Design and innovation are one of the fields that require a long time for investigation and brainstorming in order to formulate a new creative idea and evaluate its viability in the market and suitability for the consumer. According to design thinking process models, the investigation and ideation phases are almost 50% of the process that […]
The Role of White Space in User Interface Design
In the field of design, controversies between clients and designers sometimes arise regarding the use of “white space,” or negative space between user interface design elements. Misinformed clients are often under the impression that any empty space should be filled in with practical elements. Experienced designers, however, know that white space between typography glyphs, content […]
Design Thinking Case Study: Innovation at Apple
Apple is one of the leading companies that is renowned for its unique products and brand. A short talk with an Apple user reveals there is an emotional relation between consumers and Apple products, including every “i” product created in the past two decades. Why are Apple products different from their competitors’ products? How does […]
Applying Design and Innovation Framework in the Syrian Refugee Crisis
Many European organizations have started looking at design tools to solve societal challenges such as integration of new migrant intakes. The solutions range from creating products, services, and toolkits to education and training. Fortunately, we are beginning to see a great deal of adaptation of human-centered methods into political and societal problems, and the expansion […]
Adobe Experience Design CC: Taking the Creative Cloud to Prototyping
As interactive and user experience designers, there was always the question: Why is there not a prototyping tool included in the Adobe Creative Cloud? Since the release of Adobe Creative Cloud, it has been known as an integrated platform for designers, developers, photographers, and media experts to build their projects through a bundle of applications […]
Design Thinking in Schools: Building a Generation of Innovators
Observing today’s world can tell us much about tomorrow and what human beings need to meet future challenges. Along with the increasing challenges that we face everyday from economical challenges and climate change to extremism and the increasing language of hate between nations, we should raise a generation that is able to meet these challenges […]
Five Principles for Successful User-Centered Design
Look at the various products in our daily lives. Why do we love specific products while we get frustrated with using others? Why you prefer to use a specific brand over the other? I still remember the day I switched from Windows to Mac OS. I am sure you have a similar experience about one […]
Using Inductive Reasoning in User Experience Research
Part of the design process is to build a deep understanding about users’ behaviors and how they tend to use products or applications. This can be achieved through user experience research, a process that involves collecting and processing user data to build a product prototype with the user experience in mind. Reasoning is a common […]
5 Steps to Turn Your Creativity into a Successful Design Business
In today’s challenging economy, it’s harder to get a job as a designer in a company. Therefore, I tell my students to open their minds to different business models that they can conquer using their talent and education in design, such as working as a freelance designer or establishing design start-ups. Many of today’s big […]
IBM Design Thinking Model: A Shift Toward Big Enterprises
Along with increasing market competency, companies are moving toward greater adoption of design thinking techniques as tools to put their consumers in the heart of the development process. The goal is to build a consumer-driven culture inside the organization. IBM is one of the leading companies moving in this direction. Last year alone, the company […]
Download Our Free Business Model Canvas Template
Achieving innovation in business requires deep understanding of the aspects of the business. This understanding is what separates success from failure, yet the focus on essential business elements may be distracted by a 50-pages business plan, as our minds are able to focus on the ideas when they are visually presented, rather than written in long […]
The Six Systems Thinking Steps to Solve Complex Problems
A quick overview of common problem solving techniques indicates that most of these methods focus on the problem rather than the whole eco-system where the problem exists. Along with the challenges of global economy, problems turn out to be more complicated and sometimes awakening problems. Climate change, traffic problems, and organizational problems that have developed […]
What Kills Design Thinking?
Design thinking is one of the many beneficial tools that help individuals and companies to find new ideas through changing the way they think in different situations, including discovering ideas or solving problems. So, why do companies who adopt design thinking methods still face possible failure? Why aren't they able to innovate even after using […]
Five Common Mistakes Committed by UX Design Teams
Building a user-driven design process is one of the main targets of the UX design team, which aims to create a product or service design driven by deep understanding for the end user. In their book, Design Experience: The Role of Design and Designers in the Twenty-First Century, Mike Press and Rachel Cooper highlighted how […]
6 Steps for Effective Critical Thinking
On a daily basis, we face problems and situations that should be evaluated and solved, and we are challenged to understand different perspectives to think about these situations. Most of us are building our cognitive thinking based on previous similar situations or experiences. However, this may not guarantee a better solution for a problem, as […]
Co-Creation: Placing the Consumer in the Heart of the Open Innovation Process
Companies claim that adopting user experience research as part of their process to achieve innovation puts consumers in the heart of the process, yet many of them fail to achieve this goal and end up with a product full of unused or even frustrating features. While user experience research tends to implement both quantitative and […]
Using Mind Maps to Track User Experience
When it comes to building a user-centered design, the core target is to have a solid understanding of the user experience and how users navigate through different design layout elements. Achieving this target requires clearly defined goals, which are supported with deep understanding of the end user through building a persona empathy maps and scenarios for […]
The Decision-Making Process Designers Should Use Daily
“How do I make a proper decision?” It seems to be an easy question to answer, especially by a professional, skillful designer. However, the decision-making process can turn to be complicated during times or crisis or when there is uncertainty about the right direction to follow. Many designers spontaneously depend on their previous experience or […]
CATWOE: Building a Problem-Solving Checklist
Problem solving is the main target of design thinking methods, and the previously discussed design thinking methods that are used in solving problems tend to work through a number of steps in order to reach a final solution for the problem. However, in particular situations, solving the problem isn’t the main target of meetings or […]
If You Believe that Design Thinking is a Waste of Time, You’re Doing It Wrong
Design thinking tools and methods tend to explore innovative ideas and creative solutions for organization problems by shifting the way we think from ordinary methods to new techniques that explore undiscovered creative potentials. Implementing design thinking as part of the strategic planning of the organization is known to achieve success; companies such as IKEA, Lego, […]