Notes on Design Thinking Processes: MIT, Stanford, and IBM

June 13, 2023

The following information comes from my personal / professional experience and research notes. The text is intended to help me, and anyone who comes across it, understand some of the complexities of design leadership and practice. A lot of this knowledge is widely available through experience and education, but this is an attempt to centralize and categorize it for easy reference. There are some key differences in the design thinking processes of Stanford and MIT. While both institutions are renowned for their contributions to design thinking, they approach the process with some variations. Let’s explore these differences: Emphasis on Empathy …

Notes on the Basics of Design Thinking

June 13, 2023

The following information comes from my personal / professional experience and research notes. The text is intended to help me, and anyone who comes across it, understand some of the complexities of design leadership and practice. A lot of this knowledge is widely available through experience and education, but this is an attempt to centralize and categorize it for easy reference. Design thinking is a powerful tool that transcends traditional problem-solving methods. It’s a framework, a creative process, and a collaborative approach that empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to discover innovative solutions. Embracing design thinking can be a game-changer for …

The Business of Gratitude

October 13, 2020

Gratitude creates a very human connection. It gives people a sense of purpose and accomplishment. This positive recognition increases loyalty, boosts performance and solidifies relationships. The simple act of saying thank you is so powerful. We intuitively understand this in our personal lives but all too often it is over …

Navigating Ambiguity

June 25, 2020

We are living in a difficult time, but ambiguity in business is nothing new. It is a constant in the creative process. Innovation requires covering new territory and breaking new ground. New ideas can take time to understand. Merriam Webster defines ambiguity as, “a word or expression that can be …

Want to come up with better ideas? Try brainstorming.

June 25, 2020

Brainstorming can be beneficial to people in any role. Everyone can use more ideas. Not just more, but better, more creative ideas. Alex F. Osborn originally coined the term brainstorming in his 1953 book Applied Imagination: Principles and Procedures of Creative Thinking. The concept has been around for a while …

Communication is Key to Success

June 4, 2020

Business communication is full of nuance. Attention to detail can make a big impact. Whether dealing with co-workers, clients or C-Level executives, you need to know your audience and speak their language. Sometimes it’s about delivery. Executive teams want concise, efficient delivery, with laser focus on business value and no …

The Importance of Feedback

May 19, 2020

Why is feedback important? Feedback is meant to produce the best possible outcome of a project or behavior. If you want your project to be successful, good feedback could lead to your team developing a winning solution. Or if you want a certain employee to deliver to their maximum potential, …

Time to Level Up

May 13, 2020

There is no time like the present to learn a new skill, or sharpen the ones you have. Resources are unlimited for people to level up. We have put together a small list that might help you make your game even stronger. Online courses, videos, podcasts and blogs. All the …

Basic Leadership

May 6, 2020

We all understand the importance of strong leadership. A strong leader can make or break an organization. Henry Ford built an empire on a new form of transportation. Steve Jobs led Apple from a garage in CA, to being one of the biggest names in tech. Things we use and …

Tap Into Your Creativity

April 29, 2020

How to Tap Into Your Creativity Creative problem solving is useful to everyone. It’s a top skill business leaders look for. In a time of crisis creativity will make all the difference. But unfortunately people don’t always feel that they are creative. As children we are all creative. We are …