Welcome to

Design Thinking

Design Thinking, Agile, Lean – What’s the difference?

• Consider Design Thinking ≈ Agile ≈ Lean

• Design Thinking, Agile and Lean are technically different things, but it’s okay to consider

them similar – they are all models of experimentation & iteration.

• Therefore when to use Design Thinking and not Agile or Lean is an irrelevant

topic. Each Design Thinking, Agile and Lean are not single methodologies, but

a collection of methods, tools, frameworks and approaches. So just like

picking a tool from a toolbox, we just pick and choose and combine the most

appropriate tools regardless of their origin.

• Design Thinking actually has an earlier history than Agile. It started in the late 1950’s

around the same time as Systems Thinking. Among the first authors to write about design

thinking were John E. Arnold in "Creative Engineering" (1959) and L. Bruce Archer in

"Systematic Method for Designers" (1965).

• Design Thinking, Agile and Lean are all compatible with each other. They

can be used in combination. Elements of each are commonly mixed and

practiced because they are just so compatible.

Design Thinking, Agile, Lean – What’s the hype?

• Design Thinking nor agile did not invent trial and error.

• In fact, PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act, W. Edwards Deming, 1950), OODA (Observe-Orient-Decide-Act, John Boyd,

1976) and many more thoughts on trial and error going all the way back to Socrates (circa 400BC) and Confucius

(circa 500BC), all teach the same.

• They are all models of experimentation & iteration.

• By default, we humans don’t like trial and error – it’s a biological trait stemming from our survival instincts of

uncertainty avoidance and resistance to change. Meanwhile, risk taking is rewarding, and the probability of

success from risk taking increases through trial and error – that’s a fact from pre-historic times. That’s why

throughout history many strings of experimental and iterative models have emerged as each is a new attempt to

get better at trial and error.

Design Thinking and Agile are just the latest attempts to get experimentation & iteration right. It doesn’t matter what

it’s called – the spirit is same.

The many flavors of experimental & iterative approaches

Waterfall

Plan

Do

Check

Act OODA

Observe

Orient

Decide

Act

LeanStartup

Build

MeasureLearn

DesignThinking

Empathize

Define

IdeatePrototype

Test

vs

AgileScrum

PDCA

(a.k.a. Deming Cycle, Kaizen - Continuous Improvement Cycle)

Why Design Thinking?

Waterfall

Project Management

One waterfall

No testing until completed

Agile, Design Thinking, Lean

Product Developmentvs

Many iterations

Many Small test with MVPs

vs

vs

(1) As with Agile, Design Thinking is an antidote to waterfall project management

The ambivalent nature of product development with Agile, Design Thinking, Lean

time

outcome

first step

second step

thereafter

time

output

WaterfallProject Management

Agile, Design Thinking, LeanProduct Development

The economic case for innovation by iteration: it’s simply smarter

InvestmentProbability of

SuccessReturn of Success

Weighted

Average ROI

Investment in

1 go$100 20% x20 $200

Investment in5 iterations

Each iteration +20% “Kaizen”(continuous improvement)

$20 20% x20 $80

$20 40% x20 $160

$20 60% x20 $240

$20 80% x20 $320

$20 100% x20 $400

Outcome $100 $1,200Product Market Fit NAILED

ROI 3x

Now you can MILK THE COW

Iteration DE-RISKS

Iteration GENERATES MONEY

Assumptions InvestmentProbability of

SuccessReturn on Success

Weighted Average ROI

Investment inone go

$100 20% x20 $400

It doesn’t stop here

High risk, high return opportunity

Design Thinking 1, 2, 3

Design Thinking

Design Thinking, Tom Kelly et al.

Image created by Takeshi Yoshida, 2018

Design Thinking is process driven

Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test

Understand

the User

Define

the Problem

Ideate

Solutions

Create

Prototype

Test

and Learn

Iterate

Step 1: Empathize

Design Thinking, Tom Kelly et al.

Image created by Takeshi Yoshida, 2018

Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test

Understand

the User

Define

the Problem

Ideate

Solutions

Create

Prototype

Test

and Learn

Iterate

Step 1: Empathize

Concept from https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources/design-thinking-bootleg

Image created by Takeshi Yoshida, 2018

Step 2: Define the Problem

Design Thinking, Tom Kelly et al.

Image created by Takeshi Yoshida, 2018

Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test

Understand

the User

Define

the Problem

Ideate

Solutions

Create

Prototype

Test

and Learn

Iterate

Step 2: Define the Problem

HOW MIGHT WE (HMW)Problem Definition to Ideation Statement

How might we:

How about we:

Step 3: Ideate

Design Thinking, Tom Kelly et al.

Image created by Takeshi Yoshida, 2018

Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test

Understand

the User

Define

the Problem

Ideate

Solutions

Create

Prototype

Test

and Learn

Iterate

Step 3: Ideate

HOW MIGHT WE (HMW)Problem Definition to Ideation Statement

How might we:

Jake Knapp, Sprint, 2016

How about we:

Step 4: Prototype

Design Thinking, Tom Kelly et al.

Image created by Takeshi Yoshida, 2018

Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test

Understand

the User

Define

the Problem

Ideate

Solutions

Create

Prototype

Test

and Learn

Iterate

Step 4: Prototype

Jake Knapp, Sprint, 2016

Prototyping a service model

Step 4: Prototype

Prototyping a store concept

Step 4: Prototype

Prototyping an app

Lo-fi

Mid-fi

Hi-fi

Step 4: Prototype

Prototyping with paper mockups

Step 4: Prototype

Prototyping a “walking skeleton”〇

×

Step 5: Test & Iterate

Design Thinking, Tom Kelly et al.

