Keys and why to study a Design Thinking course in Madrid

January 4

"What good times those were when it seemed easier to solve business problems."

Those days when the problems a company was going through were familiar to us because we had already experienced them working for other sectors. It's not that they were so simple that anyone could solve them, because they required a lot of talent and experience. But I think we could accept them as predictably complicated challenges.

Because we faced them with the confidence that we would be able to solve them because we had managed to do so in the past. Because we already knew what buttons had to be touched in the consumer's mind to get them to respond in one way or another. Especially since those keys were limited to the usual channels. The ones that always worked.

But now it's not so easy anymore. Now it's much more interesting.

Because everything has changed. Everything is changing. Everything is to be defined. Those impassable and opaque doors have inevitably become transparent. Masks and shortcuts are no longer valid. Now everyone sees everything. Access is unlimited. And this means that we have to work even harder if we want to solve a problem effectively and efficiently. Like we did before.

Today the problems are no longer so predictable. Not only because they are not repeated, but because they are living problems, not static. They are problems that are defined as they are solved. Because they are not obvious, but incomplete, even contradictory. It is what the Anglo-Saxons call the wicked problems, those in which the only way to begin to understand them is to start by doing, not just talking or analyzing. We are in a time of digital revolution and immensely competitive, so innovation has become the force of change and differentiation to generate value propositions that differentiate you from others.

That's what this Design Thinking course in Madrid It aims for us to understand a little better, among other topics. Better understand how to approach projects from a perspective that is much more empathetic to the root of the problem. Through different methodologies used in each of the phases of the Design Thinking process We are going to learn to solve problems with a much more open, collaborative and flexible mentality. This is a methodology based on the way designers create, taking advantage of their sensitivity and practicality in development to apply it in strategy and innovation, giving way to new models of innovative businesses, services or products designed by people and for people.

What is Design Thinking

The “Design Thinking” concept

It has evolved in recent years in which an intense focus has been placed on marketing seen from the user's point of view. Nowadays there is such an overflow of information and such savage competition that brands have had to think about what their users want in order to offer them better products and services. Design Thinking will lead you to have a better understanding of the user's needs, taking it as part of the creation process

Origin of Design Thinking

There are two important figures who have influenced how Design Thinking arises and what it is.

David Kelley one of the greatest exponents in Design Thinking & innovation is the one who gave birth to the concept in the early '80s from Stanford, one of the pioneering universities in innovation where he works as a professor (watch video of David Kelley)
Tim Brown, CEO and president of IDEO, has been responsible for giving massiveness to the concept, which is why he is considered the great master in Design Thinking & Innovation. It has promoted the idea of using design thinking as a strategic method to satisfy people's needs (watch video of Tim Brown)

Bases of Design Thinking

Now what This philosophy is beginning to prevail in companies of all types and sectors. Their knowledge is essential to achieve the innovation that both the technological and labor markets need.

Design Thinking is a process used to generate innovative ideas and understand user needs.. We seek to treat morethe fact that” to solve problems in a practical and creative way. To achieve this, a process has been developed with 5 characteristics: Empathy, Definition, Ideate, Prototype and Evaluate. We explain them in more detail below 🙂

Design Thinking Methodology

Every methodology consists of certain steps to complete to reach the results it proposes. In this section we will detail each of the stages proposed by the Design Thinking methodology to come up with innovative solutions.

Phases of Design Thinking

* Empathize: In order to achieve the solution we are looking for, it is necessary to know our users well, understand their problems, desires and needs. It is entering an observation mode to be able to understand users within the context in which you are going to design. It is these users who will inspire you and direct your ideas, so it is important that we can understand them and put ourselves in their shoes. Some techniques used in this phase are interviews and the use of questions: “What?”, “How?”, “Why?”

* Define: "Framing the right problem is the only way to create the right solution.” The definition stage seeks to find a focus and bring clarity to your design space. It is important to determine the challenge of your project and create consistency over all the information that has been gathered.

* Devise: Here begins the design process and the generation of ideas to make prototypes and create innovative solutions. All ideas are valid and everything is combined from unconscious and conscious thinking, rational thoughts and imagination. It is a space to develop brainstorms and build ideas on previous ideas. You can work with methods such as sketches, mindmaps, prototypes and stroryboards to explain the idea in the best way.

* Prototype: It is the generation of informative elements such as drawings, artifacts and objects with the intention of answering questions that bring us closer to the final solution. It doesn't necessarily have to be an object, but anything that can be interacted with. It can be a post-it, a folded cardboard or an activity and even a storyboard. Ideally it should be something that the user can work with and experiment with. This process is refined as the project progresses and the prototypes show more functional, formal and usable characteristics. With the prototypes we are going to generate elements that bring our ideas closer to reality in order to consider alternatives and reach the best solution for our user.

* Assess: This step consists of evaluating our ideas and requesting feedback and opinions on the prototypes that have been created from users and colleagues. In this way we can improve our solutions and take into account the different alternatives. The rule for this phase? Prototype thinking we are right but evaluate thinking we are wrong. It is the opportunity to refine and improve your ideas!

Design Thinking Tools

There are different techniques that are used in each of the phases of Design Thinking seen above that you will learn to use in our master in innovation and Design Thinking. Here we detail the list of the tools that you will learn to use to obtain the most innovative results.

