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Design thinking

A process for innovation

A customer-centric development process

Design Thinking is a customer-centric development process that creates desirable products that are profitable and sustainable over their lifecycle.

It starts with understanding the problem by engaging in a research to identify unmet needs. This creates in turn fresh perspectives that drive innovation. Unlike research that confirms or refutes a hypothesis, the inquiries occur without preconceived notions about how users should work. Instead, it focuses on how users do work. 

Design thinking covers both divergent and convergent thinking. Divergent thinking is achieved by a group of diverse people brainstorming and thinking outside the box. Convergent thinking, on the other hand, aims for focusing on the different proposals to select the best choice.

Empathy

Empathy is key here as it dismisses preconceived ideas and uses the customer’s perspective in the development of new solutions. Empathy is the ability to recognize, understand, and share the thoughts and feelings of another person. Developing empathy is crucial and involves experiencing another person’s point of view, rather than just one’s own, and enables finding solutions that come from within, rather than being forced. Avoiding any preconceived idea is a way of thinking out of the box. Still, most people are likely to feel greater empathy for people like themselves. In fact, diversity is as crucial as empathy.

Out of the box

Did you know that Askja is an active volcano situated in a remote part of the central highlands of Iceland. Askja in Icelandic translates into "box" (or "boite" in french). Given that volcanoes are formed at divergent boundaries of Earth's tectonic plates, the superposition of both forms as shown in the figure here below (a volcano and a box) creates a strong icon standing for the emergence of innovation. 

Askja succeeds in innovation by working together with others, by fostering collaboration, empathy and diversity and by building trust. We design and deliver the right solution that creates value and that our customers view as desirable. 

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