Design Thinking Process Overview

This slide illustrates the stages within the design thinking methodology, emphasizing perspective-taking and problem framing through metaphorical thinking hats. It highlights 5 key phases—Discovery, Interpretation, Ideation, Experimentation, and Evolution—each supported by visual icons and guiding questions to facilitate understanding and application in innovative problem-solving.



Why This Slide Is Useful

This slide is valuable for senior executives and consultants involved in innovation, product development, or strategic transformation. It distills a complex, iterative process into a clear visual sequence, enabling leaders to communicate and implement design thinking principles effectively across teams. The use of metaphorical "thinking hats" simplifies the conceptual framework, making it accessible for diverse stakeholders.

For C-level audiences, this slide underscores the importance of structured creativity in tackling complex challenges. It encourages a mindset that balances exploration with experimentation, fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation. The visual cues and guiding questions serve as practical tools to embed design thinking into decision-making processes, project planning, or innovation initiatives.

Management consultants can leverage this slide to diagnose client capabilities or to structure workshops that embed human-centered design. It provides a common language for teams to navigate ambiguity, challenge assumptions, and generate innovative solutions. The step-by-step depiction supports both strategic alignment and operational execution in innovation projects.

This slide also functions as a reference point during project reviews or stakeholder presentations. It helps reinforce the iterative nature of design thinking, emphasizing that insights gained in one phase inform subsequent steps. By framing problem-solving as a dynamic process, it encourages agility and resilience in managing complex organizational or market challenges.

How This Slide Is Used

This slide is typically used in workshops, strategic planning sessions, or innovation initiatives. Facilitators rely on it to guide teams through each phase, ensuring a shared understanding of the process. It serves as a roadmap for structured ideation, from initial discovery to iterative evolution, often accompanied by exercises or case studies.

In consulting engagements, this visual is adapted to specific client contexts, with tailored questions or examples added to each phase. For instance, during a product redesign project, teams might focus on customer insights during Discovery and prototype testing during Experimentation. The slide helps maintain focus on the process flow, preventing teams from jumping prematurely into solutions.

Organizations also use this slide to train employees or leadership on creative problem-solving techniques. It acts as a reference during brainstorming sessions or cross-functional collaboration, fostering a mindset that values diverse perspectives and iterative testing. The visual cues and questions serve as prompts to deepen engagement and ensure comprehensive exploration.

In some cases, the slide is integrated into digital collaboration tools or project dashboards, providing a constant reminder of the process. Teams can update progress or capture learnings at each stage, making the design thinking approach an ongoing part of organizational culture. This continuous use supports sustained innovation and adaptive problem-solving across functions.

Related PPT Slides


Design Thinking Process Overview

This slide illustrates the structured five-phase approach of the design thinking methodology, emphasizing its application across 3 different spaces. It visually maps the progression from inspiration through ideation to implementation, highlighting key activities within each phase. The diagram supports understanding of how iterative steps lead to the development of a final product.


Design Thinking Process Overview

This slide illustrates a structured five-phase approach to the Design Thinking process, emphasizing the progression across 3 key spaces: Inspiration, Ideation, and Implementation. It visually maps out each phase—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test—highlighting their sequence and interconnectedness, which supports strategic innovation efforts.


Design Thinking Process Overview

This slide illustrates the 5 iterative phases of the design thinking methodology: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. It visually emphasizes the non-linear nature of the process, highlighting that these stages often overlap and repeat. The layout supports understanding how each phase contributes to user-centered innovation.


Design Thinking Process Overview

This slide illustrates the non-linear, iterative nature of the design thinking methodology, emphasizing 5 key phases that promote user-centered innovation. It visually maps each phase—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test—using hexagonal icons and describes their core activities. The process is supported by a simplified flow of Understand, Explore, and Materialize, guiding strategic problem-solving efforts.


Design Thinking Double Diamond

This slide illustrates the Double Diamond framework, a structured approach to exploring and refining ideas through divergent and convergent thinking phases. It visually maps the process from identifying broad problems to developing specific solutions, emphasizing the iterative nature of design thinking. The diagram highlights 4 key stages: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver, aligned with the respective phases of insight, ideation, and prototyping.


Core Traits of Design Thinkers

This slide highlights 5 essential personality characteristics that underpin effective design thinking. It visually maps each trait—Empathy, Experimentalism, Collaboration, Optimism, and Interactive Thinking—and provides brief descriptions to emphasize their importance in innovative problem-solving processes. The layout supports quick comprehension for strategic or leadership audiences involved in fostering creative cultures or managing innovation initiatives.


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