Design Thinking Project Planner

This template will guide you through each step of the Design Thinking framework to help you apply it to your own projects.

The Design Thinking Project Planner is a comprehensive tool designed to facilitate a structured yet flexible approach to problem-solving. Whether you are working with a team or on an individual project, this Miro board is tailored to help you navigate through the key stages of Design Thinking, ensuring you can effectively identify, understand, and solve complex problems.

Step 1: What problem are we solving?The first step in our Design Thinking journey is identifying the problem. Here, you will define the personal or organizational challenge you aim to address. This stage involves articulating a clear problem statement and generating a broad "How Might We" (HMW) question. This question serves as a guiding light, encouraging creative and open-ended thinking about possible solutions. For example, "How might we improve customer satisfaction with our delivery process?"

Step 2: How can we learn about the problem?With the problem identified, the next step is to gain a deeper understanding of it. This section is designed to help you think about who to talk to and what to ask them. You'll list key stakeholders and formulate questions to gather valuable insights. For instance, if the problem is about late deliveries, you might speak to customers, delivery staff, and logistics managers, asking questions like, "What challenges do you face with the current delivery process?" and "How do delays affect your overall experience?"

Step 3: What have we learned about the problem?After collecting information, it’s crucial to synthesize your findings. This step provides spaces for taking notes, reflecting on what you’ve learned, and refining your initial HMW questions. By organizing your insights, you can identify patterns and key themes that will inform the next phases of your project. For example, you might discover that most delays occur during peak hours due to traffic congestion.

Step 4: What solutions might exist for this problem?With a clear understanding of the problem, you can now brainstorm potential solutions. This step encourages divergent thinking, where quantity is valued over quality, and all ideas are welcomed. You'll use a large area on the board to capture every possible solution, no matter how outlandish it may seem. Techniques such as mind mapping or sticky notes can help visualize connections between ideas. For example, solutions for improving delivery times might include optimizing routes, using real-time traffic data, or offering incentives for early deliveries.

Step 5: What can we prototype?Prototyping is about turning ideas into tangible solutions. This step involves deciding what aspects of your solution to prototype and how to do it. You might create a simple version of an order tracking system, develop a notification system for delays, or design a feedback form for customer opinions. Prototyping allows you to test and refine your ideas before fully implementing them.

Step 6: Who do we need to test on?Testing your prototypes is essential to validate your solutions. This step helps you plan test sessions, identifying who will try out your prototypes and what you want to learn from them. You'll create a list of testers, such as customers who frequently experience late deliveries, and develop questions to ask them, like, "Did the new tracking system improve your experience?" and "Were the notifications helpful in keeping you informed?"

Step 6.1: What did we learn?The final step involves reflecting on the feedback from your test sessions and planning your next steps. This space allows you to summarize what worked, what didn’t, and how you can improve your solutions. By iterating based on real-world feedback, you ensure that your final implementation is well-informed and effective.

Overall, the Design Thinking Project Planner from On-Off Group is a powerful tool that guides you through a human-centered approach to innovation. It helps you systematically tackle problems, gather insights, brainstorm solutions, and refine your ideas through prototyping and testing. With this template, you can confidently apply the Design Thinking framework to any project, driving meaningful and impactful results.