siliconindia | | September 20199Most entrepreneurs take this too seri-ously, but often forget to give thought to the actual product design. Innova-tion matters, but unless it aligns with the customer's core requirements, the chances of a product taking-off are slim. The first step of the design thinking process is to understand and empathize with the end user. Put yourself in their shoes and see the dif-ference in thought processes it brings about. What are the consumer needs that this product wants to address? What impact does it aim to drive in the larger scheme of things? How many steps/processes will it take to achieve the end goal? Digging deep with these questions will bring you a set of concrete insights. Can the product go beyond its originator?Vision is a powerful thing. The last decade especially has seen quite a surge in design first products and enterprises that have left their mark behind. This is true across industries. We have an Airbnb who revolution-ized hospitality with photographs, a Nike who set serious standards for fashion in footwear, and an Uber who not only transformed local travel, but also the future of food delivery - all on the back of design thinking. And of course, who can forget the most admired company in the world - Ap-ple. It continues to thrive, even in the looming absence of Steve Jobs, thus answering the question asked above. Use design thinking not only to better organizational processes, but envi-sion a legacy that outlasts you. Is creativity enough?This one does have a clear answer, and that answer is no. As much as we harp on about thinking outside the box, it's the ideas inside the box that are more meritorious. Creativity and innovation won't sustain a prod-uct or service in the lack of foresight. Often, design leaders are the first to jump on the creative bandwagon, but forget how hard it is to execute the promised ideas. Ideating is easy; the difficult bit starts when tactics come into the picture. The first step should always be cracking the right oppor-tunity, even if it's something small, and deriving the simplest solution for the problem. It's often these simple solutions that create the largest im-pact. How you scale-up this solution is where you need to get innovative. That's much more fruitful!Can a partner make my life easier?Great ideas do not guarantee success. Disruptions are made of deft techno-logical implementations backed by intelligent investments and capital spends. Without the bridge between these two, no matter how great the idea is, it'll backfire. Leaders need to keep in mind that at the end of the day, they're running a business, and there are bills to pay. You may be a very capable design leader, but do you understand the financial metrics of your organization? Do you know what kind of tech upliftment the en-terprise needs? It's better to have strong partner ecosystems in place, because a jack of all trades can only achieve short term goals. For long term sustainability, a shared respon-sibility approach yields better results than one person or team trying to ac-complish everything. Cross-skilled teams are no less than a boon! Entrepreneurial designers and business leaders need to speak the lan-guage of business if they want to re-main in the game. Otherwise, they'll be swept away in no time. All in all, when looking at a design thinking led enterprise, collaboration is key. De-sign leaders also need to facilitate in-dependent teams that don't just make cool objects, but take responsibility for an environment wherein they can thrive. And while this will take time to build, the end result will most defi-nitely be worth it! For long term sustainability, a shared responsibility approach yields better results than one person or team trying to accomplish everythingAnupam Kulkarni, Co-Founder & Director - Sales, Marketing & Strategy
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