Subject 501: Design Thinking

What is the central principle of Design Thinking?

Understand before you solve.

What are the five major stages (in order) presented in the Design Thinking framework?

Understand → Focus → Imagine → Make → Learn.

What is the main purpose of the UNDERSTAND stage?

To determine what is happening by learning about people and the problem.

What is the main purpose of the FOCUS stage?

To determine what problem matters and choose what to work on.

What is the main purpose of the IMAGINE stage?

To explore what could be tried and generate possible ideas.

What is the main purpose of the MAKE stage?

To make an idea visible so people can react to it.

What is the main purpose of the LEARN stage?

To understand what happens when people try the idea and use the learning to improve.

What are the three habits emphasized for Design Thinking?

People before solutions; Don't assume, find out; Make, learn, improve.

Why should teams improve the process before adding technology?

Because technology applied to a poor process does not automatically create a better process.

Who can be considered a user in a DBP process?

The client/borrower, Account Officer or client-facing staff, processing/evaluation staff, or reviewer/decision-maker.

What is the difference between a user's goal and the process they follow?

The process is how they get there; the outcome is why they are there.

What is an example of a true user need for a borrower?

Understanding which financing option fits the project and what must be prepared to submit a complete application.

What are the three ways of looking beyond what people say?

Ask, Observe, and Understand.

What does ASK focus on?

What happened according to the person's story.

What does OBSERVE focus on?

What people actually do.

What does UNDERSTAND focus on?

What is happening around the person, including context.

What are the four questions to keep asking when understanding a user?

Who? Goal? Today? Friction?

What does "Who?" ask in user research?

Who experiences the issue?

What does "Goal?" ask in user research?

What the person is trying to accomplish.

What does "Today?" ask in user research?

How the process works today.

What does "Friction?" ask in user research?

What makes the experience harder than it needs to be.

What is the difference between evidence, interpretation, assumption, and solution?

Evidence is what is observed or supported; interpretation is what it may mean; assumption is what is believed without sufficient confirmation; solution is a proposed response.

What is the key principle regarding evidence and assumptions?

Evidence ≠ Interpretation ≠ Assumption ≠ Solution.

What belongs under "WE KNOW"?

Information supported by evidence.

What belongs under "WE THINK"?

An interpretation or assumption that has not necessarily been confirmed.

What belongs under "WE NEED TO LEARN"?

Questions that still need to be answered or verified.

What is the purpose of an Evidence Hunt?

To find signals of where clients or staff may be experiencing difficulty without deciding on the problem or solution yet.

What is the difference between the client's journey and the organization's functions?

The client experiences one journey, while the organization may see multiple internal functions.

What should a process map show: the ideal procedure or what actually happens?

What actually happens in practice.

What is the difference between procedure and practice?

Procedure is what is supposed to happen; practice is what actually happens.

What should a process map start and end with?

The client's goal.

What is friction?

A point in the process that creates unnecessary effort, delay, confusion, or rework.

What are common signs of friction?

Waiting, confusion, repetition, rework, difficult handoffs, and unclear next steps.

Is friction the same as a necessary control?

No. A necessary control can still be well designed, while friction refers to unnecessary difficulty.

Why is friction not necessarily the root cause?

Friction identifies where the problem appears, but not necessarily why it happens.

What question should be asked after identifying a possible cause?

"How do we know?"

What is the difference between a cause and a constraint?

A cause contributes to friction; a constraint is something the team genuinely has to work within.

What are the three categories for classifying knowledge about a cause?

Evidence, Hypothesis, and Unknown.

What four criteria are used to decide which problem to focus on?

Evidence, Impact, Reach, and Influence.

What does IMPACT mean when prioritizing a problem?

How much the issue affects the client's ability to reach their goal.

What does REACH mean when prioritizing a problem?

How often or how widely the problem occurs.

What does INFLUENCE mean when prioritizing a problem?

Whether DBP can realistically do something about the problem.

What is the main principle when choosing a problem to address?

Prioritize the problem, not the solution.

What makes a well-framed problem statement?

It identifies the person, goal, challenge, and evidence without deciding on a solution.

What is the basic structure of a problem statement?

[WHO] needs a better way to [GOAL] because [CHALLENGE].

What is a solution disguised as a problem?

A statement that has already decided what solution should be built, such as "DBP needs an online loan tracking system."

What is a genuine problem statement?

A statement describing what the person needs to improve without prescribing a specific solution.

What is a How Might We (HMW) question?

An open question that turns a problem into an opportunity to explore multiple possible ideas.

What do HOW, MIGHT, and WE signify in an HMW question?

HOW assumes there are ways to explore; MIGHT permits experimentation; WE emphasizes collaboration.

What is the difference between a problem statement and an HMW question?

The problem gives focus, while the HMW question opens possibilities.

What are the three levels of HMW framing?

Too broad, too narrow, and just enough.

What makes an HMW question "just enough"?

It is focused on the problem while remaining open to different answers.