As creatives, we are used to using design thinking as part of our everyday work. But it’s principals will also work to create real change in your organization. I am sharing two articles that will help you understand how to use a design thinking –led approach to change management.
The InsideHR article 5 ways to improve change management through design thinking by Colleen d’Offay, points out that people whom the changes will effect the most, usually have the best understanding of the problem and therefore, the solution. In addition, when they are involved in creating the solution, they are more likely to buy into and comply with changes. In addition, a March 2018 poll of Frontier Software webinar attendees cited employee resistance to change and lack of consensus as reasons for failure.
Design thinking incorporates 5 steps, which are not necessarily sequential. Empathize by appreciating the experiences and knowledge of the people impacted. Define what the problem is through consensus. Ideate through brainstorming, mind-mapping storyboarding or whatever works. Prototype to explore options to help define the problem. Test the proposed solution in the real world.
Source: bethune.valverde.edu
In his article on addicted2success.com, Apoorve Dubey, author of 10 Amazing Leadership Lessons From Design Thinking also cites design thinking as the solution to leadership challenges in a world of disruption and overwhelming change. He states that design thinking has helped top organizations like Pepsi, Nike, Apple and Google connect the dots when it comes to solutions to practical problems.
In addition to some of the standard design thinking steps, Dubey points out that leaders need to see the big picture and remain open minded. He emphasizes that design thinking is a journey that requires persistence. Great leaders must embrace incremental additions, multiple iterations and stick with it until the desired solution is reached.
After reviewing these two articles and from my graduate studies at Northwestern University, I recommend these following three action steps for leaders to create strong teams.
Involve those affected – Make sure that the employees who will be affected are involved in defining both the problem and the solution.
Model desired behaviors – The management team must model the behaviors desired to bring about change.
Ideate again – Generate solutions through brainstorming, mind-mapping, storyboarding and/or role-playing.
As leaders move toward the future, design thinking can help create lasting change in your organization.
Lennis Mathews (@Lennis_Mathews) is a creative professional who designs seamless customer experiences across multiple platforms. Translating complex information and data into compelling visual forms, both print and digital. She is also pursuing a Master’s degree in Information Design and Strategy at Northwestern University.
