The Role of Design Thinking in Organizing and Mapping Ideas for Decision Making

In 2016, through two friends who were starting a Service Design agency (Fabrício Gimenez and Fernando Vidal at WHF), I had my first contact with the Design Thinking model and was absolutely fascinated by how this method presented a powerful approach to solving complex problems and driving innovation in various areas, from business to product and service design.

Over the years and after several sessions, numerous projects using this methodology, I realize that one of its most impactful applications is in decision-making, where it offers tools and methods for mapping and organizing ideas, enabling a deeper and more effective analysis of the available options.

In this text, I would like to explore how Design Thinking can be used to facilitate this process and promote more informed and efficient decisions, bringing insights for you to start applying this method in your daily life.

Understanding Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a human-centered approach that seeks to deeply understand the needs, challenges, and contexts of the people for whom the solution is intended. It values multidisciplinary collaboration, experimentation, and constant iteration, focusing on creating innovative and user-centered solutions. The Design Thinking process is generally divided into stages such as empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing, which are iterative and may overlap. I always remember an author who says, "If you understand people, you understand business."

Mapping Ideas in Design Thinking

One of the fundamental stages of Design Thinking is ideation, where various alternatives are generated to solve a specific problem. During this process, it is common to deal with a large volume of ideas, which can vary in terms of feasibility, impact, and complexity. Idea mapping emerges as an essential tool for organizing and visualizing this set of information, making it easier to analyze and select the best options.

There are several techniques and tools that can be used to map ideas in the context of Design Thinking. Some examples include:

1. Mind Maps: A visual representation of connections between ideas, allowing concepts to be organized hierarchically and exploring different paths of thought.
   

2. CSD Matrix: A matrix that classifies ideas based on criteria such as cost, simplicity, and impact, facilitating comparison and prioritization of options.
   

3. Structured Brainstorming: A technique that combines free thinking with specific direction, allowing ideas to be generated collaboratively and organizedly.
   

4. Storyboards: A visual narrative that describes an idea or concept sequentially, helping to visualize how the solution would unfold in practice.
   

My experience shows that regardless of the format, the most important thing is to be able to create a clear vision structure of the problem at this moment and consolidate in a sentence what you are looking for, a solution. I reinforce the importance of writing this down, as this sentence will be useful throughout the journey.

Benefits of Idea Mapping

Idea mapping offers several benefits to the decision-making process, including:

• Clarity and Organization: By visualizing ideas in a structured way, it becomes easier to understand the available options and identify relationships between them.
  

• Facilitation of Analysis: By grouping and categorizing ideas, it is possible to perform a more systematic and thorough analysis, considering different perspectives and evaluation criteria.
  

• Efficient Prioritization: By classifying ideas based on specific criteria, it is possible to identify those with the highest potential for success and prioritize them for implementation.
  

• Stimulus to Creativity: The process of mapping ideas can stimulate the generation of new insights and concepts, fostering innovation and creative problem-solving. At this point, it's incredible what a multidisciplinary team can do.
  

There are several frameworks that can be applied to model the solution. One in particular that I always like to use and that works for people to understand the context of the session is the "How to make a toast" model, which you can watch at this link. This model will certainly help create the procedural flow of the problem.

A second framework is what I learned to call "How we could" is also a powerful ally, because when we look at the problem and start thinking about how we (together) could solve situation A or B, we certainly put ourselves closer to making the best decision.

In short, Design Thinking offers a powerful approach to organizing and mapping ideas during the decision-making process. By using mapping tools and techniques, it is possible to visualize the available options, analyze their characteristics, and make more informed and effective decisions. By integrating Design Thinking into management practices and problem-solving, organizations can promote innovation and achieve better results in their projects and initiatives.

Tips and Insights:

Below, I'll list some learnings that I believe to be useful:

Choose the team carefully and seek a multidisciplinary approach for the Design Thinking session. Consider involving different areas including Finance, Marketing, Customer Experience, Sales, HR. It's amazing how this mix brings results and helps create "ambassadors."

If you're doing it in person, eliminate distractions (like phones and computers). Make abundant use of notes, whether on cardboards or boards. Record everything.

If it's online, set aside time to learn the Miro tool. You'll see how amazing the results of this tool can be in team interaction.

Without leadership involvement, nothing will come off the ground. Avoid keeping the decision-maker in the process as a whole. They are important at the beginning (to set the tone and necessity) and will be important at the end in validating the decision. Keeping the decision-maker full-time in the session can limit people from contributing or only saying what leadership wants to hear.

After the decision is made, establish a short-term indicator; achieving this goal will be important for team engagement. If the process or project is complex, establish squads of up to four people and break down deliveries. This method will also help when cooperation between areas is necessary.