What is Design Thinking?

In very simple words, Design Thinking is a creative problem-solving process that has a human-centric approach to it. It is used to reach valuable solutions for all the stakeholders involved and provide them with meaningful experiences. Traditional methodologies give little importance to the experience of the target audience, unlike Design Thinking. It is a process that gives space for complex problem-solving in a highly human-centered way.

How does Design Thinking work?

The Design Thinking process of building products is mostly similar to this, irrelevant of where it is applied:

1. Learning about the target audience: The product-builders learn about the needs and pain points of their target audience as much as possible.
2. Constructing viewpoints based on users’ needs: Here, the producer analyzes the users' problems. Then the main problem and the objective of solving that problem are defined.
3. Ideating creative solutions: This stage involves brainstorming creative solutions, keeping in mind a human-centric approach. Solutions are ideated for the defined problem.
4. Building a reflection of the ideas: The most valuable and workable ideas are organized and represented in a product/service that the users will use. A prototype is made.
5. Testing the final product: The solution is put to testing and feedback is taken. Improvements are then done based on what the users feel about the product.

How Design Thinking is disrupting HR?

Following the definition of Design Thinking, the target audience with HR is employees. Design Thinking allows HR teams to deliver the best possible employee experience by empathizing with the employees. This process of designing policies and programs for the employees and other stakeholders allows the managers to deliver innovative HR solutions that give the best employee experience.

Applying design thinking in HR means that the policy builders are putting themselves in the shoes of the employees and designing every HR process in such a way that employee experience is kept a priority. If we look at this way of thinking, it also implies that the employer is building a strong employer brand in the eyes of the current and upcoming employees. Employee retention rates can be improved on a large scale with this approach. The top performers go where they are valued the most, and Design Thinking is a way of conveying to them that their experience at the company is a priority for the recruiter. This ideology can revolutionize how HR works.