Design Thinking: A Reflective Report on Learning and Development

This report provides a comprehensive reflection on the design thinking skills acquired through various modules, spanning from design processes and theory to problem-solving, research, prototyping, and learning launch strategies. It highlights the development of skills such as designing, researching, and technical abilities, while also acknowledging weaknesses like impatience and lack of confidence. The report references models for addressing these weaknesses and details the learning experiences from each week, emphasizing key concepts like entrepreneurship, innovation, divergent and convergent thinking, value chain analysis, and ethical research practices. The reflection also covers practical applications such as brainstorming, journey mapping, and assumption testing, ultimately aiming to enhance professional development and design thinking knowledge. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and past papers for students.

Running head: DESIGN IT
Design It

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Executive summary
The main aim of this report is to reflect on different skills that I have learned through modules. It
is also evaluated that week 1 to 10 has gained different skills such as designing skills, research
skills and technical skills. It is also demonstrated that I have different weakness such as lack of
patience and confidence skills. It is described that there are different models for avoiding the
weakness such as trait model, ability model, and identification of speech and languages.

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Table of Contents
Executive summary.....................................................................................................................................2
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
A critical self-analysis and reflection of your learning................................................................................4
Week 1 and 2: Design What and Design Process....................................................................................4
Week 3: Design Theory...........................................................................................................................4
Week 4: Design Problems 1....................................................................................................................5
Week 5: Design Problems 2....................................................................................................................6
Week 6: Design Research 1.....................................................................................................................7
Week 7: Design Research 2.....................................................................................................................8
Module 8: Design Prototype....................................................................................................................9
Module 9&10: Design the (Learning) Launch and Design Presentations & Co-Creation 1...................10
Personal development, as well as the development of your knowledge of Design Thinking topics...........11
Develop an action plan of key events and activities..................................................................................12
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................13
References.................................................................................................................................................15
Appendices................................................................................................................................................17

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Introduction
This reflective report presents the reflection of blogs and presentation that I had attended during
the class. It also illustrates the technology related todesign it process.
A critical self-analysis and reflection of your learning
Week 1 and 2: Design What and Design Process
During these weeks, I have improved my knowledge regarding “design it”. I have also learned
about the entrepreneurship. In this way, it is pointed out that entrepreneurship is the procedure
through which an individual pursues the opportunities by utilizing the available resources. This
week was beneficial for me inincrease the comprehension regarding the roles of
entrepreneurship. In this way, it is observed that an entrepreneur assemble and combines all the
required resources such as people, money, business model and strategy in order to invent and
transform the idea into the viable company (Mackey, and Gass, 2015).During this week, I have
also increased my understanding regarding the innovation and model of innovation procedure. In
this way, I have increased my understanding that innovation process starts with the search and
end with the capture. This week was also effective for me to increase the knowledge about the
different aspects and dimension of innovation space. In this week, something that surprised me
was to gain knowledge about writing the reflection.
Week 3: Design Theory
During the week 3, I have gained my understanding regarding the logic of reasoning with and
without the design. In this week, I have learned certain illustration about the drunken violence
and crime at nightclubs that provide a clear view of the logic of reasoning regarding design. I
have increased my knowledge regarding what and how was used effectively here and also the
same illustration for a logic of reasoning with a design. I have boosted my understanding with

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respect to what and how was practiced effectively in reflection and the same illustration for the
logic of reasoning with a design. In this week, I have gained my knowledge regarding a few
minor things that may vary design with and without logic.
This week was also beneficial for me as it has gained my knowledge regarding the divergent and
convergent thinking. In this week, I have gained my knowledge regarding convergent and
divergent thinking. Before attending the class, I have not comprehensible regarding 3 type of
loop learning system. However, I had managed to deliver the concept with the simple
illustration. This week has also enhanced my knowledge that the design procedure is not a linear
procedure. After the session, I have gained my knowledge that managersthink more as a good
designer. During this week, I have also enhanced my experience regarding how to design a
poster. This week would be beneficial to me for developing an effective and efficient poster.
Week 4: Design Problems 1
This week has increased my knowledge regarding Design Problems. It would be effective for me
to complete the requirement of assignment 2. During this week, I have increased my knowledge
regarding the principles of design thinking such as solving the ‘wicked’ problems, observation,
prototyping, human-centered and empathetic, visualization, experimentation,and active learning,
and a ‘beginner’s mindset’. These principles would be applied by me in designing the process.
This week has also increased my knowledge about the findings of the problem. In this way, it
was pointed out that DT is a keyproblem-solving methodology that can help to find the problems
(Lewis, 2015). It could be effective for me to deal with the issue in the process of designing. This
week has also increased my knowledge regarding visualization and reflection tool. I have gained
my learning about the significant DT technique to understand the need of stakeholders and
personas. In this way, it is observed that customers tend to be understood as real people who they

