The focus is on making design thinking work in large organisations. What is design thinking? The author describes it as, “...an integrated and disciplined innovation process that builds creative insight from deep knowledge.” “The idea is to think carefully about the problem before jumping to solutions, to ‘sit with the question.’ This can create tension as organisations like to move things forward quickly. Design thinking can take up significant resources and yet not guarantee a result, or even a timeline, and that can create a significant amount of discomfort. The adoption of design thinking, and inviting others to do the same, (as opposed to mandating it) by leadership is essential but in order to succeed it also needs to have support at ‘grassroots level’. The need to balance the product user perspective with the many other stakeholders, both within the organisation and outside of it, eg: social environmental concerns, is also explored in detail. The adoption of systems alongside design thinking also comes across as a dimension that can improve the odds of success.

It becomes evident that “it's complicated’, that adopting design thinking in large organisations is challenging. With so many variables and agendas, success is not likely to be easy, yet the author is optimistic, provides significant guidance and believes the effort is worthwhile.

With many thanks to the author, the publishers, University of Toronto Press, and NetGalley for my free copy to review.

The author provided insight on how inclusion, disruption, and perspective can influence a work environment. This book is a great resource for anyone looking to set up a productive team and workspace!

The title is not in the genre I expected after reading the description. The design it is discussing is more technical than expected.

The book, Design Thinking At Work, by David Dunne is a well-written and thought-out treatise on what design thinking is and how it works in the real world. The description of it as a mindset that is playful, tolerant of ambiguity, and open to learning is very appropriate. There are some basic tools but these are secondary to the process and are “tools” not the activity.

Some businesses are better at this than other and there are examples given in the text where various iterations of design thinking can be seen. The initial example set in the Netherlands of Hoogendoorn and the creation of different styles of umbrellas shows the prototyping and out-of-the-box thinking aspects very well. Hoogendoorn used prototypes and tore apart various umbrellas, reassembled them in an effort to create one that did not get torn up in the windy conditions of Delft.

In design thinking the author notes that there are three aspects to consider. One is prototyping; two is deep understanding of the process; and three is creative reframing of the problem/issue. Businesses/inventors using design features in innovative labs work without boundaries. They are free-spirits given a license to explore boundaries that exist for the rest of the business. One example, not mentioned in the book, was the Division of Way Cool Technology that Apple Computer used in developing the iPod. This like most innovation efforts removed, as the Mindset Studio sign describes it: “Replace the fear of the unknown with curiosity.”

Three tensions exist in a design thinking process 1) inclusion (aka mindset); 2) disruption; and 3) perspective. If an organization can embrace these dynamic tensions in what might be a rather staid hierarchy there is a greater chance that the strategic focus can lead to operational decisions and make success and collaboration more likely.

Reading this treatise was quick from some aspects being only about 200 pages long but it was so deep that it can be pondered for days. It would be advisable for both innovation-minded administrators, engineering faculty and students as well as those individuals seeking to enhance and enlarge the company business in a successful and perhaps in some, as of yet, unthought of way. Definitely would recommend a read.

I'm glad that this book does not present design thinking as the ultimate solution to innovation and creativity in organizations. This book explores the basic tenets of design thinking and gives real-life insights into organizations and the challenges they face in applying these tenets. I love the practicality of it and how easy it is to relate to; from the examples of bureaucracy, reluctance to embrace innovation, financial hurdles and team dynamics.
I'd recommend it to organizations or teams who are interested in understanding, applying and getting the most out of design thinking.
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC.