Design thinking offers a problem-solving approach widely adopted by the most innovative companies and organizations - but how do we truly measure its impact? Professor Jeanne Liedtka of the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business reports on the results of research conducted at UVA over the past 6 years of over 30 organizations using design thinking in practice. This presentation shared during a MURAL webinar hosted by Jeanne Liedtka on 12/24/18.

1. EVALUATING THE IMPACT
OF DESIGN THINKING IN ACTION
Jeanne Liedtka
University of Virginia
Darden School of Business
Charlottesville, VA 22903
JML3S@virginia.edu
Please do not distribute without permission from author.
(Happy to discuss your proposed use via email)
Copyright Jeanne Liedtka 2018

2. Why Design Thinking?
RESEARCH ON OUTCOMES
Jeanne Liedtka
UVA Darden Business School
January, 2018

3. RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1. Is there a there there? (a.k.a. construct validity)

4. RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1. Is there a there there? (a.k.a. construct validity)
2. Does it matter to performance?

5. RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1. Is there a there there? (a.k.a. construct validity)
2. Does it matter to performance?
3. Is it sustainable?

6. RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1. Is there a there there? (a.k.a. construct validity)
2. Does it matter to performance?
3. Is it sustainable?
4. So what for leaders?

7. RESEARCH
SITES

8. OUR INNOVATION WISH LIST
1. Better choices

9. OUR INNOVATION WISH LIST
1. Better choices
2. Decreased risk and investment

10. OUR INNOVATION WISH LIST
1. Better choices
2. Decreased risk and investment
3. Increased implementation of ideas

11. OUR INNOVATION WISH LIST
1. Better choices
2. Decreased risk and investment
3. Increased implementation of ideas
4. Enhanced organizational adaptability

12. HOW DOES DESIGN THINKING GET US THERE?
CHANGES IN “HARD”
MEASURABLE OUTCOMES
MEASURABLE CHANGES
IN PERCEPTION
CHANGES IN
THE CONVERSATION
CHANGES IN
HOW PEOPLE
THINK

13. HOW DOES DESIGN THINKING GET US THERE?
CHANGES IN “HARD”
MEASURABLE OUTCOMES
MEASURABLE CHANGES
IN PERCEPTION
CHANGES IN
THE CONVERSATION
CHANGES IN
HOW PEOPLE
THINK
Increased “hot leads” at
trade shows
Reduced customer response
time at call center
Reduced ER usage
Adoption rates for new
agricultural methods

14. HOW DOES DESIGN THINKING GET US THERE?
CHANGES IN “HARD”
MEASURABLE OUTCOMES
MEASURABLE CHANGES
IN PERCEPTION
CHANGES IN
THE CONVERSATION
CHANGES IN
HOW PEOPLE
THINK
Net Promoter Score
Employee engagement
Understanding and
commitment to strategy
FEDERAL
AGENCY

15. HOW DOES DESIGN THINKING GET US THERE?
CHANGES IN “HARD”
MEASURABLE OUTCOMES
MEASURABLE CHANGES
IN PERCEPTION
CHANGES IN
THE CONVERSATION
CHANGES IN
HOW PEOPLE
THINK
Reframing of the challenge
Focus on user-driven criteria

16. HOW DOES DESIGN THINKING GET US THERE?
CHANGES IN “HARD”
MEASURABLE OUTCOMES
MEASURABLE CHANGES
IN PERCEPTION
CHANGES IN
THE CONVERSATION
CHANGES IN
HOW PEOPLE
THINK
Farmer’s fear of adoption
Clinicians come to see
patients’ perspective

17. HOW INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS OF DT CONTRIBUTE
ACROSS RESEARCH SITES
1. Search for deep understanding of user context and needs
2. Heterogeneity of teams
3. Dialogue-based conversations
4. Multiple solutions winnowed through small experiments
5. Creation of a structured and facilitated process

18. 1. Search for deep understanding of user context and needs
2. Heterogeneity of teams
3. Dialogue-based conversations
4. Multiple solutions winnowed through small experiments
5. Creation of a structured and facilitated process
HOW INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS OF DT CONTRIBUTE
ACROSS RESEARCH SITES

20. ALIGNING AROUND WHAT MATTERS
IN CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

21. TOM’S STORY
3 CONTACTS with MH clinicians (in person)
13 CASE MANAGERS touched 70 TIMES
18 HAND OFFS
5 IT SYSTEMS
15 PAPER RECORDS with lots of different updates

