Redesign Thinking Project Report for Managers, T1 2019

This report examines the concept of redesign thinking and its application in project management. It defines redesign thinking as a methodology for managers to solve problems and achieve organizational goals, especially in the context of market competition. The report details a five-stage redesign thinking approach: trial-error method, experts’ suggestions, research approach, experimentation, and critical analysis of previous solutions. Each stage is explained, highlighting its unique contribution to problem-solving. The report emphasizes the importance of these stages for effective management and provides references to academic sources supporting the concepts. The assignment also covers design thinking process which instigates team thinking to identify and understand the necessity and challenges that the customer faces. Design thinking tries to test the process and provides scope of experiment and create models and prototype it to solve the problem.

Running head: DESIGN THINKING 1
Redesign thinking project
Name
Institution

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Abstract
The thesis of the paper presented is based on the redesign thinking for the managers in managing
and controlling the organization's activities in order to ensure proper management of the
organization resources. Redesign thinking is considered may be necessary for successful
management of the operational activities of the organization which make the organization to
obtain its set objectives and goals.
Following the market competition by other organizations involved in producing goods and
services to the customers, a proper redesign thinking is necessary for a manager since redesign
thinking is considered as a determinant for the success of the business.
Introduction
Redesign thinking can be defined as the redesigned methodology that provides a more
accurate solution apart from previous solution based approach in solving related problems within
the organization by the managers in order to provide a conducive working environment for the
employees so as to meet the organization’s set goals and objectives that is profit maximization
for the profit-making organizations.
Redesigning thinking by the manager will require the management to redesign or reformulate
various production strategies and control strategies which are unique from other managers in
order to successfully manage the human resource within the organization and to fully control and
run the operations of the organization through finding proper solutions for the production
activities (Clarke, 2012).

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The report on the redesign thinking is based on what managers would do differently if they
did a design thinking in a project and the reason for the unique action by the managers. The
redesign thinking for the project requires a unique redesign thinking approach by the project
managers for its success through finding solution for the identified problem. In managing the
project, different and unique redesign thinking approach is necessary and a clear redesign
thinking approach will involve five stages which will aid the project manager in providing a
solution based approach in solving problems related to the project (Cross, 2011).
The five unique process of redesign thinking in project management by the project manager
include focusing on simplicity and clarity in giving solutions, trial-error method, experts’
suggestions, research approach, experimentation and critical analysis of the previously provided
solution.
Trial-error method
This is the first stage of redesigning the thinking process employed by the managers in
project management since it is a process of trying out any idea related to problem through
automatic thinking by the manager in attempt to offer solution for the problem within an
organization or a project. Trial- error process is unique in redesign thinking process since project
managers are required to make trial based on the possible solutions for problem from the
management team so as to get to understand the root cause of the problem thus enabling the
manager to design a reasonable solution for the problem within the projects based on the trial and
error method on the possible solutions for the problem (Durkin & Gunn, 2016).
Trial and error method is of advantage to the project manager since more valuable solution will
be obtained based on the manager’s trial-error experience when faced with the similar problem.
Therefore more accurate solution will be derived by the project manager. The information

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gathered from other sources by the manager will be used in solving the identified problem within
the organization.
Experts’ suggestions
Problem definition and identification by the project manager in managing the project through
experts’ suggestion considered essential process in redesigning thinking process in the project
management as it is a redesigning tool which is used to draw relations among ideas in solving the
problem within the project or company.
Experts’ suggestions involves putting together the information about the problem at hand
which had been previously collected from the suggestion given by the experts. The manager
thereafter does the analysis on the observation made based on the information gathered from the
ideas and synthesize them using the problem-solving skills the manager has in order to make a
rational decision concerning the problem at hand (Kapp, 2012).
Experts’ suggestion is essential to managers as it facilitate redesigning think since they are
able to gather major management ideas on problem definition in order to establish reasonable
features, functions and any other related elements which they could apply in problem-solving.
This stage is considered as the most vital stage in design thinking as it provides various problem-
solving alternatives based on the ideas generated concerning the activities of the project hence
ensures a more reliable and accurate solution for the identified problems.
Research approach
The research approach is the third stage of redesign thinking in project management since
it’s a process where the project manager will develop research process based on the problem at

