Design Thinking models and their respective stages
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2025 9:56 am
Design Thinking is not seen as a process but rather an approach , as each co-creation may involve variations in the tools applied . There are steps to be followed to provide a 360° view of the problem to be solved, but the facilitator chooses which tools will be used at each stage.
Design Thinking is the union of creativity at the individual level and innovation at the collaborative level . Participants first learn and then build, carrying out an innovative movement centered on the human being , bringing the solution to a complex or misunderstood problem. The word innovation is not linked to complexity, since there are simple solutions that solve the user's problem.
According to BRENNER and UEBERNICKEL (2016), Design Thin greece mobile phone number king is defined as: mindset , process and toolbox .
Before explaining how Design Thinking contributed to the performance of a Sales team in the real estate sector, it is also worth contextualizing that there are models to be followed in this approach. Here I have separated the 3 most well-known ones:
The IDEO model has 3 stages : inspiration, ideation and implementation;
The Design Council UK 's Double Diamond model has 7 stages : understanding, observation, viewpoint, ideation, prototyping, testing and iteration;
The Stanford University model has 5 steps : empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing.
There is no right or wrong model. It is important to test and understand what makes sense for the problem being analyzed.
In this case study, we used model 3, that is, the Stanford University model , mainly because it is a model widely used in courses. So this article will delve deeper into this model.
And to delve deeper into the topic of Design Thinking – from the emergence and explanation of the approach to course recommendations – I recommend this article .
Applying Design Thinking to the real estate market during the pandemic
In May 2019, a team from Lopes (a real estate company) faced problems selling properties during the Covid-19 pandemic. As we know, this was one of the segments that suffered the most during the pandemic.
So the team got together to apply Design Thinking , thinking about finding a solution to improve the motivation of sellers in the real estate offer, as well as sales performance. As I mentioned before, the model used was that of Stanford University, with 5 steps.
double diamond model for Design Thinking according to Stanford University
The double diamond represents the moment of creating alternatives (diverging) and making choices (converging). The process converges in step 2, diverges in step 3, and converges again in step 4.
Next, we will understand the step-by-step implementation of the case study, presenting some of the tools that assist in the approach and that were used in this context. However, it is worth noting that there are a multitude of tools for each stage, and it is the responsibility of the process facilitator to define which tool is most appropriate for the innovative movement.
1. Empathy
The meaning of the word empathy is to feel the pain of another person in a given context. It goes far beyond putting on someone else's shoes, because their shoes may not be the same size as yours. Therefore, it is when there is a great affinity that one can understand the other person's pain, to the point of not making judgments.
Design Thinking begins with a problem to be studied . The empathy stage aims to understand this problem, receiving information until having the same feeling as the “owner” of the problem that will be solved.
To create empathy, you can conduct interviews, investigate information in depth, or go to the location of the problem to experience the “pain.” Some tools that can be used at this stage are:
5 Whys Test;
Empathy Map;
On-site observation.
At this stage of the case study, the 5 Whys and Empathy Map tools were used.
5 Whys
In this framework , participants define the problem and ask 5 questions that start with “why”. In other words, it is necessary to answer 5 times why this problem exists, so that participants will get to the root cause. Therefore, the test helps in the investigation of the problem that is being studied.
In our case study, the 5 Whys tool was applied from two perspectives. The first from the client's perspective and the second from the real estate consultant's perspective.
From the client's perspective , the initial problem was the difficulty in converting sales negotiations:
Why do we have difficulty converting sales? Because we explain the project to the client and when it comes time to schedule the visit, the client disappears;
Why does the customer disappear? Because he doesn't feel safe going to the sales office;
Why doesn't the customer feel safe? Because the pandemic is uncertain and many surprises can happen;
Why is the timing of the pandemic uncertain? Because many people are being infected, and some sectors are being affected;
Why are so many people getting infected and so many sectors being affected? Because we are living in a pandemic that is unfortunately affecting businesses and families.
From the real estate consultant's perspective , the importance of converting negotiations into sales was discussed.
Why do we want to convert negotiations into sales? Because we work in sales, it is our profession;
Why is it your profession? Because we identify with it and like it;
Why did you identify with and like this profession? Because “you go to bed poor and wake up rich”;
Why “go to bed poor and wake up rich”? Because we sell properties of varying values;
Why do you sell properties of varying values? Because we cover all classes.
From the responses, we can see that from the customer's perspective, the pandemic was something that had a big impact, as the customer felt insecure about investing their money with so many uncertainties experienced.
