Design Thinking: Navigating Complexity in 2025

The year is 2025. We stand at a crossroads. Artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to reshape some industries, climate change demands immediate action, and geopolitical tensions create uncertainty. In this complex environment, design thinking, a human-centered methodology for problem-solving and innovation, provides an amazing framework for understanding and discovery.

The origins of design thinking are not found in a singular moment of discovery, but in a gradual evolution spanning several decades. In the post-World War II era, psychological research into creativity and early management brainstorming techniques laid the groundwork. The 1960s marked a turning point. Horst Rittel introduced the concept of "wicked problems", complex, multi-faceted challenges like designing a public transportation system that's both efficient and equitable, that defy straightforward solutions. Simultaneously, Herbert A. Simon, in "The Sciences of the Artificial," presented design as a way of thinking, a cognitive process applicable beyond aesthetics. This redefined design as a potent problem-solving methodology.

The following decades built upon this foundation. Robert McKim highlighted the importance of visual thinking, showing how sketching and using mental models could unlock creative potential. Bryan Lawson's research then revealed a crucial distinction: architects and designers employed a "solution-focused" approach, actively generating potential answers from the outset, unlike the traditional problem-focused method. This solution-focused mindset, that I like to often refer to a chef experimenting with ingredients rather than simply following a recipe, became central to design thinking. A specific tool that emerged, and embodies this is user journey mapping.

While individuals like Simon, Kelley, Brown, and Leifer significantly influenced design thinking's development and popularization, it emerged from a confluence of ideas. The Stanford d.school, led by David Kelley, became a key center for refining and spreading the methodology. IDEO, under Tim Brown, demonstrated its practical application in business. While some critics argue that design thinking can oversimplify complex challenges, its iterative and human-centered nature allows for adaptability and refinement, ultimately leading to more effective and relevant solutions.

Today, design thinking's application extends far beyond traditional design fields. It's embraced by businesses, governments, educators, and social innovators globally. It's used to redesign healthcare, develop sustainable products, and create engaging learning experiences. As we move forward, design thinking is likely to evolve further, consider how each part of the design thinking process can use AI prompts, and become a more advanced yet simplified framework. Design thinking empowers us to be empathetic, to challenge assumptions, and to view failure as a learning opportunity. Consider how these principles might be applied to your most pressing challenges.

Let the design thinking journey begin

Phil