phases of design thinking, such as test, prototype, ideate, define,
and empathize. All these methods are useful in order to overcome the unknown or ill-defined
issues.

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Figure: The design thinking process
(Source: Liedtka, 2015)
Personal development
During the workshop, we were assigned a task of writing blogs based on design thinking. During
week one, I wrote a blog related to my learning experience and how it improves my knowledge
and skills. I acknowledged that I am a little bit weak in visualization, as a result, it helped me to
recognize my strengths and weaknesses. The concept that innovation is a process helps an
individual to implement relevant perspectives and focus on different ways of viewing things
(Shapira, Ketchie & Nehe, 2017). It helped me to realize that innovation never ends and I am
always improving. Moreover, during week 2, I wrote a blog on the aspects that I need to develop
for improving design thinking. From this week, I realized that I am the kind of person who likes
to execute work on my own without taking the help of others. I along with my team members,
completed a significant design challenge by helping my partner to overview each step of the
designing process, and redesign their morning routines. By involving within the complete design
thinking process, I better understood the value of empathizing, eliciting needs, and rapid
prototyping throughout each stage of the process. With the example of Apple and Blackberry, I
come to know that in order to achieve success, it is significant for me to understand the needs of
the consumers.
However, the workshop did a great job of developing extraordinary teams of people to
accomplish the projects by implementing a fresh approach. On the other hand, during week 3, I
undertook various activities that focused upon the wide areas such as failure, calm, and
experience. All these aspects help an individual to identify their mistakes and handle the
situations efficiently and effectively (Oxman, 2017). Thus, rapid prototyping through time

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constraints helped me in creating new and innovative ideas and how to involve as a collaborator
in the process of building. Therefore, I also realized that in the future, I need to practice how to
overcome problems like social or political life, remaining calm in difficult situations and
managing the failure. Whereas, during week 4, I wrote about the positive and negative
experiences that I faced in my workplace. It is significant for an individual to manage the
organizational activities effectively either in a good or bad situation. Thus, with the help of the
well-developed platform, I learned how to solve problems and build an empathetic nature.
Moreover, during week 5, I learned the design thinking process, which is all about creativity and
imagination. I also learned regarding various rules of brainstorming that helped me to change my
perspective and apply the design thinking process in different situations. The activities conducted
in this week motivated me to make mistakes, feel safe, and fail forward where I celebrated the
normalized failure and mistakes as a part of the learning process. These particular activities help
an individual to develop their behavior, skills, and knowledge. The workshop also helped me to
think about various aspects such as what I do, why I do, and how I do. Engaging in the activities
based on design thinking conducted over the workshop was a unique experience for me as it
inspired me to think about others.
The use of different tools, artifacts, and activities in the design thinking process helps in
recognizing the challenges as well as benefits of resources. The activities and tools are
considered to be a significant process that is used to conduct a workshop (Stephens & Boland,
2015). Hence, the representation and documentation that has been implemented throughout the
workshop are useful for me in creating new ideas and solving problems. However, the activities
that were held developed a safe space for failure that plays a vital role in an effective design
procedure. The design thinking process possesses several intuitive practices that create a
powerful too (Glen, Suciu, Baughn & Anson, 2015). This experience would help me in the future
to develop innovative approaches while designing products or services for customers.

