Page 283 - The Design Thinking Playbook

First reflect and then transform with lots of positive energy

Too many times over the last few years have we had to witness how digital transformation was han-
dled just like any other change management project: thought out, planned, and implemented from the
top down. Measures were defined by the leadership team and taken into the organization by implying
urgency. Unfortunately, none of these approaches were successful. For this reason, we should begin digital
transformation with design thinking and then tackle it, as described, transversally across all company
silos, involving everybody. At the end of the day, we want to have a system in which people work and have
an effect. In our experience, it is good to give the people in the organization room so they can go through
the cognitive process on their own and shape a new shared understanding in common—a mindset that
matches the respective organization and its employees. In the “Business Ecosystem Design” chapter,
in the context of the validation and realization loop, we pointed out the importance of the people in the
respective companies, whose attitude and motivation are pivotal for the desired business ecosystem to
develop positively.
However, the first necessary step is always to throw one’s own assumptions overboard and exercise mind-
fulness. We can refer to this first phase as the phase of reflection. The following steps are in sync with our
well-known design thinking principles.

Iteration

Selection
Reflection Ideation Prototype & Implementation Stabilization
Testing

ATTITUDE:
WE WANT!
Not: we have to

The transformation is backed by many, not by a few chosen people. :-)
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