22. IMPACT ON INNOVATION PROCESS
UNDERSTANDING OF USER NEEDS
- Reframes problem itself
- Develops user-driven criteria for ideation
- Aligns team members’ perspectives
- Encourages emotional engagement

23. IMPACT ON INNOVATION PROCESS
UNDERSTANDING OF USER NEEDS
- Reframes problem itself At Monash, clinicians look at the journey from Tom’s perspective
- Develops user-driven criteria for ideation They realize that care is top criteria
- Aligns team members’ perspectives Across specialties they can design together
- Encourages emotional engagement They feel Tom’s frustrations

24. IMPACT ON INNOVATION PROCESS
UNDERSTANDING OF USER NEEDS
- Reframes problem itself
- Develops user-driven criteria for ideation
- Aligns team members’ perspectives
- Encourages emotional engagement

25. WE CAN THINK ALL KINDS OF
THINGS ABOUT HOW WE BELIEVE
THE SYSTEM IS WORKING,
“but then seeing the reality of how it was really
working, it was shocking to see how far from our
intentions reality had come.
Patients needed someone to be present for them.
Despite a flurry of activity, nothing was changing for
them. We needed to feel the blockages and
struggles.
DR. CHRISTINE MILLER

26. OBSERVED ELEMENTS OF DESIGN THINKING
ACROSS RESEARCH SITES
1. Search for deep understanding of user context and needs
2. Heterogeneity of teams
3. Dialogue-based conversations
4. Multiple solutions winnowed through small experiments
5. Creation of a structured and facilitated process

27. SOME PEOPLE HAVE THE
VIEW OF DESIGN THINKING
“that if you get a whole bunch of people in a room
with Post-It notes, something magical happens.
And afterward, you don't quite know how you did it.
Instead, you have to make it clear that there’s a
rigorous methodology in place that people can learn.
We want to be leading edge, not bleeding edge. You
need a very structured methodology that lets you
safely work through the elements.
DR. DON CAMPBELL

29. DESIGN THINKING OUTCOMES

30. DESIGN THINKING OUTCOMES

31. DESIGN THINKING OUTCOMES

32. DESIGN THINKING OUTCOMES

33. DESIGN THINKING OUTCOMES

34. SO WHAT?
1. Yes, there is a there there!

35. SO WHAT?
1. Yes, there is a there there!
2. Proving that is not easy…

36. SO WHAT?
1. Yes, there is a there there!
2. Proving that is not easy…
3. Structure matters

37. SO WHAT?
1. Yes, there is a there there!
2. Proving that is not easy…
3. Structure matters
4. Coaching matters

38. NOT ALL DESIGN THINKERS
WE CHOSE WERE EFFECTIVE
AT GETTING OTHERS TO DO
DESIGN THINKING.
“
There were some who wanted to be the brilliant
person who comes down from the mountain with the
solution.
They weren’t actually useful to helping us scale.

39. SO WHAT?
1. Yes, there is a there there!
2. Proving that is not easy…
3. Structure matters
4. Coaching matters
5. It’s not only about disruption and novelty
*DT as social technology really matters

40. ONLINE SPECIALIZATION IN
DESIGN THINKING AND
INNOVATION
The Specialization in Design Thinking and Innovation program includes four
5-week project-based online courses:
• Design Thinking Part I: Insights to Inspiration
• Design Thinking Part II: Ideas to Action
• Discovery Tools
• Creating the Innovative Workplace
Special Bundle Pricing
Pre-register for all four courses by 26 February 2018
to receive bundle pricing of $1,200, a savings of $380.
www.darden.edu/dtbundle
U P C O M I N G O N L I N E
C O U R S E S :
2 6 F E B – 1 A P R
1 6 A P R – 2 0 M AY
9 S E P T – 1 4 O C T
( A L L F O U R C O U R S E S
R U N C O N C U R R E N T LY )
P R I C E :
$ 3 9 5 E A C H
– O R –
$ 1 , 2 0 0 F O R A L L
F O U R C O U R S E S
U P C O M I N G
I N - P E R S O N
P R O G R A M :
D E S I G N T H I N K I N G
F O R I N N O VAT I V E
P R O B L E M S O LV I N G
1 4 – 1 8 M AY

41. https://designatdarden.org/resources/
Download the full report:
designatdarden@virginia.edu
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