[compare]

Was really hard to figure out what in that article has anything to do with "design". If anyone is as confused as I was, it seems that "design thinking" is something totally different:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_thinking

and I'm not too sure what that phrase really means either.

[GFischer]

I attended a workshop on Design Thinking, the tl;dr version is here (a PDF which I recommend especially for startups):

http://dschool.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Bootc...

even better, try to get into the Stanford course (they give open, 4-hour workshops, the last one was full)

http://dschool.stanford.edu/

Edit: they also have a virtual "crash-course":

http://dschool.stanford.edu/dgift/

I was shown some of the materials students made (in full Stanford courses, not in the 4-hour introductory workshop :) ), and they were amazing.

I observed that one thing Americans have over students in my home country/culture is, they're way more likely to learn how to make awesome presentations :) .

[pitchups]

From the Wikipedia article:

"This approach differs from the scientific method, which begins with thoroughly defining all the parameters of the problem in order to create a solution. Design thinking starts without preconceived problem definitions and solutions, in order to discover hidden parameters and alternate optimized paths to the goal."

Airbnb experimented with a different approach by going out and taking better pictures themselves, rather than the using the preconceived notion that startups should never do things that do not scale.

[idlewords]

That doesn't sound like any scientific method I know.

[andyidsinga]

was thinking the same thing ..how about a hypothesis and an experiment to test it :)

it seems to me design and scientific method need not be separate at all... i worked with some good designers at ziba on my last project and they were effectively following a scientific method - hypothesis for design, rapid implementation, then testing with users, observe and repeat. ( was fun too )

[tensor]

Design Thinking is the new MBA, but coming from a design background. I'm not that fond of it since I just call it "good business brainstorming" or "good problem solving."