Leverage Your Toolbox

People often asked me about the reasons for learning Design Thinking as a methodology to solve problems. What about the Lean Methodology, Fishbone Diagram, Mindmaps, Creative Thinking, Agile Methodology, Lean Start-up, and many more tools and techniques that they have learned? Are they supposed to replace problem-solving methods with Design Thinking? When do they apply Design Thinking?

I am thankful that I have learned a lot of methods, tools, and techniques during my early years of consulting. After all, Arthur Andersen took a lot of pride in training their people in St. Charles, USA. Those were the times that I have numerous great experience learning in St. Charles in the 1990s.

On reflection, I could see how I use all my past learnings when I apply Design Thinking as the approach to solving problems. After learning Design Thinking, it does not mean that I have to discard other problem-solving methods. Design Thinking provides me with a structured process allowing me to apply the various tools and techniques in solving complex problems.

I would say that I have accumulated a lot of valuable assets of methods, tools, and techniques in my toolbox that I can use appropriately in various circumstances. I continue to learn to refresh and enhance my knowledge. In many instances, I can pivot and adjust many specific tools and techniques for application in diagnosing problems and then generating creative solutions.

I encourage all to be confident in identifying and adapting your skills and toolsets in producing creative solutions to complex problems. Of course, be bold to leverage exponential technologies to generate exponential solutions (use ExO model).