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How to Use Design Thinking to Solve Problems That Require Diversity

Embracing diversity and inclusion has become more important for businesses today than ever. Businesses need to ensure that their services and products correspond to the needs of all customers and not a select few. The steps of the Design Thinking process help solve Problems that require Addressing Diversity by focusing on areas such as empathy, creativity, and collaboration.


In this blog, we will talk about how Design Thinking principles help businesses build solutions to problems that require addressing diversity. We will also discuss why, as a business organization, you need to take the perspective of the many when designing your products or services.


Recap: Problems that Need Insights, Innovation, and Change

Before diving further into Problems that require Addressing Diversity, let’s briefly recall some of the other kinds of problems Design Thinking can help solve:


Problems that Require Insights

These are challenges where businesses need to gather in-depth knowledge about customers, their behaviors, and their pain points before developing solutions. 


For example, if a company's sales decline, it might not be about the product anymore but the way people feel about it. Steps like interviewing users and empathizing with their experiences can help businesses gain the insights to reveal exactly what the problem is.


Problems That Require Innovation

These problems need new, creative approaches, where existing solutions are not enough. Businesses must think outside the box to develop fresh ideas. These problems call for innovation when solutions just do not cut, usually in response to changing markets or competition.


For instance, a taxi company may realize that it needs to do more than simply add more taxis in this age of rideshare applications. It could utilize the process of Design Thinking–such as brainstorming and quick prototyping–to come up with new services. This can be in the form of a smartphone application for easier on-demand access or subscriptions for frequent riders--something more in line with the expectations of those who make use of their services regularly.


Problems That Trigger Change

These challenges force organizations to change their strategies, products, or services to adapt to new market realities or customer expectations. These problems typically come from fundamental disruptions or inefficiencies.


For example, the brick-and-mortar business model of a retail firm may need to be altered into an e-commerce business model because the customers' behavior has changed. Through Design Thinking, they incrementally adapt, prototyping a new online shopping experience, testing it with users, and iteration based on the feedback received. It enables a company to adopt the change needed while still keeping in touch with the needs of the customer.


Let's consider yet another category of problems that Design Thinking can help solve: Problems that require Addressing Diversity.


What are the Problems that require Addressing Diversity?

Problems that require Addressing Diversity are those problems for which businesses have to take into account the varying backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of users. This subtype of problems occurs when a product or service unintentionally excludes a particular group of people or when the workplace is not inclusive.


For example, a technology firm might discover that an application they developed is not accessible by people who have disabilities or that the marketing strategy devised for the application is not inclusive to diverse communities.


To resolve these problems, a business needs to be sure that the solutions developed by them can meet the needs of all customers of varying backgrounds and groups.


Why is addressing diversity important for Design Thinking?

The principles of design thinking focus on empathy, creativity, and collaboration. Addressing diversity is important because it ensures that businesses bring solutions that actually work for everyone rather than just a specific group of people.


Here's why addressing diversity makes a difference in the Design Thinking process steps:


  • Empathy: Design Thinking's first step is to understand the needs of the users. Including diverse voices in business would make them understand better what the problems are within that group.

  • Innovation: Diversity brings new perspectives and ideas, thus generally evoking more creative and innovative solutions.

  • Solutions for the Better: When businesses consider different perspectives, they create solutions that are more inclusive, accessible, and more effective for a larger audience.


Problems that require Addressing Diversity in Design Thinking

Examples of Problems that Require Addressing Diversity

Here are some examples of problems that require some form of addressing diversity:


  • Product Design: One may find that a specific product design cannot be used conveniently by a person with a disability.

  • Workplace Inclusion: One might find that one's work culture cannot easily include other people from different backgrounds, which makes those employees feel undervalued.

  • Marketing Campaigns: The message of a marketing campaign may have a lack of representation that unintentionally excludes certain groups or cultures.


All these call for businesses to rethink their approach and apply principles from Design Thinking to make their solutions more inclusive.


Example: Solving Problems that require Addressing Diversity with Design Thinking

Assume a grocery store wants to provide easier shopping for customers with disabilities. This is how the steps in the Design Thinking process can help this local grocery shop address the problem of diversity as follows:


Step 1: Empathize

The shop talks to its customers who are disabled to learn what the major problems are. The answer that is the most common is that the aisles are difficult to navigate and the products on high shelves are hard to access.


Step 2: Define The Problem

The store defines the problem as: "How can we make shopping easier and more accessible for customers with disabilities?"


Step 3: Ideation

The group brainstorms some solutions to the problem. This can be making aisles wider, expansion of the store with low shelves, or offering personal shopping assistance.


Step 4: Prototyping

The store then creates very simple prototypes using ways like rearranging one aisle with low shelves and testing the personal shopping service.


Step 5: Test

They hold customer trials for such concepts and obtain feedback. Customers love the personal shopping service, but explain that more aisles must be rearranged so they come directly to them rather than walking all around the shop to get to them.


From these Design Thinking steps, the grocery store is able to create a more inclusive shopping experience for all of its customers.


Ready to Utilize Design Thinking to Solve Problems that require Addressing Diversity?

The steps of the Design Thinking process are effective solutions for solving diversity-related problems as they enable empathizing with diverse users, brainstorming creative solutions, and testing in real-world settings. 


Through Design Thinking, businesses can, therefore, develop products and services that are more inclusive for everybody.


Book a discovery call to explore how we can help you or your team become more innovative.

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