EMPATHY:

Actor map: a graphic representation of each member who collaborates in the use of a product or service
Constructive Interaction: It serves to obtain information about the user's user experience.
Mind Map: It helps us understand how a thought relates to different variables.
Moodboard: a visual composition that proposes to generate a “mood” or atmosphere that gives a generic perception of solutions to complex problems.
Interview preparation: To achieve a better interview we work on planning it as a group.
Interviews: It is important to take notes of the interview as it will be of great help to better understand the user.
Empathy map: It consists of organizing the data obtained in the interview and using it to generate greater empathy with the group.
SCAMPER: It serves to filter and obtain more and better ideas.
Toolkit: It can be used in any phase of the Design Thinking process since it consists of achieving an objective from a “kit” of certain tools that facilitate it.

DEFINE:

User profile: It is important to develop this profile based on everything studied, to take into account in the rest of the stages.
User interaction map: Here we will see how users connect in the use of a product or service in order to improve their final experience.
People: an archetype is created to plan different
HMW questions: are questions that begin with “How could we…?” and serve to generate ideas for possible solutions.
Insights: An insight is important information that is discovered and used to generate value.
Priority diagram: This tool is used to make decisions with a certain order.

DEVISE:

Group drawing: It serves so that the entire team can participate in the development of an idea.
Rough prototyping: The prototype of an idea is developed with any material, it proposes to materialize the idea by working as a team, to be able to define it in a clear and concise way.
Brainstorm: They are all those answers to the HMW questions. It is a stage in which quantity over quality is key.
Lego® Serious Play®: Its objective is to think with your hands, promoting greater creativity through play.
Co-creation: This tool integrates the user to develop new ideas.

PROTOTYPE:

Models: This tool is used to materialize possible solutions.
Storyboard or storyboard: Here those actions that the user must carry out when using the solution are graphically defined.
Reactivation activities: They are different activities or games that are put into practice to keep the team active.

TESTING / EVALUATION:

Storytelling: as a copywriter It does so from copywriting, a design thinker must learn to tell the story from its inception to prototyping in order to better connect with the audience.
Models: Once again we put into practice the materialization of the possible solution.
Role play: Each team member takes a role and a simulation is carried out in which they will put the prototype to use

To read in depth about the Design Thinking tools We recommend this article that develops it in more detail.

How to do Design Thinking?

To do Design Thinking you don't need to have a large company or large resources. You can apply it both to the creation of innovative businesses as well as the solution of personal problems and concerns. The fabulous thing about this methodology is that it has no limitations or preferences. Anyone can do it, regardless of the branch/industry/subject. doing your Design Thinking & Innovation course You will be able to understand what the path of innovation thinking is like to find new and different solutions to the problems that arise.

Best Design Thinking course in Madrid

Is there a Master of Design Thinking?

Are you interested in using creativity as a driver of change? Know how to lead teams with a creative and corporate vision? Are you interested in adapting efficiently to the context by managing the team's talent? If you are interested in this you have to know our Master in Innovation in Madrid. A 12-week bootcamp in which you will learn creative thinking methodologies to adapt to a world that is increasingly technological.

In Miami Ad School Madrid We are in contact with all the new trends that occur in the market and we are at the forefront with our courses, we have been the first to implement a Design Thinking course being pioneers in this matter. In our advanced course we have the best professionals in the sector who accompany students in the different phases of the Design Thinking process, teaching different techniques and tools. In it you will learn to develop creative ideas with a strategic vision thanks to innovative methods. In this design thinking and creativity and innovation course you will understand that creativity techniques are always linked to the innovation strategy.

A proposal is developed based on a real brief and presented to a real client, so our students carry out a real and practical 100% process. This entire path is guided by a tutor who supervises each of the stages. Without a doubt we are the best school to study Design Thinking in Madrid. And the important thing is that you don't have to be interested in the Creative Advertising or communication and marketing To take the course, you can be an engineer, architect, lawyer, teacher or whatever profession. It is a method that will work for everything regardless of the design.

What is Design Thinking training like?

We believe that Design Thinking training should be 100% face-to-face. A online Design Thinking course It would not allow most of the exercises that require the perception and experience of each person, and it is a process that is developed in constant interaction with people, whether group activities or with the user.

Design Thinking sessions and real cases

Examples of Design Thinking

One of the most famous real-life examples of success stories you will hear about Design Thinking is Airbnb. This was a startup that was on the verge of bankruptcy when one of its founders Joe Gebbia left computing and became interested in Design Thinking. Once they started applying this methodology in their company, they came to conclusions that took the user experience into account. Their first user-based measure was to change the stars to rate them for hearts, this increased their users by no more than 30%, coincidence? I don't believe it.

Creativity and business innovation: Design Thinking and Innovation projects at Miami Ad School

The digitalization process and the competitive environment in which we find ourselves has led companies to rethink their work dynamics, trying to generate synergy between innovation and design of ideas and technological tools (information management systems such as business intelligence or big data). ). This entire transformation process arises with the need for that differential proposal that improves the user experience: the central point in all business and technological innovation.

Here we can define two paths to study business innovation: the first is related to specific technological tools to manage information and the second consists of learning to manage change, whether cultural or technological, in a creative way.

At Miami Ad School we are committed to learning in a practical way, so we focus our courses on projects with real clients so that students have real-world experience. All our editions work with Sony Music, providing solutions to problems that arise for us as a company and brand. Each group presents its project to the client and the marketing director of Sony Music Entertainment is in charge of qualifying the result and deciding which of them to choose, with the possibility of carrying it out in reality.

Design Thinking and Innovation work in Spain and Europe

This methodology, which is increasingly requested in companies, is nothing more than a work methodology different from the rest. The application of Design Thinking to professional life It is a necessity that is increasingly requested in jobs. The truth is that at present there are certain areas that place more emphasis on this process, but it is a future trend that all businesses go down this path.

Do you have more questions about Design Thinking?

¡Contact us and we will tell you everything you want to know!