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How to think like a designer and be morecreative (even if you hate design).

Design thinking can teach anyone to be creative in a few easy steps. It’s

a simple process with amazing potential for anyone willing to learn.

David Gonyo Follow

May 15, 2017 · 5 min read

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12/4/2018 How to think like a designer and be more creative (even if you hate design).

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“Think left and think right and think low and think

high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try”

— Dr. Seuss

Creativity is a process and great ideas do not fall from the sky. They

develop over time. Learn to fail fast and discover what is possible once

you get past your comfort zone.

How to boost creativity.It doesn’t matter if you are a designer, a programmer, or a project

manager, your creativity can �zzle out at any moment. How often have

you found yourself in situations at work where you needed to solve a

problem or present something to a client and your mind goes blank?

It’s like all your good ideas have gone on vacation and you’re left at

your desk trying to scrape something together.

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Many people believe that creativity �ows in and out. Sometimes you

have it, sometimes you don’t. It’s up to the gods to bless you with

inspiration or to punish you with a blank mind.

If you read articles regularly on Medium then you may have seen the

phrase “design thinking” thrown around.

What is design thinking and how can ithelp you be more creative?Design thinking is a process used by designers for solving complex

problems with creative solutions. It serves as a recipe for whipping up a

batch of creativity whenever you are hungry for some fresh ideas.

Designers use this process to streamline their ideas and create

innovative solutions.

12/4/2018 How to think like a designer and be more creative (even if you hate design).

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I know what you may be thinking, “Creativity can’t be planned. It needs

to happen naturally.”

This is a valid point and it’s worth discussing. Imagine for a moment

that things are not always as they seem…

Traditionally, we think of creativity in terms of identity.

That person is creative.

or

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This person is analytical.

We identify people as being certain “types.” Of course, some people are

naturally more creative than others. But creativity can manifest itself in

many ways.

Programmers often come up with innovative code to solve a

UI/UX problem.

Designers create new page layouts to make websites more

intuitive.

Project managers come up with creative ways of keeping everyone

on time and on budget.

For those of us who are not naturally �owing with creativity, there is

still hope. We can use design thinking to develop a creative mindset.

1.

2.

3.

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We can model creative people and learn how they think and behave to

improve our own creativity.

Below are some easy to follow steps to help anyone become more

creative. Next time you are stuck on a problem at work, try using the

principles of design thinking to boost your creativity.

With practice, you will naturally begin to see solutions and fresh ideas

when you look at a problem. This is a way of conditioning your creative

mind to get in shape. It’s like pushups for your imagination.

Follow this simple process to be morecreative and think like a designer.

Phase 1 — Empathize and Gather

In Phase 1, the goal is to understand the problem you are solving.

Embrace an empathetic mindset and immerse yourself in the process.

Try to avoid looking at the problem externally. Gain a deep and

personal understanding of the challenges and what it’s like to feel their

e�ects.

Phase 2 — De�ne The Landscape

In Phase 2, get a clear picture of the challenges from the end-user’s

perspective, not the provider. Look for patterns and themes. Challenge

the common ways of thinking and don’t assume anything.

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like.

Design is how it works.”– Steve Jobs

Phase 3 — Ideation

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In Phase 3, explore possibilities and let your creativity run wild.

Exhaust your ideas. Allow yourself to think outside the box and push

beyond the obvious solutions.

Some ideation techniques might include brainstorming or sketching

ideas on paper. The goal is to encourage creativity and freethinking to

promote solving problems in unique ways.

Phase 4 — Rapid Prototyping

Create several simple versions of your solution. Allow people outside

the process to test them and give you feedback. The idea is to fail fast

and adjust until you get it right. This will help you �esh out ideas and

see how they work in reality so you can make your solutions better.

Phase 5 — Test & Deliver

Test a �nished product made up of the results of Phase 4. You may

discover new ideas that you couldn’t see before. These ideas can help

train users or can be saved for a new release in the future.

What happens next?Design thinking is an ongoing process. Give your solution some time to

operate in the real world and pay attention to how people use it. See

what works and what you might have missed along the way. This never-

ending cycle of feedback can lead to amazing innovations.

“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is

the task of the sculptor to discover it.” –

Michelangelo

. . .

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