Combine creativity with code using design thinking in software development. Improve user experience, drive innovation, and deliver solutions that truly resonate.
The quality of a software product is not just defined by the technology that runs the show behind the scenes. It is also defined by its usefulness to its users – and many would argue that this is the aspect that matters most. This is why Design Thinking has become so relevant in today's software development and why we have been using it for so long.
In short, Design Thinking in software development focuses on purpose rather than execution. After all, it's best to know why you want to build the technology before getting involved in the development cycle. To answer this question, Design Thinking uses a tight, user-driven feedback loop that allows companies to validate ideas before needing to write a single line of code.
Our approach to Design Thinking
- The human rule: All design activity is social in nature. Any innovation or project will bring us back to the “human-centered” perspective.
- The rule of ambiguity: While ambiguity is inevitable, creative experimentation is essential to creating new perspectives.
- All design is redesign: Technology and society constantly change, but basic human needs remain unchanged.
- The tangibility rule: Prototypes make ideas tangible, allowing designers to communicate them effectively.
Applying the 4Ds of Design Thinking to Software Development
As you may know, the 4Ds of Design Thinking are Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver. However, the goal of Design Thinking is always the same: understanding users from human-centric angles. That is why in a software development context these elements are applied in a slightly different way.
#1: Empathy
Empathy happens when we stop, listen and understand. During these moments, we observe users and their context, interact with them, and track information down to the smallest detail.
#2 Define
There are no solutions without problems. A clear definition of the problem is essential to identify patterns, synthesize insights and classify all needs.
#3 Idealize
When we ideate, we combine different techniques to handle information in unconventional ways and generate new ideas using a mix of analytical thinking and creative techniques (e.g. brainstorms, storyboards, SCAMPER Challenge ).
#4 Prototype
A prototype is the first draft of a working solution created by the development team. It's a quick and lean way to identify variables and continue to prioritize the user.
#5 Test
Testing is the time to show, rather than tell. We put the prototype in the hands of the user and check its ability to create experiences and how it compares to different prototypes.
There are no solutions that fit all
The benefits of using Design Thinking for software development projects
What is the role of Design Thinking in Software Development Projects?
Check Project Feasibility
As stated previously, it is best to define the why of a software development project before writing any actual production code. In Design Thinking, this is known as a “viability check” which, of course, allows the software development company to evaluate the viability and future functionality of the product. Feasibility checking always prioritizes the needs of end users and aims to clearly specify all requirements to turn the idea into reality.
Solid Development Roadmap
One of the best parts of doing a feasibility check is that both the vendor and the customer have a clear understanding of what the final product should look like and all the features it should include. Once the Minimum Viable Product is complete and the development team has received all relevant feedback from users, all progress will be made following this same roadmap. The risk of not liking the final product is minimal or zero.
Better communication
The resulting development roadmap has a major side effect that often goes unnoticed: with everyone following the same product idea, better communication within the development team and between other teams is almost a given. Design Thinking allows developers and everyone else involved in the project to clearly see and understand the end goals, problems, and specific details of the solution they will deliver. And that is always a big advantage.
Keep growth on track
The launch of every successful project also brings a new challenge: keeping growth strategies aligned with the product's identity. Your software will likely need to evolve or be updated in one way or another, and having a Design Thinking process behind it means you and your development team will always be on the same page with these changes. All of this makes it easier to keep growth on track and generate a cycle of continuous improvement for your product.
Productivity fueled by innovation
The biggest driving force of accelerated change in the business environment is caused by technology. As companies become more software-oriented and the rate of change increases, so does the complexity of problems.
Design thinking addresses multifaceted issues, taking productivity to a whole new level where it not only increases but also manifests itself in peculiar ways. By empowering people to experiment outside of established processes, we encourage creativity and teamwork to find new solutions that add value to the company and our customers.
In this context, creativity consists of finding a problem worth solving. Modern companies seek disruptive innovation and technology is the best way to inject and scale creativity, simplifying processes and giving meaning to solutions.
