Design Thinking Module: A Reflective Report on Practical Insights

This report reflects on a 12-week design thinking module, highlighting key learnings and experiences. It covers team formation, brainstorming, and problem-solving through design. The author discusses the importance of critical thinking, imagination, and entrepreneurship. The report also explores business strategies, feedback integration, and the value of learning from both success and failure. Different design thinking theories, such as action research and triple loop learning, are examined, along with design tools like visualization and journey mapping. The report further delves into value chain processes, ethics in research, and data collection methods, emphasizing empathy and innovative thinking in problem-solving. The student reflects on the module's impact on their problem-solving skills and confidence.

Running Head: DESIGN THINKING 0
Design Thinking
Individual Assignment
Student Name
10/3/2018

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Table of Contents
Reflective Report.........................................................................................................................................1
References...................................................................................................................................................2

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Reflective Report
Design thinking is not related to designing any painting or craft. It is a way to found an
effective solution of a problem. I had an experience from design it modules. It was an awesome
and fruitful experience of my life. I never forgot that workshop. It was 12-week workshop, and it
has different modules with related activities.
In first module of design it, I have to select a group for different activities and
assessment. I learnt that team formation was an also tough work for getting good results in the
end of the work. A good team had best thoughts for completing a work. In that module, we are in
a group for doing different assignments. We were introduced each other to our group members
and all other classmates also. We were assigned an activity to some groups, which were related
to design. We all thought about that activity, in which we had to draw some designs on the paper
for solving different problems related to pressure on a person ( Rosenø, 2018). I made some
design on the paper. It was like a poster, and it shows as a solution of a problem. In staring of
that activity, I felt it was so difficult to do poster making in our first module. I learnt about
design it module, and different parts of that workshops. I was so excited after that activity. It was
awesome way to founding solution of a problem in an effective way. It was a process to getting
ideas from different people for a problem. So we all thought about the problem and then we draw
some design to solving those problems. I was more excited knew more about design it. We
learned about critical thinking, imagination, point of view for a problem, and creativity ( Claes,
2017). These are some aspects, which we have to improve in our life for better future. I also
learnt about entrepreneurship in that module. Entrepreneurship is a process in which you can
convert your innovative ideas in a practical form. It was just like an idea for business purpose.
Innovation and entrepreneurship are different but have many similarities. Entrepreneurs are those
people who implement their innovative idea into business. We also learned about blogging and
reflection on the learning from each module. I wrote blogs on weekly bases on my learning and it
was so helpful for making my reflective report (Ortlipp, 2008).
In second week, I learnt about business strategies for a product success in the market. We
assigned a product wows for selling and marketing. I learnt that a good company always takes
feedback of a product for betterment of product features and benefits from that product using

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different innovative ideas based on customer’s feedback (Asheim, 2007). We learned that before
launching of product some basic things would be done by company for getting full success of
product without any risk of failure. Few companies not taking feedback about the product and
because of a wrong idea some product got failure. I leant that always take feedback and improve
that product with the help of innovative ideas (Nelson, 2013). we learned about learning launch,
which means before launching a product in market, some exercise must done with product, such
as beta versions of a product. Samples are also helpful for the feedback, because it was totally
depends on the customers. Sometimes an innovative idea also fails if it was not fulfill the needs
of customers. So getting feedback of a product and applied new changes according to needs of
customers. It will be better for product cost as well as demand (Lundvall, 2010). We also read
different stories for the understating of failure and success. I learnt that many good leaders
changed their company based on their innovative ideas. I learnt that one important thing that was
always had a unique idea according to customer prospective. I inspired from all those stories,
which I read, in that module. I made some changes in myself, such as always trust on the team,
should not depend on the single area of research, and do not underestimate the small idea (Brown
& Wyatt, 2010).
In week third, I learnt about different theories of design thinking, and different ways of
founding solution of a problem with the help of some innovative ideas. We learned about action
research, it was a theory for getting good results for a problem. We learned about logic reasoning
theory to solving problems. Design thinking process was a good way to get success in an
effective way (Martin, 2009). I leant about triple loop learning, in which first take an innovative
idea for solving that problem then get feedback of that process, if it was not provided a proper
solution then change that idea with new one. It was best approach to found an effective solution
of a problem. There are some others ways also, such as single loop, and double loop. I learnt
about different subjective and objective approaches to getting good results for solving a problem
(Dorst, 2011). We learned that, first analyze the problem then try to found solution of a problem.
I also learnt about research methodology, observing, planning, reflection, and action for solving
a task. There are some other methods also for solving a problem, such as scientific methods, in
which no need of reflection, and subjective judgment to found solution. We learned that
converting your ideas into practical is an innovation (Drucker, 2014). So, always follow new
ideas for solving problems in a different way. It will improve my problem solving skill, as well

