Comprehensive Notes: Design Thinking & Software Development Methodology

Part 1: Design Thinking

1. Introduction to Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a human-centered, iterative problem-solving methodology. It's not

just about aesthetics; it's a mindset and a process for tackling complex, ill-defined
problems (often called "wicked problems") by understanding the human needs
involved, challenging assumptions, and redefining problems in new ways to create
innovative solutions and prototypes.

 Core Philosophy: It prioritizes the user's needs, desires, and experiences

above all else. It moves away from a purely analytical, data-driven approach
to one that is empathetic and experimental.

 Mindset: It embraces ambiguity, encourages experimentation, tolerates

failure as a learning tool, and is inherently collaborative.

 Non-Linear Process: While often presented as a series of stages, it is highly

iterative. Teams frequently loop back to earlier stages as they learn more.

2. Importance of Design Thinking

 Drives Customer-Centric Innovation: By starting with empathy, it ensures
that products, services, and processes are genuinely valuable and usable for
the people they are designed for, leading to higher adoption and satisfaction.

 Reduces Risk and Cost of Failure: Prototyping and testing ideas early and
cheaply (a "fail fast" approach) uncovers flaws and validates assumptions
before significant resources are invested in development.
 Fosters Cross-Functional Collaboration: It breaks down organizational
silos by bringing together diverse teams (engineering, marketing, sales,
design) around a common, human-centered goal.

 Solves Complex Problems: It provides a structured framework for dealing

with ambiguity and complexity that traditional, linear problem-solving methods
struggle with.

 Creates a Competitive Advantage: Companies that consistently deliver

superior user experiences differentiate themselves in the market.

3. History of Design Thinking

The term and formalization have evolved over decades:

 1960s-70s: Roots in participatory design and the development of creative

methods for tackling ill-defined problems. Key thinkers like Herbert A. Simon
(The Sciences of the Artificial) and Robert McKim (Experiences in Visual
Thinking) laid the groundwork.
  1980s-90s: David Kelley (founder of IDEO) and Rolf Faste at Stanford
University championed the concept. The d.school (Hasso Plattner Institute
of Design at Stanford) became the epicenter for teaching the methodology,
popularizing the now-classic 5-stage model (Empathize, Define, Ideate,
Prototype, Test).

 2000s-Present: Widespread adoption by major corporations (Apple, Google,

IBM, PepsiCo, etc.). The approach was adapted and scaled for large
enterprises, leading to frameworks like IBM Design Thinking.

4. IBM Design Thinking Framework

IBM scaled Design Thinking for large, enterprise software development. Its
framework consists of three core elements: Principles, the Loop, and Keys.

A. The Principles (The Guide)

These are the beliefs that guide every decision and action.

1. A Focus on User Outcomes: Every feature, line of code, and business

decision is measured against one question: "Does this deliver value for our
user?" It's about solving user problems, not just implementing a list of
technical requirements.

2. Restless Reinvention: Nothing is ever "done." There is always room for

improvement. This principle embraces continuous feedback, iteration, and a
growth mindset. It encourages challenging the status quo.

3. Diverse, Empowered Teams (DETs): Innovation happens when people with

different skills and perspectives (designers, developers, product managers,
researchers, stakeholders) collaborate as a single, empowered unit. They are
given the autonomy to make decisions and are held accountable for the
outcome.

B. The Loop (The Process)

This is the iterative cycle at the heart of the process. It represents the continuous
nature of design.

 Observe: Gather raw input through user research. Watch and listen to users
in their natural context. Tools: User interviews, contextual inquiry, Sponsor
Users.

 Reflect: Synthesize the observations to find patterns, insights, and meaning.

Make sense of the data as a team. Tools: Empathy Maps, As-Is Scenario
Maps, Prioritization Grids, Need Statements.
 Make: Materialize ideas into tangible artifacts to make them concrete and
testable. This makes ideas shareable and feedback actionable. Tools:
Sketches, Big Idea Vignettes, Storyboards, Prototypes.
Teams constantly move through this loop, refining their understanding and their
solution.

C. The Keys (The Alignment Tools)

These are practices to ensure the entire team and stakeholders are aligned on the
goal and progress.

 Hills: These are the team's mission statements. They are user-centric,
ambitious yet achievable goals that align the team. Crafting Hills is a
collaborative workshop activity.

o Format: [Who] can [what] so that [outcome].

o Example: A retail manager can quickly generate a monthly sales report

so that they can identify top-performing products and make stocking
decisions.
 Playbacks: Regular, structured meetings where the team "plays back" their
work to stakeholders and sponsor users. It’s not a status report; it’s a show-
and-tell focused on demonstrating progress toward user outcomes and
gathering feedback. This ensures continuous alignment and avoids surprises
at the end of a project.