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Development of knowledge for design thinking topics
During week 1, I acquired knowledge about visualization as a design thinking tool that is
determined to be a significant part of designing where I got to know that if a person can visualize
things, then the person can solve the problems. It is helpful for me in converting information into
visuals. With the help of this tool I acknowledged that the ideas could be expressed through text
where images are more powerful and are subjected to substantial interpretation. Meanwhile,
week 2 explained about the process of design thinking and considered poster as a design thinking
tool. I gained knowledge that poster is helpful in visualizing the information in an accessible
way.
Whereas, week 3 provided knowledge regarding blogs and blogging which is considered to be a
design thinking tool that enabled me to provide response to the my own posts. It helps in writing
a content that serves an opportunity to highlight over the search engines (Fischer, 2015). On the
other hand, Week 4 reflected upon persona as a design thinking tool that helps in finding
problem along with its desired solution (Kummitha, 2019). Through, this I learned to identify
and understand the feelings, thoughts, needs and characteristics of real people. While week 5
helped in gathering knowledge regarding brainstorming as a design thinking tool that helped me
in recognizing right empathy, mindset, stimulus, inspiration, challenge and people. With the help
of this tool I will be able to understand the characteristic of a person.
During week 6, I gathered knowledge regarding value chain as a design thinking tool that helped
in analyzing the particular chain of activities in order to supply services or products. The tool
helped me to understand better how to identify the problem and provide solutions to mitigate the
issue. The tool also helped in thinking about the biases and beliefs that are faced by the designers
(Ben Mahmoud‐Jouini, Midler & Silberzahn, 2016). The utilization of Value chain tool
encouraged me to demonstrate the power of designers, along with the implications inherited from
history while executing work in a different environment. Intentional learning is the most
effective technique that helps in asking questions and listening to the needs of the customers. As
a result, I acknowledged that intentional learning helps in listening to the expectations as well as
obligations of the customers. Through intentional learning I come to know that it is necessary to
the share the message to a single person at a time, maintain confidentiality, listening as it is
beneficial for the speaker and doing the work without commenting or interrupting. After the

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workshop, I have attempted to listen deliberately to at least one person every day. Therefore, it is
a great tool that helped me in enhancing my knowledge.
Furthermore, during week 7, I learned about how to utilize design thinking tool where I learned
that design thinking is a step-by-step process. This week focused upon the sources of primary
and secondary data as a design thinking tool. In order to implement a different type of concept
development, it is essential to view the end user (Elsbach & Stigliani, 2018). This particular tool
utilizes the techniques of interviews, ethical research and focus groups. As a result this week
helped me improve my observation skills that enabled me to understand the empathetic nature of
the end-user.
The primary purpose of the design thinking process and tools are to reframe the process that
could be applied in different circumstances (Liedtka, Salzman & Azer, 2017). Based on this
aspect, week 8 helped me in gaining the appropriate idea about rapid prototyping as a design
thinking tool which is a rough and quick manifestation of concepts. Utilization of this design
thinking tool helped me in finding the prototype for the solution. The entire process within the
week helped me in enhancing the imagination power that is helpful for me in understanding the
needs of others in different situations.
Moreover, in the next week that is on week 9, I learned how to create the prototype with the help
of launch and feedback grid tool. This tool provides a valuable response regarding the areas that
need improvement, and what could be done to fulfill the needs of the consumers (Huq & Gilbert,
2017). At last, during week 10, I understood the entire process of design thinking that could be
useful to the real world. Design thinking process enhances and complements different methods
from best practices frameworks and pre-existing digital assets to digital immersions (Nielsen &
Stovang, 2015). Through the workshop, I acknowledged that different topics related to the design
thinking process integrate customer empathy and emotions. It allows cross-functional
experiments and crystalizes the experience of customers into an operational prototype (Bocken,
Rana & Short, 2015).

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Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Based on the design thinking tools I have acknowledged that my significant strength is that I can
break the problems into elements that helps in thinking in analogies and metaphors. I realized
that I have developed my communication, creativity and visualizing skills. Another strength
based on the design thinking tools is that I possess the ability to identify the preferences,
behaviors and needs of others. From the perspective of design thinking tools I come to know I
am good at interpreting, analyzing, describing, recording and observing the behavior of
individuals.
Weaknesses
Whereas, related to design thinking tools my weakness is that I am unable to make an efficient
use of journey and mind maps. Hence, I need to improve myself in this particular area as it will
help me in the future to visualize the problems efficiently. However, I am weak in analyzing the
chain of activities carried out by the organizations, thus it is essential for me evaluate journey
mapping that would help in understanding the problem from different level. By observing and
reviewing the design thinking tools I realized that I am weak in understanding the standards and
norms of ethics. Therefore, it is significant for me to understand the appropriate standards and
norms of behaviors that helps in strengthening relationships with others.
Action plan of key activities and events for the next six months
The action plan helps an individual to know what is required to be done to accomplish a strategy,
initiative, project, and task. While executing a design thinking process, the action plan involves
the measures, milestones, and steps of progress along with with the timeline, specific
assignments, and responsibilities (Sung & Kelley, 2019). Therefore it is determined to be a
significant part of strategic planning. However, there possess some action plan or key activities
for the next six months based on the design thinking procedure. These activities will be helpful
for me in the future to execute a process efficiently and effectively.
SR/
No.
Activities Months Steps Measures Milestones

