Design thinking is rooted in the practices of designers, this methodology has been widely adopted in business, education and other fields to tackle complex challenges and develop effective solutions. Rather than focusing solely on technology or profitability, design thinking places people—the end users—at the heart of the process.

The design thinking process typically unfolds in five key stages:

1. Empathise: This initial phase involves understanding the needs, experiences and motivations of users. Through interviews, observations and other research methods, designers seek to gain deep insights into the challenges faced by the people for whom they are designing.

2. Define: Here, findings from the empathy stage are synthesised to articulate a clear problem statement. This step ensures that the team is addressing the right issue, often reframing the problem from the user’s perspective.

3. Ideate: In this creative phase, participants brainstorm a wide range of potential solutions, encouraging free thinking and the exploration of unconventional ideas. The emphasis is on quantity and diversity rather than immediate feasibility.

4. Prototype: Selected ideas are turned into quick, tangible representations—such as sketches, models or digital mock-ups. Prototyping allows teams to explore how solutions might work in practice and to identify improvements early.

5. Test: Prototypes are shared with users for feedback. Testing reveals strengths and weaknesses, guiding further refinement. This iterative cycle helps designs evolve towards more effective and user-centred outcomes.

Design thinking’s collaborative nature brings together multidisciplinary teams, fostering shared understanding and collective innovation. By maintaining a relentless focus on empathy and iteration, the approach helps organisations respond to change, uncover new opportunities and create products, services or systems that genuinely meet people’s needs.