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are, their needs, characteristics, dislikes, behavior, preferences, thought and feeling (Flick, 2015).
This would be beneficial for me to understand the customers and become more empathetic.
Week 5: Design Problems 2
This week was beneficial for me to test designing of the skills as it helps me to understand the
different concept. As a result, I have converted different sports balls, the shape of donuts, and
Emojis. During this week, I feel that time factor is a key element for designing tasks. My fellow
students demonstrated some good performance hence I have discussed with him regarding how
they are thinking regarding building a new opinion. This week had also developed my
knowledge regarding brainstorming session. With respect to new innovative designing thinking,
there is a needto constantly brainstorming the opinion between us to enhance the skills
(Silverman, 2016). This week has provided the information regarding brainstorming technique to
me that helps to make decision making in an organisation. It is observed that there are certain
rules of brainstorming such as don’t judge but say yes, go for quantity but keep in mind we need
fluency means lots of ideas and flexibility means lots of different ideas (Ledford, and Gast,
2018).
There is also a need to get involve radical factors such as weird, wild, stupid and absurd.
Furthermore, need forsharing the credit, develop, and release the new ideas. This week was also
effective for me as it has improved my perception regarding fifty phrases that kill creativity. This
week has increased my knowledge regarding journey mapping. This mapping is associated with
selection of customers, graphically represent the view of what the customer journey looks like,
identify a small number of customers, conduct an interview, and address the theme, study themes
and map journey of each persona (Smith, 2015). I have also increased my understanding in depth
with illustration given by tutor such as cook dinner for friends. Thus, I am able to use journey

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mapping in the future. I have also enhanced my knowledge about need assessment in designing
thinking. Thus, I would be able to design the thinking in the future.
Week 6: Design Research 1
During the week 6, I have increased my understanding value chain and network. This week was
also beneficial for me to understand the mind mapping and introduction to research. During this
week, it is pointed that value chain helps in identification of competencies and capabilities that
could be further assessed to demonstrate if they can provide the sustainable economic benefits
(Quinlan, Babin, Carr, and Griffin, 2019).
In this week, I have built my knowledge about discrete practices and how they can contribute
towards the benefits of consumers and how they added in cost. This week would be effective for
me to address the activities where an organization has a particular strength or weaknesses. This
can help me to address the key resources practiced within anorganizationand also aids to
generate value. This week is also providing me the opportunity to gain my knowledge regarding
the generic value chain. It would support me to become a good operational manager by
developing awareness regarding how to deliver added value to customers. This week has also
increased my knowledge about the Deckers Outdoor. In this way, it is pointed out that there are
different roles of retailers in Deckers Outdoor such as promotion, design and market research
(Choy, 2014).
This week has also increased my knowledge of the value network. In this way, it is pointed out
that the value network contains the set of inter-organizational link and associations that are
required for generating the products or services (Dang, and Pheng, 2015).

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I have also enhanced my understanding that value network is beneficial for understanding the
structure of cost and price.This week is also suitable for me addressing the profit pools and also
supports me to make or buy decision. It is significant for me to make partnering and relationship.
Through this week, I have enhanced my experience regarding alternative value chain diagram
and value chain approach. It also enhanced my research skills by developing the knowledge
about the research and data collection methods such as primary and secondary data collection
technique.
Week 7: Design Research 2
This week was beneficial for me to gain knowledge regarding the differentelements of research
such as research approaches, data types, data sources, and ethics. During this week, I was
competent to understand the ethical design that led tothe investigation and ethical co-creation. I
have observed that there are different sources of data such as a questionnaire survey, focus
group, document, websites, statistics, reports, interviews,and observation. In this way, I have
obtained depth information regarding a questionnaire survey and interview-based survey. In this
way, I have pointed out that the semi-structured interview involves rough questions, order,and
exact question and enables exploring the unexpected avenues. Along with this, it is found out
that an unstructured interview is associated with very close conversation and completely open-
ended questions (Wiek and Lang, 2016).
This week also reflected the participants and non-participant observation as it would aid me to
observe the respondents effectively. During this week, I have increased my knowledge regarding
the negotiating participation. It is evaluated that negotiating participation should be clear, non-
deceptive along with honest (Walliman, 2017). There is also a needfor appropriate rewards,
informed consent, clear expectation management, and privacy (afWåhlberg, 2017). This research

