Design Thinking
What problem are you actually solving?
Design thinking is problem-solving through the lens of human needs. Not what the system requires — what the person requires. The Dreamer archetype uses it to turn possibility into vision.
The Stages
Five stages, but never linear. You loop back constantly — the test reveals what empathy missed.
| Stage | Question | Technique | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empathize | What do they actually need? | Journey mapping, observation | Pain points, mental models |
| Define | What's the real problem? | Reframing, constraint mapping | "How might we..." statement |
| Ideate | What could solve this? | Crazy eights, reverse brainstorm | 30+ raw concepts |
| Prototype | What's the smallest test? | Paper sketches, service blueprint | Tangible representation |
| Test | Does it actually work? | Five-second test, A/B testing | Evidence, not opinion |
The Feedback Loop
Design thinking is a control system. Each stage creates feedback that corrects the next:
EMPATHIZE → DEFINE → IDEATE → PROTOTYPE → TEST
↑ |
└──────── what you learned ──────────────┘
| Control Concept | Design Equivalent | What Goes Wrong Without It |
|---|---|---|
| Setpoint | User's desired outcome | You optimize the wrong thing |
| Sensor | User testing, telemetry | You design blind |
| Actuator | Prototype iteration | You ship assumptions |
| Lag | Time between action and feedback | Oscillation — over-correcting |
Shorter feedback loops produce better designs. Paper prototype in 30 minutes beats pixel-perfect mockup in 2 weeks — because you learn faster.
Named Frameworks
| Framework | Originator | Model | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Diamond | British Design Council | Diverge → Converge → Diverge → Converge | Strategic projects |
| Design Sprint | Google Ventures | 5-day intensive: Map → Sketch → Decide → Prototype → Test | Rapid validation |
| Jobs to Be Done | Christensen | What "job" is the user hiring this product to do? | Product positioning |
| Lean UX | Gothelf | Hypothesis → MVP → Measure → Learn | Agile product teams |
Techniques
Empathize
| Technique | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Journey Mapping | Timeline of user experience with emotional peaks and valleys | 1-2 weeks |
| Empathy Mapping | What user says, thinks, feels, does | 1-2 hours |
| Contextual Observation | Watch users in their environment — what they do vs what they say | 1-2 weeks |
Ideate
| Technique | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Crazy Eights | Fold paper into 8 sections, sketch 8 ideas in 8 minutes | 15 minutes |
| Reverse Brainstorm | "How could we make this worse?" Invert to find principles | 1 hour |
| Analogous Transfer | How does nature/another industry solve this? | 1-2 hours |
Test
| Technique | What It Reveals | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Five-Second Test | First impression, headline clarity | 20-50 people |
| Moderated Testing | Where users struggle, what delights | 5-8 people |
| A/B Testing | Which variant performs better | 100+ users |
The Integration
Design thinking alone optimizes for user delight. Systems thinking alone optimizes for the whole. Together:
| Alone | Integrated |
|---|---|
| User loves the feature | Feature works within the system |
| Elegant solution in isolation | Solution doesn't create perverse incentives |
| Sprint-based, short horizon | Tests against future scenarios |
| Empathy for end-users only | Includes stakeholders, operators, policy |
Matrix thinking makes the gaps visible. Design thinking fills them with solutions. First principles ensures the solutions stand on truth.
Context
- Control System — Design thinking is a control system with human needs as setpoint
- Product Design — The measurable standards for design output
- Design Review — The audit checklist for design work
- Dreamer Archetype — The mindset that runs this method
- Matrix Thinking — Makes gaps visible for design to fill