As taught in Innovation Case as part of MEng Computer Science and largely connected to Human-Computer Interaction and Interaction and Society
Design Council
The Design Council is the United Kingdom’s national strategic advisor for design, established to champion the use of design in improving lives, business competitiveness, and public services. Founded in 1944, it operates as an independent, non-profit organization incorporated by Royal Charter and serves as a public voice for inclusive and sustainable design.
The Double Diamond
A universally accepted depiction of the design process Design Council
| Discover | Define | Develop | Deliver |
|---|---|---|---|
| The first diamond helps people understand, rather than simply assume, what the problem is. It involves speaking to and spending time with people who are affected by the issues. | The insight gathered from the discovery phase can help you to define the challenge in a different way. | The second diamond encourages people to give different answers to the clearly defined problem, seeking inspiration from elsewhere and co-designing with a range of different people. | Delivery involves testing out different solutions at small-scale, rejecting those that will not work and improving the ones that will. |
Design Thinking
Human-centred, iterative approach to problem solving. Developed by IDEO and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (Stanford d.school).
Innovation succeeds when you deeply understand human needs before building solutions.
Unlike traditional engineering approaches (which often start with technical feasibility), Design Thinking starts with:
- Empathy
- Observation
- User context
- Real human behaviour
Particularly powerful when:
- Problem is ambiguous
- The solution is unclear
- Stakeholders are diverse
- Purely technical optimisation isn’t enough
IDEO
IDEO is a global design and innovation consultancy known for pioneering the human-centred design approach. Founded in 1991, it integrates expertise from design, engineering, social science, and business to help organizations create new products, services, and experiences. The firm has influenced the global adoption of “design thinking” as a strategic innovation method.
Stanford d.school
The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, commonly known as the Stanford d.school, is an interdisciplinary institute within Stanford University that advances design thinking in education and innovation. It serves as a hub where students and faculty from diverse fields collaborate to develop human-centred solutions to real-world problems.
5-Stage Model
1. Empathise
Understand the user deeply
- Interviews
- Observation
- Shadowing
- Journey mapping
- Empathy maps
Understand motivations, frustrations, behaviours, constraints — not just surface needs.
2. Define
Reframe the problem clearly.
Instead of:
“Build a better scheduling system”
You define:
“Young professionals struggle to coordinate social time because scheduling tools ignore emotional and social friction.”
You create:
- A Point of View statement
- A clear user + need + insight framing
This stage narrows ambiguity.
3. Ideate
Generate many possible solutions.
Rules:
- Defer judgement
- Quantity over quality at first
- Encourage wild ideas
- Build on others’ ideas
Common tools:
- Crazy 8s
- Brainwriting
- How Might We statements
This is deliberate divergence.
4. Prototype
Make ideas tangible quickly.
Important:
- Prototypes are not final builds.
- They are learning tools.
They can be:
- Paper sketches
- Mockups
- Clickable Figma prototypes
- Wizard-of-Oz experiments
- Even roleplay scenarios
The goal:
Test assumptions early.
5. Test
Put prototypes in front of users.
You are testing:
- Does this solve the real problem?
- Is it intuitive?
- Does it create value?
- What unexpected behaviours emerge?
Testing often sends you back to:
- Redefine the problem
- Or ideate differently
Design Thinking is nonlinear.
Core Principles of IDEO / d.school
- Human-Centred
- Technology must serve lived experience
- Bias Toward Action
- Build something fast. Don’t over-theorise
- Radical Collaboration
- Diverse teams create better innovation
- Embrace Ambiguity
- Don’t rush to premature clarity
- Iterate, Don’t Perfect
- Early failure reduces late-stage risk
Design Thinking vs Traditional Engineering
| Traditional Approach | Design Thinking |
|---|---|
| Start with solution | Start with user |
| Optimise performance | Optimise value |
| Validate at end | Test continuously |
| Technical focus | Human + technical focus |
Helpful Resources
Design Thinking Bootleg
Design Kit: The Human-Centered Design Toolkit
Empathy Map
