Design Thinking for Managers: Blog, Self-Analysis & Action Plan

This report showcases the application of design thinking principles for managers through a series of blog entries and a reflective analysis. The blog entries cover various aspects of design thinking, including design processes, theories, problem-solving, needs analysis, research skills, ethics, prototyping, and presentation techniques. The reflective report demonstrates the regular use of a weekly blog, candid self-analysis identifying personal strengths and weaknesses, and the ability to devise an action plan supported by literature, addressing key development needs with specific activities and timeframes. The report integrates practical experiences and theoretical knowledge to enhance the understanding and application of design thinking in a managerial context.

Running Head: Design Thinking for Managers
Design Thinking for Managers

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Contents
Blog writing.....................................................................................................................................3
Reflective Report...........................................................................................................................13
Introduction................................................................................................................................13
Demonstrate the regular use of a weekly blog...........................................................................13
Self-analysis for understanding personal strength and weakness..............................................15
Ability to devise the action plan for appropriate activities........................................................17
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................18

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Blog writing
Blog 1
Introduction to design thinking …..
The first blog is based upon the week 1, whose main theme is the design thinking within the
main learnings, many units have been introduced along with the assessments, teaching team,
reading materials and the learning resources at the same period.
Main learnings from the week ……
 The main learnings of the blog are evolving around the applications of DT tools.
 It also establishes different mindsets of the designers along with pushing everyone
towards their comfort zone.
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
The existence experience can be considered with the help of methods for preparing the graduates
for fulfilling their dreams and goals in professional life.
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
In the case of the core application of DT tools, I find that this is challenging for the students and
it became much uncomfortable for the students.

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Blog 2
Introduction to the design process …..
The second blog is based on week 2, whose main theme is the design process and here we can
see a comparison between the design and business. The design thinking tools and processes have
also been discussed in the blog.
Main learnings from the week ……
 From the week, it can be learnt that many approaches within the design thinking
procedures can solve the ill-defined problems
 Creative problem-solving approaches, skill sets and using new values are also learnt in
this module
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
The complementation of the analytic perspectives and methods for preparing the graduates and
careers can be considered as the existent backgrounds for securing the experiences.
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
The students are much comfortable with the ambiguity, messiness, uncertainty, contradictory
information and complexity

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Blog 3
Introduction to the design theory …..
The third blog will be based on the design theory where various theories and models are related
to the DT tools
Main learnings from the week ……
 The basic logic of reasoning along with the basic reasoning pattern can be learnt with the
help of this module
 On the other hand, the design logic along with abductive reasoning and deductive
reasoning has been explained in this week module
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
The existing experience and backgrounds can be acknowledged with the help of scientific
methods and also the action research methodologies. It consists of the consecutive cycles and the
scientific cycles that consist of planning, observing, reflecting and acting on the same theme.
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
The students feel comfortable with the research upon the convergent and the divergent thinking
procedures in the future time frame, which can be learnt from this module.

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Blog 4
Introduction to the problem of finding and needs analysis …..
The main portion of the week discusses problem-solving and the problem finding along with
finding the issues with the help of various tools.
Main learnings from the week ……
 The main tools which have been used are the design thinking tool, which is known as
Persona.
 The design thinking principles have been discussed in the study along with problem
finding and problem-solving at the same time.
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
The existing experience and backgrounds can be measured by solving the problems related to the
DT solutions.
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
Some of the students feel much comfortable in finding the DT solutions, where everything is
designed each of the design problems are also planned accordingly.

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Blog 5
Introduction to the needs analysis and problem-solving…..
The main introductory element in the study is journey mapping along with activity and overview
related to the Brainstorming.
Main learnings from the week ……
 The main learnings of the week are related to the design thinking tools, where the insight
analysis is very important.
 The design process is also much necessary and these are broken down into many design
thinking tools and making the individual more innovative.
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
The methods that are required to consider the experiences and backgrounds are the brainstorming
and thus keeping the right people for the right tasks.
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
It feels much comfortable to me because the principles of Brainstorming is practised within the
study, which includes several rights that are followed by the managers in an organization.

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Blog 6
Introduction to the research skills for design thinking …..
According to the sixth week, it can be observed that the importance of the value chain and value
network have been described in the study.
Main learnings from the week ……
 The main learnings in the week include the mind mapping along with its activities and
overview
 Drawing and a brief description of the value chain along with the core identification of
activities and business that are carried out for analysing the competitive advantage
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
The mind mapping is one of the useful methods that can be used for having deep experience and
looking for the patterns in case of finding out large data.
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
It feels comfortable because the mind mapping is based on the collected data and teams are
constructed with a small number of participants.

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Blog 7
Introduction to the ethics, empathy and analysis in design research …..
In week seven, the introduction to research has been described along with diverse research
approaches, data sources, data types and ethics.
Main learnings from the week ……
 The main learnings include designing ethical research project that is based on observing
and interviewing
 The concept of the data analysis, assumption testing and concept development are
practised in this week along with the co-creation techniques.
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
The methods include the interviewing for empathy, which helps a manager in introducing
himself followed by the exploring emotions, preparing the question statements and thus
wrapping up the case.
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
It feels much comfortable because the solutions can be ascertained by resolving the DT problems
by avoiding personal bias in terms of solving the leading questions.

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Blog 8
Introduction to the rapid prototyping workshop…..
The main motive of the week is to describe the rapid prototyping which includes the early and
later prototype techniques.
Main learnings from the week ……
 In the main learning, the design process has been discussed which is broken down into
different thinking tools that helped the managers to innovate new ideas and plans.
 Quick access and the rough manifestation of concepts are elaborated in the study
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
Transferring of the concepts into the testable and feasible models by committing a large amount
of money, energy and time. It is important for developing real things
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
It feels comfortable because building prototypes and making the concepts more communicable
makes the experience smoother and fast than the previous time scale. The early and later rapid
prototyping are also described in the study, which makes the experience more comfortable.

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Blog 9
Introduction to the design of the learning launch …..
The main theme of the study is to describe the procedures of the learning launch, real launch and
also the design processes.
Main learnings from the week ……
 The comparison between the learning launch and business launch has been described
 The planning for the learning launch has been described along with the specifications of
products and services that are important to achieve.
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
Different procedures that are related to the learning launch and thus taking the assumptions that
are required for launching the theme are very important for getting the experience of learning.
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
It feels much comfortable because the whole experiment has been done on the market place and
both the experiences are quick and inexpensive. On the other hand, the behaviour has also been
changed from the hypothetical to real life which includes much enthusiasm and willingness to
pay.

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Blog 10
Introduction to the design presentations and co-creation
The design presentations and the creative elements have been done with the on-campus students
where some groups and tutors are present within the classroom.
Main learnings from the week ……
 Within the main learnings of the week, identifying the key elements and activities can be
described with the help of the development requirements
 The concrete and the practical events are also described in this week and some
weaknesses are identified.
Methods to consider the existence of experience and backgrounds ……
The methods for presenting the assessment information within the unit profile is much important
and that makes the experience of the managers more comfortable after a specific period.
Whether it feels comfortable or not …..
The action plan makes the experience of the researchers more comfortable with the help of the
concrete and practical events along with the activities.