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improves my investigation skills by developing an understandingof how to conduct during and
after the research. In such a manner, I have pointed out that during the research, an investigator
should focus on expectation management, skillful customer engagement, conscious awareness of
power, and mutual respect. Moreover, after the research, I will report back to customers, deliver
promised rewards and honoring agreements and re anonymity. This week was also beneficial for
me as it has created my knowledge about the principle of co-creation. I have also gained my
experience in the development of the concept, and assumption testing. Thus, it would be
effective for me to enhance my professional career.
Module 8: Design Prototype
During the week 8, I have gained my understanding regarding planning the learning launch.It
was also significant for me to gain the knowledge regarding the assumptionof testing. I have also
enhanced my experience with the metrics that I can use to measure the success of the assumption
being tested. This module has also enhanced my understanding regarding the capital requirement
that helps to launch the learning. I have also learned that how Pfizer and Nicorette had
effectively launch the smoking-cessation program through pharmacies, internet, and employers. I
have also enhanced my experience regarding required tight boundaries like time, goals and
location. I have also increased my understanding with respect to pre-launch the expectation of
customers and possibly contracts. This learning is beneficial for me to emphasize on the untested
assumption such as trial diverse approaches thus, I feel free to the addressed problem. In this
week, it is pointed out that stress is the need for increasing the honest and generating the
feedback (Mukhopadhyay, and Gupta, 2014). It is addressed that the company should provide
time to the user in order to discover the prototype on their own terms (Jamshed, 2014). It is
observed that this prototype is fast feedback cycles and solid conflict resolution mechanisms that

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make me feel real in the investigation (McCusker, and Gunaydin, 2015). I have also increased
my experience that the real launch requires investment for developing the innovation in order to
develop the solution and innovation for launching and marketable phase. It is also pointed that
company should endorse the solution/innovation to the market and also generates a leading and
an appropriate development team such as human resource team (Karp, et. al., 2016). Thus, it will
aid to me to become a good innovative researcher in the future.
Module 9&10: Design the (Learning) Launch and Design Presentations & Co-Creation 1
During the week 9 & 10, I have developed my knowledge regarding the action plan. In this way,
I have addressed the key events and activities that I can undertake for addressing the
development requirement. This could be mostly in the table format. In this way, concrete and
practical events and practices are required such as, for identified weakness, there is a needfor
struggling the research methods (Hickson, 2016). Moreover, there is a need for developing the
action plan such as learns more regarding research techniques (Neuman, 2016).
This learning is beneficial with respect to personal development as a consequence of
experiencing entrepreneurial and DT practices in this research. It is also effective in terms of
developing the knowledge as a consequence of experiencing the entrepreneurial and DT
practices in this research (Azhdarzadeh, et. al., 2015). Thus, this week has not only developed
my personal skills but also enhanced my professional skills.
During this week, I made group presentation so, as a group, I was excited for demonstrating the
topic and as a part of the presentation, I had an opportunity for identifying the other members
who were presented different innovative topics in the class. Hence, I have gained my
understanding from that how DT has been practiced in other sectors to address the issues
creatively. Particularly, our presentation was of 13 minutes on topic solving issues in company

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culture via DT and all the 5 members of our team are contributed very well in all the aspects.
This week has also enhanced my experience regarding the definition of design thinking,
statement of the problem and certain techniques like brainstorming and journey mapping that I
was entailed highly during our journey.This technique was beneficial for me to perform my
responsibility in an effective manner. These techniques had provided different opportunity to
understand the issues such as I have understand this aspect through different example related to
gender bias issue faced by women in company culture (Alvesson, and Sköldberg, 2017). I have
improved my skills in this week by acquiring the feedback and suggestion through my tutor. I
have improved my experience of the real mind mapping diagram and some other techniques that
aid me to make innovation in research.
Personal development, as well as the development of your knowledge of Design Thinking
topics
SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths
 Competent
tounderstand new
concept
 Active listener
Weaknesses
 Lack of confidence
 Lack of patience skills
 Lack of
communications skills
Opportunities
 Active listening
proficiency enable to
acquire higher
sustainable
Threats
 Lack of patience that
creates major concerns
for resolving the issues
in limited time with

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advantageous cost
Develop an action plan of key events and activities
SR. No. Models to address the
patience level issues
Ways for eliminating
the patience level
Duration
(in weeks)
1 Identification of Speech This will help to assess
whether I can sound
effective or ineffective
1-2
2 Language This will aid me for
improving the language
barriers and articulation
in an effective way.
3-4
3 Procedure of thought This will support me for
comprehending the
situation before
responding towards the
behaviour of others
5-6
4 Self-assurance It will aid to deeply
comprehend my
personality that can aid
to enhance my
confidence level.
7-8
5 Determine issue It will aid to determine
the issue in an effective
way with regards to
confidence level. It will
aid to persuade more
9-10