The design of a product or application plays an important role in its success with users and customers. For good reason, UX designers are therefore an integral part of the development team in BREDEX projects. But what exactly is their contribution to the development process? Why is their work essential for developing a product tailored to the user? The following insight into the design thinking method offers an opportunity to answer these questions.
Design Thinking – What Exactly Is It?
Design thinking is a process for generating ideas that serves to create the optimal solution for users. This method uses a systematic approach to solve complex problems and questions. The key aspect here is that the focus is placed on people, i.e., the users themselves, with their wishes and needs. This is why it is also referred to as “human-centered design.” Design thinking involves putting yourself in the user’s shoes: you look at things “through the user’s eyes.” But how do you do that?
Putting the User at the Center
The user can only be the focus of attention if they are involved in the design process. Regular feedback from users is therefore important in terms of user centricity. Even if project teams believe they know their users and exactly what they need, asking users directly often yields deeper insights and occasional surprises, but in any case, great potential for improvement.
The Sequence of a Design Thinking Process
The design thinking process consists of six phases. At the beginning, it is important to establish a common mindset within the team. That is why the framework conditions are clarified and the problem is examined at the outset. The team then puts itself in the position of the user to find out who the target user is, what their needs are, and what they require. This empathy plays a central role in design thinking and is the basis for successful development. In the next phase, the insights and requirements gained so far are compiled and the most important insights are brought into focus. This determines the direction in which solutions will be developed and for which user groups. Solution proposals are then developed: various methods are used to generate ideas, which are then grouped and summarized. The best of these proposals are then implemented as prototypes. In the final phase, these prototypes are tested by the users themselves to find out whether the solution approach is heading in the right direction.
Interdisciplinary Teams for more Ideas
Experience shows that collaboration in interdisciplinary teams brings many advantages to the idea generation process in design thinking. The technical expertise of different people and roles, as well as openness to other perspectives, makes it easier to develop innovative ideas together. An open culture of error is also important in order to be able to discuss problems and mistakes openly and to solve and remedy them.
Do you have questions about design thinking? Feel free to contact our UI/UX professionals by email at ux@bredex.de.
Autorin
Carolyn Kunze
Jobs
Ihre Ansprechpartnerin
Gerne erzählen wir Ihnen mehr zu diesem Thema.