But on the other hand, in the real estate consultant's view, there was nothing more important than selling . This tool helped to emphasize that even in times of COVID-19, real estate consultants enjoy their profession and need to adapt to meet their financial commitments.
Design Thinking is the union of creativity at the individual level and innovation at the collaborative level . Participants first learn and then build, carrying out an innovative movement centered on the human being , bringing the solution to a complex or misunderstood problem. The word innovation is not linked to complexity, since there are simple solutions that solve the user's problem.
According to BRENNER and UEBERNICKEL (2016), Design Thin greece mobile phone number king is defined as: mindset , process and toolbox .
Before explaining how Design Thinking contributed to the performance of a Sales team in the real estate sector, it is also worth contextualizing that there are models to be followed in this approach. Here I have separated the 3 most well-known ones:
The IDEO model has 3 stages : inspiration, ideation and implementation;
The Design Council UK 's Double Diamond model has 7 stages : understanding, observation, viewpoint, ideation, prototyping, testing and iteration;
The Stanford University model has 5 steps : empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing.
There is no right or wrong model. It is important to test and understand what makes sense for the problem being analyzed.
In this case study, we used model 3, that is, the Stanford University model , mainly because it is a model widely used in courses. So this article will delve deeper into this model.
And to delve deeper into the topic of Design Thinking – from the emergence and explanation of the approach to course recommendations – I recommend this article .
Applying Design Thinking to the real estate market during the pandemic
In May 2019, a team from Lopes (a real estate company) faced problems selling properties during the Covid-19 pandemic. As we know, this was one of the segments that suffered the most during the pandemic.
So the team got together to apply Design Thinking , thinking about finding a solution to improve the motivation of sellers in the real estate offer, as well as sales performance. As I mentioned before, the model used was that of Stanford University, with 5 steps.
double diamond model for Design Thinking according to Stanford University
The double diamond represents the moment of creating alternatives (diverging) and making choices (converging). The process converges in step 2, diverges in step 3, and converges again in step 4.
Next, we will understand the step-by-step implementation of the case study, presenting some of the tools that assist in the approach and that were used in this context. However, it is worth noting that there are a multitude of tools for each stage, and it is the responsibility of the process facilitator to define which tool is most appropriate for the innovative movement.
1. Empathy
The meaning of the word empathy is to feel the pain of another person in a given context. It goes far beyond putting on someone else's shoes, because their shoes may not be the same size as yours. Therefore, it is when there is a great affinity that one can understand the other person's pain, to the point of not making judgments.
Design Thinking begins with a problem to be studied . The empathy stage aims to understand this problem, receiving information until having the same feeling as the “owner” of the problem that will be solved.
To create empathy, you can conduct interviews, investigate information in depth, or go to the location of the problem to experience the “pain.” Some tools that can be used at this stage are:
5 Whys Test;
Empathy Map;
On-site observation.
At this stage of the case study, the 5 Whys and Empathy Map tools were used.
5 Whys
In this framework , participants define the problem and ask 5 questions that start with “why”. In other words, it is necessary to answer 5 times why this problem exists, so that participants will get to the root cause. Therefore, the test helps in the investigation of the problem that is being studied.
In our case study, the 5 Whys tool was applied from two perspectives. The first from the client's perspective and the second from the real estate consultant's perspective.
From the client's perspective , the initial problem was the difficulty in converting sales negotiations:
Why do we have difficulty converting sales? Because we explain the project to the client and when it comes time to schedule the visit, the client disappears;
Why does the customer disappear? Because he doesn't feel safe going to the sales office;
Why doesn't the customer feel safe? Because the pandemic is uncertain and many surprises can happen;
Why is the timing of the pandemic uncertain? Because many people are being infected, and some sectors are being affected;
Why are so many people getting infected and so many sectors being affected? Because we are living in a pandemic that is unfortunately affecting businesses and families.
From the real estate consultant's perspective , the importance of converting negotiations into sales was discussed.
Why do we want to convert negotiations into sales? Because we work in sales, it is our profession;
Why is it your profession? Because we identify with it and like it;
Why did you identify with and like this profession? Because “you go to bed poor and wake up rich”;
Why “go to bed poor and wake up rich”? Because we sell properties of varying values;
Why do you sell properties of varying values? Because we cover all classes.
From the responses, we can see that from the customer's perspective, the pandemic was something that had a big impact, as the customer felt insecure about investing their money with so many uncertainties experienced.
But on the other hand, in the real estate consultant's view, there was nothing more important than selling . This tool helped to emphasize that even in times of COVID-19, real estate consultants enjoy their profession and need to adapt to meet their financial commitments.