Hello folks. Hope you are doing well so far in this COVID-19 period.
As I follow what is happening in and around the world, I want to stick in this blog to Design Thinking in Government. Especially that Caribbean Leaders need more Design Thinking in Government to succeed more.
I am design and created by mother nature. Everything is designed. Design is not only just what it will looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. Everywhere you can use design thinking. Yes even my car insurance company uses design.
Design Thinking is nothing more then a user-centered (people centered) approach to problem solving.
Actually in my own opinion Design Thinking is less about thinking, but more about doing. You just start from what people, users, customers, consumers etc. need or want to do.
In this case EMPATHY is the key. It is not about you. You need the ability to understand and share the feelings of others a very good way.
Design Thinking stimulates you to look at situations differently and come up with new effective solutions that go beyond and improve existing alternatives.
Integrative thinking is key. You need the ability to look at the different aspects of a problem.
Stop discussing start working. Make ideas tangible. Prototyping is thinking with your hands. Test your hypnotises. I do hope you can follow me so far.
In daily life, we experience how leaders are struggling to succeed. The road to success does not follow a straight line. The more you are able to loop through (understand, create, learn), the higher the chance you have for good results.
When things aren’t running your way, this is the frustrating whirlwind ride we all go on. Disagreements between people and parties keep us from making any stable form of progress. They happen very often, and we are so uncompromising that Government Shutdown might as well be considered a trend.
I my humble opinion politicians live in a bubble, where they shut themselves in a cave for a period of time only to emerge gloriously with ludicrously lengthy bills, preaching their so called glory as if they reached their solution by grace and wisdom of God. Furthermore they simply pass what they think they should pass; sometimes they pass what has an earmark with their name on it. And if or when things fail, they repeal the entirety of it, and try again.
In order for Government especially in the Caribbean region to better serve their people, their process should be user-centered9 people centered). Yes clear by the people, for the people.
Leaders need to thoroughly research the problems themselves. Who are the people most affected by the problem. What is the problem, really! How does it impact the people and how can we try to solve it, and never taking biased view from the perspective of special interest groups or corporate entities that seek financial or regulatory gain. Once we identify a problem and hypothesis, we test, Test and iterate.
The easiest way for us to start is to iterate upon that which already exists. The best solutions come with research and iteration. And the iterations must be watched with a sharp, keen eye, as to identify problems the instant they become visible, so as to buffer any major impact they may create down to road.
For myself, I work within the realm of user- centered design and its benefits are very familiar to me. Design Thinking is a scientific, human-centered, and empathetic process that yields the best designed solutions. It gets us together in to a platform of understanding the people and their problems; with firm understanding and empathy, along with daily continuous innovation, we can create the best solutions.
With this blog I hope that more people can and will agree that regardless of political party of stance, a government educated and practicing design thinking methodologies will help us all to establish/create a more perfect running country, community, union etc.
Design Thinking is not always the answer to every single problem. Keep that in mind.
For some questions you will need rational thinking, spreadsheets, presentations and even more women and men in suits to come to a valid answer. If you as a leader want to become more effective train yourself in Design Thinking.
I am leaving you with the following words : Empathise, Observe, Engage, Watch and Listen….
