Complete Design Thinking Guide for Successful Professionals

Design Thinking is a game-changer, my friends! It's not just some fancy buzzword- it's a tool that propels brands, businesses, and individuals to new heights of success. 🌟

Picture this: Every designer worth their salt goes through a transformative journey in their minds with every project they take on. It's like a secret weapon, fueling innovation and driving creativity like nothing else. 🔥

But hold on, there's so much more! You'll witness a total shift in processes, strategies, and innovation at every level. It's a holistic approach that takes your entire business to the next level. 📈

In this book you will:
• Understand key characteristics of Design Thinking
• Empathize- Understand your customers / users
• Define- Define clear project / business objectives
• Ideate- Explore ideas and solutions
• Prototype- Build and visualise ideas
• Test- Review and decide best idea

Chapter 1: What’s Design Thinking
Why Do We Need Design Thinking?
What Makes Design Thinking Unique?
DT Action Plan and 5 Mindsets
7 Personality Types

Chapter 2: Design Action Plan
5 Characteristics of Action Plan
Empathise Phase
- User Interview Template
- Persona Template
- Empathy Map Template
Define Phase
- Design Brief Template
- Stakeholder Map Template
- Customer Journey Template
- Context Map Template
- Opportunity Map Template
Ideate Phase
- Prioritisation Map Template
- Affinity Map Template
- Idea Evaluation Template
Prototype Phase
- Physical Prototypes Example
- Wireframes Example
- Storyboard Template
Test Phase
- User Test tTemplate
- Prototype Evaluation Template

Chapter 3: 5 Thinking Mindsets
Summary of 5 Mindsets
Anatomy of a Design Thinker
Mindset 1: Think Users First
Mindset 2: Ask the Right Questions
Mindset 3; Believe You can Draw
Mindset 4: Commit to Ideate
Mindset 5: Prototype to Test

Chapter 4; Think Users First
What are Your Users Inherent Needs?
Structure of Empathise
- Prepare
- Engage
- Analyse
What is Empathy Map?
What is Job-to-be-done (JTBD)?
What is Persona?
Power of Storytelling

Chapter 5: Ask The Right Questions
Why Ask the Right Questions?
5 Question Types
Who Should You Ask Questions?
Dealing with Boss and Stakeholders
- Design Brief
- Stakeholder Map
- Customer Journey
- Context Map
- Opportunity Map

Chapter 6: Believe You Can Draw
What is the Value of Drawing?
Why Should We Communicate by Drawing?
How to Start Drawing?
- Visual Library
- Communicate Journey
- Frame Problems
- Deliver Ideas
How to Start Facilitation by Drawing?

Chapter 7: Commit To Ideate
Why do You Need to Ideate?
What are the Rules of Ideation?
How to build a Creative Culture?
How to Facilitate an Ideation Session?
Divergent- Common Ideation Techniques
- Brainstorming (Brain Dump)
- Brainwriting
- Creative Matrix
- SCAMPER
- What if?
Convergent- 3 Simple Ways to Converge
- Affinity Map
- Prioritisation Map
- Idea Evaluation

Chapter 8: Prototype To Test
What You could Use as a Prototype?
Why do We need a Prototype?
Why do We Test?
Overall Test Process
- Prepare (the Test)
- Conduct (the Test)
- Analyse (the Result)
What to Do After Testing?

This book is useful for:

• Professionals in all industries who are involved in product and services delivery
• Business and Startup Owners interested in providing good business models for customers
• Freelance Designers and Consultants who want to make a difference in the marketplace
• Design Trainers learning to deliver Design Thinking Workshops
• Innovation, Creativity and Design Enthusiasts
• Seasoned Design Thinkers!

The society needs more designers in a business suit.

Daniel Ling has 11 years of experience in innovation and design thinking who has moulded himself to be a “designer in a business suit”- strong in the design thinking process and yet relevant to the financial and business industry. He is an effective human factors designer- in areas of space, product and communication design for end users.

As a design consultant for OCBC to improve customer experience through design, Daniel spearheaded key projects in branch, digital and communication design for the world’s strongest bank. He has facilitated and conducted training to over 200 students / professionals across banking and public sectors.

Through his work, Daniel has been featured in AXIS magazine and Straits Times. He has also received the Champion Award from MCYS for the sterling work on OCBC Sunday Banking. His Experience Design team also won the Asia’s Top Design Practice from Singapore Design Awards in 2014.

On top of all, Daniel also founded Emerge Creatives Design Thinking Training company- to aid business owners to build their identity and empower them with design thinking skills.

HIS OBJECTIVES

Daniel Ling is driven by a vision to empower professionals and students with design thinking skills to be able to bring innovation and personal effectiveness to solve problems for the organization.

Daniel has honed himself in the industry to be one of the very few experts in user experience, form & communication design and design thinking- with a lot to contribute. His years of experience in facilitation in workshops and training will bring practical knowledge to real life context.

He is a firm believer that everyone can be a designer- that we need more designers in a business suit.