How creative methods can be used to shape an employee experience that promotes critical thinking, teamwork, and innovation.
By Lisa-Marie Anders
entry
Design thinking is considered THE tool for innovation and creativity – but why? The coronavirus crisis has made many companies realize what is actually meant by a “rapidly changing environment” and “constantly growing demands” to which organizations must be able to respond. The pandemic is certainly an extreme situation, but in terms of the world of work, it has intensified and accelerated changes that have been happening for years. Digital transformation is not a by-product of the pandemic, but rather represents profound technological, economic, and social developments on a global scale that not only influence social interaction and the way people live, but also fundamentally change the world of work. The current crisis has made this clearer than ever. The ability of companies to adapt to new and unpredictable situations is becoming a key success factor. This also puts greater focus on the people within the company.
The faster the corporate landscape and the explosion of knowledge change, the greater the demand will be for employees who can develop new ideas amid this chaos of open possibilities and who have the ability to act in a self-organized and creative manner (cf. Sauter et al. 2018). This requires new ways of working that give people in the company the flexibility to better cope with the unpredictability of a dynamic environment. Agile methods, such as design thinking, can help with this.
And this is exactly where you come in as an HR manager! Because the people in your company play a central role in your actions and work. Would you like to know how you, as an HR manager, can stimulate creativity in your teams? And how you can systematically generate new and better ideas that focus on people? Then find out more about the Design Thinking method and how it can be used in HR here.
What is Design Thinking (DT)?
“Design thinking is a systematic approach to complex problems in all areas of life,” according to the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) in Potsdam. The method is initially focused on customer needs and benefits, i.e., in this case, those of employees and managers. Only then are the feasibility and economic viability of a project considered (cf. Uebernickel et al. 2016). Design thinkers look at the problem through the eyes of the user and thus take on the role of the active user. The focus here is on constant feedback between the developer of a solution and its target group.
The process involves six key steps, which are not necessarily linear but rather run in loops (feedback) (see Figure 1).
Source: Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) 2021.
Source: Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) 2021.
The process phases in design thinking can be described as follows:
• Understanding: What is the problem? What is the background? Who is the target group?
• Observing: What are the needs and desires of the target group? What makes them tick?
• Defining a perspective: Defining a perspective. The insights gained previously are compiled and condensed.
• Finding ideas: The team first develops a variety of possible solutions and then narrows its focus.
• Develop prototypes: The ideas are made tangible and experiential in the form of initial prototypes.
• Test: The appropriate target groups test the prototypes in order to obtain short-term feedback on the solution approach.
Design thinking is largely characterized by a collaborative work and thinking culture. This is because the human-centered focus is not limited to empathy for the user who receives the developed product, but also applies to the design of the work process and environment for the team working on it.
This results in the following three core elements of design thinking:
• Multidisciplinary teams
• Variable spaces
• Design thinking process (HPI 2021).
Why use design thinking in HR?
Design thinking is used in a variety of ways in companies, organizations, and institutions. While some see the method primarily as an approach to developing innovative products and services, others use it mainly for cultural development, as a way of thinking and feeling when dealing with customers, their own products, or employees, or as a process for the strategic development of new business models. In short, design thinking is used wherever human problems, needs, and perspectives play a role.
Design thinking is not a panacea, but it can be an important building block for your HR work. Nevertheless, the approach has a proven impact on individuals and teams in your company. As a study by University of Virginia professor Jeanne Liedtka (2018) has shown, the application of design thinking strengthens trust building within teams and organizations.
The structured, simplifying approach also has an impact on the individual’s psychological sense of security, as the appreciation of all opinions, attitudes, and ideas helps the individual to cope with the cognitive complexity of everyday life.
Through its solution- and resource-oriented approach, the methodology helps to improve the quality and (self-)confidence of the individual. Individual team members experience a space to learn from and grow with each other. The approach can also help to manage conflicts. Design thinking also has an impact on reliability in team processes by ensuring that agreements are kept and the team supports each other. Clear rules and role allocations (time management, moderation, documentation, how and when to communicate) are particularly helpful in this regard.
The use of this method in HR has become established in recent years under the heading of Employee Experience Design (EXD). The basic idea behind the concept is that, as an HR manager, you can use the design thinking method to create a better employee experience. The method helps you systematically generate new and better ideas while understanding the needs of your (internal) customers, developing solutions based on this understanding, obtaining feedback at an early stage, and thus developing tools that address the problems and needs of your customers (users). By ensuring an improved employee experience as an HR manager, you strengthen employee loyalty to your company. In this way, you strengthen the structure of your organization from within.
What is important for establishing design thinking?
Various factors are important for establishing design thinking in a company. Jeanne Liedtka (2014) emphasizes above all the courage, openness, and willingness of the company’s management as a key factor. A shared value system as the basis for teamwork also plays an important role.
When selecting projects, there are a few key requirements for a successful design thinking process. The question is: What makes a good design thinking project?
Involves people,
Problem unclear, solution unclear; or:
Solution (seemingly) clear, but problem unclear,
Openness to discovery present,
Collaboration within the team possible.
Ultimately, it comes down to your courage to break new ground in HR work. Anyone who decides to take the plunge today and boldly use people-centered tools can only win.
Would you like advice and/or support on creative methods in an HR context? Then please feel free to contact us!
Tel. +49 531 180 59 300
E-Mail mailto:info@profilhochzwei.de
Hasso-Plattner-Institut (HPI) (2021): Was ist Design Thinking?
https://hpi-academy.de/design-thinking/was-ist-design-thinking.html
Sources:
Liedtka, J. (2018): Exploring the impact of Design Thinking in action. Darden Working Paper Series. University of Virginia, USA.
Uebernickel, F., Brenner, W., Naef, T., Pukall, B., & Schindlholzer, B. (2016): Design Thinking. The Handbook. Frankfurt: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Sauter, R., Sauter, W., & Wolfig, R. (2018): Agile values and competence development. Paths to a new world of work. Berlin: Springer Gabler.
