Design Thinking for Individuals

Design Thinking is teamwork. At least that's how it describes current literature. A discipline that can only work together in a diverse and interdisciplinary team. Different disciplines and mindsets act together. But is this really a decisive factor? Can't I also make a difference as an individual in the sense of Design Thinking? I say, yes, of course. 

A team is not always available 

Not many companies have the opportunity or the luxury to employ and finance a dedicated design thinking team. I would even say there are only a few. But this automatically means that design thinking is not feasible for me. I don't think so.  

For myself, I don't describe Design Thinking as a method box, but see much more in it and talk more of a Design Thinking mindset. The way of tackling things and questioning them is the decisive difference. A method to identify problems and to develop solutions, prototypes and solutions. Just when you are intensely involved with design thinking, your own feelings and working methods change.  

When I find myself in such a situation, no team, no Design Thinking Space. What do I do now? 

A One-man Show

Why am I not my own Design Thinking Team? Why not? When you think about it, you don't really think about anything. For me as an individual, Design Thinking works just as well as it does in a team. Of course you'll have to plan a bit more time here and there, but nothing stands in the way of the process steps. Will I conduct interviews? Diving into a topic through research? Formulate a statement? Develop ideas on a leisurely walk? Build a prototype? There is no stopper that would stop me from following the process. 

Surely one would argue that this way the flow doesn't develop or that the mutual inspiration in brainstorming doesn't happen. Surely it will be a bit unusual and different, but is it really that bad when you look at the result? I think not. Surely it will be a challenge to hide your own point of view but through expert interviews and customer conversations I can get a good picture of the problem described. Should I not be able to grasp it correctly, I just go through one more iteration. I can decide that myself. Perhaps a completely new point of view will be set on a topic and the moment in which we deal with something usually inspires the ideas and thoughts to come further. 

The door is open to everyone 

So it's really possible for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in Design Thinking to do so. Surely there are one or the other arguments that speak absolutely for working in a team. I don't want to talk badly about that. Working in a team is certainly the way to be recommended but I would like to point out that if this way is not available it is not an abort of your own efforts and you can go your own way. Anyone who wants to experience Design Thinking can do so. Try and learn. Maybe the first personal project is still a bit bumpy, but the results will surely get better and better and with time they will certainly be seen.