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1. Brainstorming July  Set a limit
 Begin with a
problem
statement
 Be visual
Involving
with each
other,
building and
listening on
other ideas
Helpful in
developing
various
innovative
ideas through
leveraging
the collective
thinking
2. Interviewing August  One-on-one
interviews
 Brainstorming
team
members to
create
questions
Offering
directness and
intimacy of
other
observation
methods
Helps in
collecting data
and
empathizing
with users
3. Video
Journals and
Personal
photo
Septembe
r
 Give the
camera to the
user
 Make video-
recording or
pictures of
the activities
 Involving
real people
Gaining
valuable
experiences
by involving
real people as
designer
Helps in
understanding
the use of
products or
services,
community
dynamics
4. Body
storming
October  Acting out
different
scenarios
 Planning and
effort
Implementing
appropriate
solutions to
come up with
innovative
Helps in
understanding
the needs of
others

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ideas
5. Bingo
selection
November  Selecting
physical,
experience
and digital
prototype
Engaging in
splitting ideas
into various
factors
Will help in
identifying
different
factors such
as potential
application of
different
prototypes
6. Analogous
empathy
December  Comparing
one domain
with other
 Executing
time-
sensitive and
highly
stressful
process
Comparing
the problem,
concentrating
on the same
aspects,
generating an
inspiration
board
It will help
develop new
insights into
the design
team
Table: an Action plan for design thinking process for the next six months

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The activities related to the design thinking process are further discussed below:
Brainstorming
It is a significant method that is applied at the time of the ideation stage related to typical design
related process. Practicing this activity is the best way to develop creative ideas by building a
strong relationship with others (Baldassarre, Calabretta, Bocken & Jaskiewicz, 2017).
Interviewing
It involves one-to-one interviews, which is determined to be a constructive way of gaining
insights and connecting with real people (Smith, Iversen & Hjorth, 2015). The activity helps in
understanding the goals, desires, hopes, and needs of the users.
Video Journals and Personal photo
This process helps in involving real people to keep in mind the human aspects of design firmly.
With the help of this activity, I will be able to utilize photo journals that will help me in creating
a foundation for the design thinking process.
Body storming
It is a method which is useful in experiencing a situation physically to engage an individual into
the user’s environment. Executing this activity needs a possible amount of effort and planning to
observe users setting (Cahn et al., 2016).
Bingo selection
It is an activity that helps in splitting ideas into different factors like the potential application of
experience prototype, digital prototype along with physical prototype.
Analogous empathy
This particular method helps the design teams to generate new insights into the design thinking
process (Bennett, Agostinho & Lockyer, 2017). It will be helpful for me to compare one domain
with other and conjuring different solutions within the limitations of one discipline.

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Conclusion
The paper concluded that design thinking incorporates a deep understanding of the human
aspects that are included in the workflow, which needs to serve quick iteration ideas and generate
superlative customer experiences. The paper revealed the fact that design thinking process and
activities help in applying the thinking principles to recognize effective and practical solutions
while solving different problems. It also discussed different tools of design thinking process that
is helpful for a designer to design a product or service. All these tools help in understanding
customer needs and attaining unprecedented agility and growth. The action plan helped
presented some of the activities that will be conducted within the next six months. The paper also
focused upon the aspects of intentional learning that helps listen to the ideas and concepts of
others.

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