The Dual Drivers in Intuitive Design Thinking: Myself and Making

Abstract

ackground Design thinking is a problem-solving process, currently being used outside of the design domain in workshop format by companies around the world. Although both intuition and making are considered a crucial part in design thinking, little empirical research explores the possibility for making to enhance the application of intuition. In this study, we investigate the role and use of intuition and making in design thinking.

Methods In a controlled, comparative approach, teams participated in guided design thinking workshops. The teams explored a design problem, outlined pain points, and proposed a solution at the end of the workshop. Using independent measures, a control group in the non-making condition followed the traditional design thinking workshop approach, while in a making condition, a making activity was introduced at the start of the workshop using the Lego Serious Play © methodology replacing a graphing activity during the empathy stage, with the rest of the workshop following the traditional design thinking methodology. All workshops were video recorded. An analysis of the recordings was conducted, with time participants engaged making timestamped and compiled. The decisions of each participant were counted and sorted into three types: low, medium, and high-level decisions. High level decisions were used as evidence of the application of intuition.

Results The making activity at the start of the workshop increased the number of high-level decisions in comparison to the non-making condition. The use of Lego in the making condition not only increased the time the participants made but showed that both making and decisions were increasingly distributed across the design thinking workshop. Each participant had a predisposition for the use of their intuition, and by using the Myers Briggs type indicator, intuitive participants were found to have increased high-level decisions.

Conclusions The application of intuitive judgment during design thinking workshops depends upon the individual’s predisposition to use their own intuitions. Opportunity to engage in the making activity also acts as a catalyst for enhancing the use of intuition. To encourage participants of the design thinking workshop to employ their expertise, we suggest making as a driver for experience-based intuitive judgment. For those less inclined to apply intuition, making acts as stimulation. For more intuitive participants, making can enhance their use of intuition.