Page 331 - The Design Thinking Playbook

#2.2 Interdisciplinary teams #1.10 Efficient testing & digital tools

RÉSUMÉS Jana works as an Innovation Manager and Senior Management Mario has been working as a Product Marketing and Business
Consultant in “Die Mobiliar,” a property insurer. Together with an Development Manager since 2000. He has actively designed the
interdisciplinary team, she develops new products and services portfolios of start-ups and multinational corporations in the tech in-
there. In addition, she lectures at different universities on design dustry to get them into peak condition to meet the requirements of
thinking and innovation and speaks at conferences on how the e-commerce and digital transformation. As an industrial engineer,
transformation into a customer-oriented company can be success- he is well versed in the mediation between business and techno-
fully done. logy, which has proven so important in design thinking.

WHY ARE YOU A I learned design thinking as a structured method at the d.school in As a product manager, I experienced myself how solutions focusing
DESIGN THINKING Potsdam. Even before that, I provided customers with cardboard, on the technology have become less and less attractive and that
EXPERT? scissors, and glue to develop their living environment in common investment decisions are no longer made by those responsible for
with them. I was able to deepen my expertise in my functions technology. For me, design thinking as a method solved this para-
as change agent in a Web agency and as an advisor of various dox because it puts the people and the problem you want to solve
corporations, which wanted to become more customer-oriented and for them at center stage. Design thinking belongs in everybody’s
more innovative. skill set toolbox.

YOUR MOST IMPORTANT Design thinking wins over employees when it can be experienced In many ways, design thinking breaks with putatively proven
DESIGN THINKING TIP? in actual practice. The added value of empathy, interdisciplinary approaches. This is why it often meets with resistance. To scribble
collaboration, and fast, iterative prototyping along the lines of “fail ideas with colored pencils and paper, instead of presenting Pow-
early and often” will swiftly become clear. Anybody interested in erPoint slides, is quickly seen as unprofessional or even esoteric.
applying design thinking to their own company/project should try Don’t give up! The result will convince even the doubters.
to experience it as quickly and simply as possible (e.g., in courses/
workshops).

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