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hand through focused groups regarding the problem solution procedures. The manager will have
to include all the management team and the employees within the organization so as to gather
solution ideas from the employees’ conversations about the problem affecting the project
(Liedtka & Ogilvie, 2011).
The framework forms the solid background where the manager and the team will sit down
together in order to give their research finding regarding the problem at hand as they will give
possible cause and solution to the problem at hand. The impact of the problem will be measured
during this stage so as to facilitate the process of redesign thinking in order to find a faster
solution for the problem at hand.
The research approach in redesign thinking process for the management of the project will
give a more accurate solution to the problem at hand. This is because the team members will be
required to give their findings and recommendations on the problem at hand as every member
will be given the opportunity to give their take on the topic matter hence the manager will have
to choose a solution for the problem from a pool of suggestions and solutions provided by the
members (Mootee, 2013).
Research approach in redesign thinking process requires that the managers to formulate some
of the techniques they could apply in picking some of the ideas and suggestion made by the team
members so as to pick relevant ideas and solution for the problem. The formulated techniques
derived by the manager should be easy to understand and apply in picking up the suggested
solutions for the problem.
Possible idea sessions can be used to stimulate free thinking platform for the members of the
management team, therefore, it expands the problem space for arriving at the best solution. It is

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important to get many ideas as many as possible at the beginning of the ideation so that the
manager can find the best solution for the problem (Parkay, Stanford & Gougeon, 2010).
Experimentation of the possible solution
The design team will be expected to produce a number of inexpensive and scaled down
version on the problem solution which they will investigate as a team in order to arrive at a more
refined solution for the problem. Solution experimentation before putting it into use in redesign
thinking process is an experimental phase which is aimed at the identification of possible
solution for the problems which suitably provides accurate solution for the problem (Plattner,
Meinel & Leifer, 2016).
The solution will be re-examined and investigated by the management and choose on which
solutions should be adopted or rejected according to the problem identified and on the basis of
the user’s experience on that particular matter.
Experimentation process in redesigning thinking may be shared and tested among the
management team itself, or by other departments so as to prove the efficiency of the solution
provided before its application in actual problem. The stage will ensure the provision of an
accurate and reliable solution for the problem following experimentation of the ideas and
suggestion made by the management team.
The design team will have a better idea concerning the problem at hand thus following
experimentation process done on the ideas and suggestion proposed by the management team
therefore accurate solution are derived (Stimmel, 2015).
Critical analysis of the previous provided solution

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Designers, therefore, are expected to do the analysis of the previous solution provided
before by the management team in solving problems which were earlier identified by the project
manager in the second stage of redesign thinking. In this stage, the best solution is likely to be
identified and put in place in order to solve the identified problems associated with the project.
The results solution obtained from the analysis are often applied by the project manager in
solving the problems which were earlier identified by the manager of the project. Analysis
process will enable the managers to choose the best solution for the identified problem so as to
enable them to successfully run the project to its completion as required by the policies of the
contract (Provost & Fawcett, 2013).
The understanding of the users on the problem identified which requires a redesigning of
thinking process in order to arrive at the valuable solution will depend on the solution analyzed
on the proposed suggestions and ideas gathered through mind mapping process where a pool of
ideas and suggestions are presented to the project manager in order to decide on the best
suggestion for the problem to be solved.
Conclusion
Redesign thinking in problem-solving within an organization or any other business activity
which are often faced by different challenges of finding a better solution is recommended for
every manager be it a business or a project to poses in order to successfully run the project. For
successful redesign thinking, the manager should apply all the discussed five processes in the
context as they are necessary for finding solutions to the problems within an organization.
The process will enable the managers to clearly understand the problem to be solved
regarding the operations of the organization or running of the business activities hence meets the

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objectives of the organization. Therefore, for effective redesign thinking project, managers are
required to take into consideration for better solutions for the identified problem.
References
Clarke, S. (2012). Information systems strategic management: an integrated approach.

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Routledge.
Cross, N. (2011). Design thinking: Understanding how designers think and work. Berg.
Durkin, C., & Gunn, R. (Eds.). (2016). Social entrepreneurship: A skills approach. Policy Press.
Kapp, K. M. (2012). The gamification of learning and instruction (p. 93). San Francisco: Wiley.
Liedtka, J., & Ogilvie, T. (2011). Designing for growth: A design thinking tool kit for managers.
Columbia University Press.
Mootee, I. (2013). Design thinking for strategic innovation: What they can't teach you at
business or design school. John Wiley & Sons.
Parkay, F. W., Stanford, B. H., & Gougeon, T. D. (2010). Becoming a teacher (pp. 432-462).
Pearson/Merrill.
Plattner, H., Meinel, C., & Leifer, L. (Eds.). (2016). Design thinking research: Taking
breakthrough innovation home. Springer.
Provost, F., & Fawcett, T. (2013). Data Science for Business: What you need to know about data
mining and data-analytic thinking. " O'Reilly Media, Inc.".
Stimmel, C. L. (2015). Building smart cities: analytics, ICT, and design thinking. Auerbach
Publications.