 Sponsor Users: Real, representative users who partner with the team
throughout the project. They are not just test subjects; they are active
collaborators who provide ongoing feedback, validate ideas, and help ensure
the solution meets real-world needs.
Deep Dive into Key Tools

 Empathy Map: A collaborative visualization used to articulate what we know

about a particular user type. It divides knowledge into four quadrants: Says,
Thinks, Does, Feels. This helps build a shared understanding of user needs
and pain points.

 As-Is Scenario Map: A diagram that visualizes the current user experience,
step-by-step. It highlights pain points, frustrations, and opportunities for
improvement in the existing process before a new solution is designed.

 Big Idea Vignettes (or Sketching): Rough, rapid sketches that visualize a
key concept or a "big idea" for a solution. They are not detailed designs; they
are a way to quickly communicate and get feedback on a concept's core
value.

 Prioritization Grid (e.g., 2x2 Matrix): A framework for deciding what to build
first. The most common is "Effort vs. Impact" or "Value vs. Complexity." Ideas
are plotted to identify "Quick Wins" (high impact, low effort) and "Major
Projects" (high impact, high effort).
  Need Statements (or Point of View - POV): A concise reframing of a user
need that is used to ideate against. It synthesizes user, need, and insight.

o Format: [User] needs a way to [need] because [surprising insight].

 Storyboards: A sequence of drawings that visualize how a user would

interact with a proposed solution over time. It tells a story of the user's
experience, connecting the emotional journey with the functional steps.

 To-Be Scenario Map: The future-state version of the As-Is map. It visualizes
the ideal, redesigned user experience with the new solution in place, showing
how pain points are resolved and value is delivered.

Part 2: Software Development Methodology (Project Management

Fundamentals)
1. Definition of a Project
A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service,
or result.

 Temporary: It has a definite beginning and end. The end is reached when the
project's objectives are achieved or when the project is terminated.

 Unique: Its output is not a routine operation but a specific set of operations
designed to accomplish a singular goal. Building a new feature is a project;
processing weekly payroll is not.

2. Project vs. Operations

Characteristic Project Operations

Nature Temporary & Unique Ongoing & Repetitive

Goal Achieve a goal and close Sustain the business

Output A unique product/service Standardized goods/services

Management Project Management Process/Operations Management

Developing a new mobile Processing customer support

Example
app tickets

3. Relationship between Project, Program, and Portfolio

This is a hierarchy of organizational planning.

 Project: A single, focused effort (e.g., Develop the login authentication

feature).

 Program: A group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to

obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually
(e.g., A "User Security Program" containing the Login Project, Two-Factor
Auth Project, and Password Recovery Project).
 Portfolio: A collection of projects, programs, and other work that is
grouped together to facilitate effective management to meet strategic
business objectives. It is about prioritizing investment and resource allocation
across the entire organization (e.g., A "Product Portfolio" containing the User
Security Program, a New Payment Platform Program, and a Marketing
Website Redesign Project).

4. Features of a Project (Key Constraints)

Every project is bound by a set of constraints, often depicted as the "Project
Management Triangle."

 Scope: The work that must be done to deliver the product, service, or result
with the specified features and functions.

 Time: The schedule for completing the project and its phases.

 Cost: The budget approved for the project, including all necessary resources.

 Quality: The standard to which the project's output must be delivered.

A change in one constraint (e.g., reducing Time) will inevitably affect one or more of
the others (e.g., increased Cost or reduced Scope/Quality).

5. Measuring Project Success

Traditional success was measured by the "Iron Triangle": delivering on time, on

budget, and within scope. Modern measures are more holistic:

1. On Time: Meeting the project schedule.

2. On Budget: Adhering to the financial plan.

3. Within Scope: Delivering all the agreed-upon features and functions.

4. Quality/Performance: The output meets the required performance and
quality standards.
5. Customer Satisfaction/Value: The end result actually meets user needs and
delivers the intended business value and ROI. (This is where Design Thinking
directly contributes to success).
 6. Team Satisfaction: The project was well-managed, and the team remains
motivated and effective.

6. Phases of a Project (Project Life Cycle)

While names vary, most projects follow a common flow:

1. Initiation: The project is defined and authorized. Key output: Project

Charter (a document that formally authorizes the project and provides the
project manager with authority).

2. Planning: The project scope, objectives, and course of action are defined in
detail. This is the most crucial phase for setting up for success. Key
outputs: Project Plan (covering scope, schedule, cost, quality,
communications, risk, etc.).

3. Execution (Implementation): The team completes the work defined in the

project management plan to meet the project's specifications. This is where
the actual development and design work happens.

4. Monitoring & Controlling: This happens concurrently with Execution.

Processes are used to track, review, and regulate the progress and
performance of the project, identifying any areas where changes to the plan
are required.

5. Closing: All activities are formally completed. This includes handing over the
final deliverable, releasing project resources, and documenting lessons
learned.
The Connection: Design Thinking is a methodology that fits within the broader
Project Management framework. It is most intensely used during the Planning and
Execution phases to ensure the right product is built in the right way, thereby
directly contributing to the ultimate measures of project success: customer
satisfaction and value.