New Applications

Over the decades that design thinking has existed as a practice for solving problems, the problems it's best suited to tackle have changed. The approach remains as potent as ever, even as the planet and society face daunting challenges—shifting political structures, climate change, the rise of automation, the transformation of social welfare systems, and widening education gaps. The reason design thinking consistently proves itself as a route to solving tough problems is that it always—no matter the scale of the problem—keeps humans at the center. Often we are designing for large systems—businesses, public institutions, healthcare providers, or educational institutions—but the voices and needs of the individuals within those systems are what guide our process and shape the outcome. By approaching our work this way, we develop solutions that are deeply impactful and long-lasting. They belong to the people for whom they were designed.