Why we use “Design Thinking”?

Having been closely engaged in programs and activities implemented by our partners i-APS (People-first development (i-aps.com)) we have gained insight into the core challenges and best practices in three areas of work:

Assessing delivery of humanitarian aid in hard to reach areas
Enhanced community and beneficiary engagement to support appropriate and effective project design and implementation
Institutional strengthening and development

Since data collection and analysis is at the core of our work with i-APS we have come to understand that well informed advisory groups working in close partnership with communities, can produce effective support strategies and design actions that directly meet people’s needs.

That is why at KS-APS we always integrate data collection and close communication with partners in our work. Instead of designing solutions separately; we make active agents out of our clients and partners who closely engage in identifying gaps and exploring ways to best achieve goals and overcome their struggles.Whether our clients work in business, government, education, or nonprofit, through design thinking we can help them develop innovative solutions based on the needs of their customers or target audiences.

See the following phases to understand our step by step approach to Design Thinking:

Empathize

At this stage we become observers and conduct interviews through which we seek to understand the client’s objectives and requirements. We apply a Non-judgmental approach, meaning we Inspire partners to think about their customers or target audiences and clearly understand who they are designing a solution for.

Define

Once we are familiarized with our clients needs and established strong communication and partnership with their team we collectively work towards defining and structuring the list of the most important findings. At this stage we map out the structure of the client’s team: Personas, Roles and objectives, decision making mechanisms, challenges and Pain Points and frame specific questions or struggles to address.

Ideate

We ask all members of our client’s organization to share their ideas. Discussions are facilitated by our experts of the field who encourage collective brainstorming of solutions. We apply a “Yes” approach to every opinion so that we don’t limit the freedom and creativity of our partners to think past the obvious. We closely engage with customers and target audiences and help them articulate and challenge their ideas for solutions via surveys and group discussions.

Prototype

Having reviewed all suggestions with the experts of the field, we create a mockup or storyboard of the best solution for the new or revised product or service. We carefully explain how the proposed solution or revised product/service addresses all the challenges and objectives that were identified in the beginning stages.

Test

Upon presenting the suggested solutions or revised product/service, we gather feedback from our clients, customers and target audiences. We ask groups of people to test the product and note down any errors or challenges in user experience. We update the product according to the feedback received and test it again so that we undergo several stages of revision.

Share the story

After the several stages of revision, the team comes to a final product/solution. This is shared with all stakeholders and targeted audiences with the aim to inspire others toward action.