Bethany asked:

Design thinking seems to be central to generating new ideas and creating a more innovative environment – but what exactly is it, and how can I apply it to my corporation?

Sue Bethanis, CEO responded:

The DT model is 1. customer empathy, 2. brainstorming, 3. prototyping, and 4. implementing.  This can be applied to many problems in a corporation, but primarily we want to use it when we are solving problems related to internal or external customers.  1. Great product designers, for example, use keen observation skills to really understand customers in their environments.  Similarly, any problem we are trying to solve, it’s important that we see like an anthropologist.  2. Brainstorming can be applied to any problem as well; great design thinkers generate scads of ideas to get to a couple of good ones, 3. Then, they prototype and test; and then iterate some more in designing a product, service or an experience.  4. Finally ideas are only as good as their application, so taking a prototype to implementation requires a good relationship with your users/customers, and getting feedback.  Good luck!

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