Image created by Takeshi Yoshida, 2018

Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test

Understand

the User

Define

the Problem

Ideate

Solutions

Create

Prototype

Test

and Learn

Iterate

Step 5: Test & Iterate

Diagram by Brinker, Scott, Hacking Marketing: Agile Practices to Make Marketing Smarter, Faster, and More Innovative, Wiley, 2016.

Rapid Design Thinking

Practice Design Thinking in 30 minutes

Example: Origami Greeting Gift

▪ Form pairs

▪ Take turns interviewing each other; learn who your neighbor is, what they like, aspire etc. (Empathize)

▪ Your gift to your neighbor will be something that represents them. What makes her/him/them special? Think of values, characters and other unique things about them. (Define)

▪ Ideate what kind of paper craft you can build to represent that something about your neighbor. (Ideate)

▪ Build your paper craft (Prototype)

▪ Exchange the gifts and tell what you built, and the story behind it. (Test)

Design Thinking x, y, z

The Essence of Design Thinking: Know-Do to Know-[xxxxx]-Do

Marty Neumeier, https://www.liquidagency.com/brand-exchange/rule-12-design-quickly-decide-slowly

Design

Thinking

Empathize

Define

IdeatePrototype

Test

FEEL

your

customer

THINK

what problem

to solve

IMAGINE

what you can

do to solve

the problem

BUILD

your idea into

something that

can be tested

Creativityin steps

Design Thinking is a process for helping us activate our creativity

TRY

the idea and

see if it will

fly, and keep

on trying

Design

Thinking

Empathize

Define

IdeatePrototype

Test

FEEL

your

customer

THINK

what problem

to solve

IMAGINE

what you can

do to solve

the problem

BUILD

Your idea into

something that

can be tested

Creativityin steps

Process driven doesn’t mean it has to be sequential

(This is how our brains work)

TRY

the idea and

see if it will

fly, and keep

on trying

Design Thinking helps us de-learn linear thinking

time

outcome

first step

second step

thereafter

time

output

WaterfallProject Management

Agile, Design Thinking, LeanProduct Development

Linear thinking is our default: We are very good at planning and making lists

horizontal thinking

verticalthinking

Linear thinking:

▪ What’s good?

▪ Systematic, organized, intuitive▪ Tried and tested, consistent▪ Does the job

▪ What’s the problem?

▪ Are all options explored?▪ Is that the only way?▪ How do I know what’s missing?

The opportunity loss of linear thinking is costly (and the worst part is that you can’t see it, so you don’t realize it).

Pro tip: People typically do either list making or planning, and not both. By doing both, i.e. list making then planning, we’re already one step closer to lateral thinking.

Lateral thinking(parallel thinking)

Divergent & convergent thinking Mosaic thinking

Linear thinking gets us stuck.

Design Thinking is lateral, divergent & convergent, and mosaic thinking

Hybrid Agile ExampleCombining Design Thinking’s strength on ideation, and Scrum’s powerful iterative building

Agile is a high order synthesis of Flexibility and Discipline

Read the article here:

About Coach Takeshi

Coach Takeshi

Takeshi Yoshida

Chief Coach and Founder, Lifecycle Pte. Ltd. (Singapore)

1994~2001: Morgan Stanley2001~2002: INSEAD MBA2002~2004: Bank of America2004~2009: Deutsche Bank2009~2011: Barclays

2011~current: Lifecycle

• Serial startup entrepreneur

• Coach, trainer, facilitator

• INSEAD corporate executive program lecturer, trainer, facilitator

Professional Certifications

International Association of Positive Psychology Coaches (IAPPC)

Certified Positive Psychology Coach (CPPC) Level II (Credential: https://agile-od.com/cppc)

International Coach Federation (ICF)

Associate Certified Coach (ACC)(Credential: https://coachfederation.org)

Scrum.org

Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II)Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO)(Certifications: https://www.scrum.org/user/498256)

Association of Master Trainers in the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method

Certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Facilitator(Certification: https://agile-od.com/lsp)

• Current engagements:

• Major European FMCG: Agile transformation advisor and agile coach for CIO/CTO board• Global consulting company: Organization wide leadership development programme director• Singapore Government agency: Service Design consultant and senior leadership team coach• Global insurance company: Agile cultural transformation programme lead coach and trainer• Executive coaching engagements with global financial institutions, MNCs, GAFA

Agile 101

What is agile? Why agile? How do we do agile? What’s the difference between Agile, Scrum, Lean, Design Thinking? Tell me about Scrum. Is agile a fad? What’s the difference between Agile and agility? All answered, in a 33 minute video.

https://agile-od.com/lean-agile/agile-101

More readings from Coach Takeshi

Knowing to Stop, a

Confucius Teaching

Radical Candor, My Go To

Feedback Routine

A Pretty Good Summary of Lean,

Agile, Scrum

Lean, Lean Manufacturing, Lean

Startup: Explained

Try Design Thinking + Scrum: A

Powerful Hybrid Agile Approach

How to Get Scrum Right on First

Attempt: Single Sprint Scrum Pilot

Strategy Session Facilitation with

Design Thinking + Liberating Structures

Waterfall Agile: Addressing the Irony of

Delivering Agile Transformation with

Waterfall

Innovation Manager’s Toolkit Ambidextrous Organizations

Explained