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as my confidence to found new ideas for a problem. I also learnt that not every problem is big as
we think, and all problems have a solution, so always be positive and understood the problem
then try to found solution with the help of innovative ideas in your mind ( Dubey, 2018).
In forth week, we learned about design tool to solved problem. I learnt that first know
about the problem then try for solution, if you do not understand problem properly then your
solution also not proper, and that was a failure for you. We had an activity on that module, which
was beneficial for us. In that activity, we had a topic ‘A day at the beach’ and we have to found
out problems in that topic. We discussed on that and got twenty problems. It was so difficult to
all of group members, but we did it finally. It was tough for me in starting but at the end, I did it
in better way. We also learned about the design thinking tools for finding problems, such as
visualization, and persona (Dunne & Martin, 2006). We also learned about critical thinking uses
for finding problems and solution of those problems. I learnt that design thinking was more than
different types of problem solving approaches. We could found problems and got new innovative
ideas to solving that problem in a process. I also learnt that, a problem was having different
solution but using design-thinking process, we can get a better and effective solution of that
problem. We learned about storyboarding and 'keep it simple' approaches in that module
( Fanguy, 2018). I also learnt that design it was also help in for finding out problems as well as
solution of that problem. Design it tools are helping in those problems, which are not solved yet.
There are many problems, which are related to our personal life, and we searching for the
solution of that problems, such as childcare, security of valuable things, and skin care. Using
design tools, we can get solution in easy way.
In fifth week, I learnt about two things, which was brainstorming, and journey mapping.
These are the tools for design thinking process. I enjoyed the activity for brainstorming, in which
we got a paper with 30 circles and I had to transform all circles into different shapes with in the
given time, which is only two minute. It was so tough for me but when we gave our ideas than it
was simple for us. We put more efforts in that activity and got good results using different kind
of brainstorming effort. I also learnt about journey mapping (Hobcraft, 2017). It was just like a
process in which share experiences of founding solution of a problem in graphical representation.
It was seems like a prototype of a product, which was based on the new innovative idea. There
are many break points in the journey of getting solution of a problem. I also learnt about empathy

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and co-reaction in that module. First time I heard about empathy word, it means feel a same
problem with the other persons view. Means think different point of view for finding solution of
a problem (Kimbell, 2011).
In the sixth week, we learned about value chain process, and different activities related to
design thinking process. I learnt that for selling of a product, first thing was required is suppliers
and second was cost of the product. It was depending on the cost of the product and customer’s
needs. We had an activity in which we calculated cost of the project and found profit margin of
the company. I learned that cost of the product depending on the raw material used for product,
manufacturing of the product, and distribution of product (Kirzner, 2015). A customer wants a
good product with low cost and company wants a good margin with low investment in product
manufacturing. So it was totally depends on the innovation of the ideas by which minimum the
gap of customers and companies thoughts. In the value chain process system, relationship with
different organization matter a lot. There are so many things for value chain network to make
better services to customers and good profit to company. It was also a good thing that your
products deliver on right time to the customer. Therefore, supply chain system was also good to
get faith of customers. It was also depending on the demand and supply of product. Therefore,
company must analysis on demand of the product and supply according to that data. I also
learned about mind mapping in which some principles help to make a layout with the help of
data and provide it as a result. It will be helpful for future success and save time to know about
failure or success (Liedtka, Ogilvie, & Brozenske, 2014).
In the seventh week, we learned about ethics, research approach, data sources, and
primary and secondary data types. I learnt about different sources of primary data, such as
structured interview, panel discussion, group discussion, and unstructured interviews ( Reynolds,
2018). I learned about observation it had two parts, first was participant’s observation, and
second was non-participant observation. I also learned about advantages and disadvantages of
primary and secondary data. Ethics are just some actions of a person in a particular condition,
which are also, depend on the decision making of a person. It was in different levels or fields,
such as commercial, social, and personal. I learned about ethics in details with the help of that
module. I also learned about ethics in the design research. As an example of ethics, we can take
plagiarism, which means no one can copy other words in their work without mention his or her

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name on that documents. Ethical issues arise in different cases, so some laws and intellectual
property rights are there for securing information, such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, and
some different confidential things of an organization. Organization follows privacy, restriction,
data storage analogize, confidentiality, and finally reporting the findings. I also learnt about
interview tips using empathy, and it was helpful for my future work, such as presentation of
project, build rapport, explore emotions, and handling query section after the presentation (de
Andrés Martínez, 2012).
In the eighth week, we learned about, prototype development. It was related to 2D, 3D,
and 4D prototype designing. I learnt about rapid prototyping, it was related to description of your
ideas in the paper base designing, such as sketching, wire framing, story boarding, and physical
prototyping. All these concepts of prototyping are so helpful for my future (Scarborough, 2016).
These concepts are also beneficial for the companies for designing prototypes for a product
before launching. It will be cost and time saving process for the company. It had a best
advantage that is review of the product as a customer’s point of view. There are some drawbacks
also of rapid prototyping, such as time consuming process, expectations are too high of the
customers. However, it has a huge advantage that is imagination about the product and services
of the product (Shamah, 2013).
It is concluded from the last parts of this reflective report that, design thinking was a
process and it will helpful for founding a proper solution of a problem. It was a critical process to
analyzing problem. I also conclude about some related points with design thinking, such as
innovation, ethics, designing tools, prototyping, reflection, and creative thinking for getting
innovative ideas for finding problems in the particular product or system with an innovative
solution. Finally, it is concluded that designing tools are so helpful for finding critical solution
of a problem. It was also helpful for interviews.
I have an action plan after the completing that workshop. As I understand many things
form different modules. I would like to design a parking system in that all things are
automatically arranges using latest technologies, such as Internet of Things, wireless sensor
networks, and cloud computing.

Design Thinking 7
References
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