1.2 The Process of Design Thinking (WIP)

Design thinking is most certainly is not a simple exercise to do from a cold-start. Many may find that the creative process germinates from an ethereal spark, in response to a demand to problem / opportunity, or as a means to breaking my boredom of frustrations. So, I need to warm my thinking up.

To kick me off, I had to think about how I might approach problem – the process might look like:

· Frame the situation as problem &/or an opportunity, (and ideally, as both). At this point I will explore the situation 'divergently', until I get a clear lock on the problem & or opportunity. Then, I will attempt to clearly define it ('convergently'). I will use mind maps, collaborative (& relaxed) brainstorming to kick off the divert thinking process, and diagrams and text-limiters (ultimately describing it in 25-words or less) for divergence. In essence this process looks like:

o Identification (and acknowledgement of the situation)

o Abstraction (reaching a holistic understanding)

o Decomposition (breaking the situation down to its atomic parts)

o Analysis of the parts, the situation, and any design thoughts

o Aggregation pulling the thoughts and idea back together to better able create a new solution.

· Research not only the situation (problem or opportunity), but also what has been done before in similar situations. “Standing on the shoulders of giants” & “not reinventing the wheel” or good idioms to consider. Researching what others have done in the past can be a good launch pad. I also consider any & all processes from any & all discipline and see if I can repurpose, or ‘misuse’ them to my benefit. E.g., What can I take from the process of making my morning toast and apply/adapt it to my need now for some business problem I am addressing.

· Immersion. Saturate yourself in the problem and the research, let it ruminate around your head. Extend bouts of applied effort can yield great results and quickly but will also eventually end diminishing returns of effort and ultimately staling progress &/or locking up your productivity.

· Fluster. This is the ceasing-point at the tail-end of immersion. At this point, a lot of energy has been used, is in play, and built up. You neural wiring can only handle so much before the resistance buckles your interval system. Its at this point, like bodybuilder, that growth occurs. Your neural capacity is taxed and must adapt. For that to happen to you need to relax and recover. Don’t worry though – your subconscious is still working the situation.

· Relax & step away from the problem. After tying you brain in knots it can be handy to step away from the problem and do something else. If I am learning a new technique of piece of music’s, I can get flustered and tied up in a stressful knot. When this happens, I suffer diminishing returned on any further effort. At this point I just say “f**k it” and blast a few riffs ro licks that I like, or noodle something inane. Surprisingly and like clockwork, the previous knot I had, has gone and I managed that hurdle - for now

· Revelation or illuminating insight. Somewhere in the relaxation or meditation and illuminating insight will appear. It may be an “A-ha! Of course,” moment, it could be an “inspired from nowhere” revelation.

· Experiment & testing the idea or revelation can resulting refining, adding to, or taking away from, the idea as matter of testing, or the totally abandonment of the initial idea because a new idea has popped up in the process. Eventually, you will settle on (at least) one idea to develop further as a potential candidate.

Considering this process and looking out the window, I am literally pulling something out the air: I need a safe way to feed and hydrate the wilds birds that frequent my yard. I have some postal twine, an old pot plant trays, and plenty of growing bamboo (all of which I readily have) to build a two-tier feed and drink station that I can hang from the pepper tree in my yard.

Situation: Example TBC.

Consequence: TBC

Objective: TBC

Proposed Design: TBC

Conclusion: TBC