I've been more deeply into the topic of design thinking for several months now. One thing I have always wanted to do was to compare more traditional "business thinking" with the "design thinking" trend that is currently captivating the business world.
Luckily, Luke Wroblewski has given this a try on his blogpost title "A Difference of Design".
I really like the table in which he opposes the "business approach" with the "design approach", though I don't think the world is as black and white, as Luke describes it.
I copied the table below (though the formatting didn't really want to follow my design wishes)
| |
Business Approach |
Design Approach |
| Problem Solving Approach
|
Definitive. Relies on equations for “proof”. |
Iterative. Relies on a “build to think”
process dependent on trial and error. |
| Validation through |
What customers say: often a combination of qualitative
(focus groups) and quantitative (surveys) research. |
What customers do: often direct observation and
usability testing. |
| Informed by |
Market analysis and aggregate consumer behavior. |
Direct consumer observation and abductive reasoning
(“what might be”). |
| Completed |
Completion of strategy phase marks the start of
product development phase. |
Never: continually evolving with customers. |
| Focused on |
An understanding of the results
of customer activities. |
An understanding of customer activities. |
Tools used to communicate strategic
vision |
Spreadsheets and PowerPoint decks. |
Prototypes, films, and scenarios. |
| Described through |
Words (often open to interpretation). |
Pictorial representations and direct experiences
with prototypes. |
| Team members |
Vertical expertise and individual responsibilities. |
“T-shaped” expertise: a principal vertical
skill and a horizontal set of secondary skills. Collaborative (team) responsibilities. |
| Work patterns |
Permanent jobs, on-going tasks, and fixed hours. |
temporary projects with associated tasks and flexible
hours. |
| Reward structure |
Corporate recognition based on the bottom line. |
Peer recognition based on the quality of solutions. |
I think this reflection on the difference between business thinking and design thinking is a good start to understand how strategy, business, and management is shifting the information age (numbers, facts & info dominate) towards the conceptual age (relationships and understanding dominates).
I will come up with more in-depth reflection when I have the opportunity to dig even deeper into this topic.
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