Introduction
Conglomerate General Electric (GE) has a long history of innovation and an emphasis on process enhancements. GE has used a variety of approaches over the years, including LEAN methodologies, to drive these advancements. However, GE can adopt the fundamental ideas of Design Thinking in a complementary way with LEAN to further encourage innovation and achieve company-wide improvement goals.
This essay explores the expanded Discovery Design Thinking approach and how the fundamental ideas of Design Thinking can be applied alongside LEAN methodologies to promote innovation at GE. We will also explore key ideas behind Design Thinking, including the connection between big and dense data, the “jobs to be done” ethnographic framework, fast prototyping, storytelling, and the double diamond concepts.
Discovery Design Thinking Steps
Scope, Prepare, Discover, Synthesize, Generate, Prototype, Pilot, and Spread are the eight stages that make up the extended Discovery Design Thinking process. Each stage of the process builds on the one before it and offers an innovative foundation. Defining the issue or difficulty that the organization is experiencing is part of the scoping stage.
By establishing the project’s scope, setting goals and objectives, and assembling a team with diverse talents and perspectives, the Prepare stage involves preparing the team for the innovation process (Gryta & Mann, 2020). Data and insights are gathered during the Discover stage from various sources, including clients, staff members, and business leaders.
In the Synthesize stage, data and insights from the Discover stage are examined to identify significant trends and themes. In the Generate stage, potential solutions to the issue or challenge identified in the Scope stage are generated through brainstorming and ideation.
Building and testing prototypes of prospective solutions constitute the prototyping step. In the Pilot stage, the prototypes are tested in a realistic environment. Scaling the effective pilot program across the organization is the final step of the Spread stage.
Adopting Design Thinking with LEAN
Identifying areas where Design Thinking can be applied at GE is the first step toward implementing it alongside LEAN approaches. This could apply to fields such as new product development or addressing unmet customer demands, where conventional LEAN approaches might not be efficient (Gryta & Mann, 2020). The expanded Discovery Design Thinking process can be used once the focal areas have been determined.
Relationship Between Big Data and Thick Data
A key principle of design thinking is the integration of big data with rich, qualitative insights (thick data). Extensive data sets that can be computationally analyzed to identify patterns, trends, and relationships are referred to as “big data.” The qualitative, human-centered insights that supplement big data are referred to as “thick data,” on the other hand.
The requirements and behaviors of customers can be better understood by combining big data and thick data (Gryta & Mann, 2020). At GE, thick data may be used to better understand consumer wants and behaviors through ethnography and storytelling. In contrast, big data can be utilized to find patterns and trends in customer data.
Jobs to Be Done
Another essential component of design thinking is the “jobs to be done” framework. To build products and services that meet clients’ needs, this framework requires understanding their unique needs and objectives. Organizations might better understand how to provide value to customers by focusing on the “jobs” customers are trying to complete rather than specific products or services (Gryta & Mann, 2020). The “jobs to be done” concept can be used at GE to pinpoint unfulfilled consumer needs and develop new goods and services to address them.
Ethnography
One more fundamental idea in design thinking is ethnography, which entails observing and researching people in their natural surroundings. Organizations can learn how to build goods and services that satisfy customers’ needs by analyzing how people use products and services (Gryta & Mann, 2020). Ethnography can be used at GE to learn more about how customers use products and services and to identify potential for innovation.
Rapid Prototyping
Creating and testing prototypes fast and iteratively is referred to as rapid prototyping, another key Design Thinking idea. Businesses can quickly identify potential issues and make adjustments before the product is finalized by testing prototypes with customers early in the design process. In the long term, rapid prototyping can help validate hypotheses and concepts early in the design process, saving time and resources (Gryta & Mann, 2020). Rapid prototyping can be used at GE to swiftly test new product designs and features, enabling the company to bring products to market more quickly and successfully.
Storytelling
Another fundamental principle of design thinking is storytelling, which involves illustrating complicated ideas and concepts with stories and analogies. Organizations can increase stakeholder empathy and understanding by using stories to simplify complex concepts, making them more engaging and accessible. At GE, the value and impact of new goods and services can be communicated to customers, investors, and staff through storytelling.
Double Diamond
A design thinking framework known as the “double diamond” involves two divergent thinking phases followed by two convergent thinking phases. The first diamond uses divergent thinking to generate a variety of alternative answers to a difficulty or problem (Gryta & Mann, 2020). Convergent thinking is used in the second diamond to refine and eliminate probable solutions, ultimately finding the best one. The double diamond concept can be applied at GE to develop and hone concepts for fresh goods and services and pinpoint process enhancements.
Other Tools
GE can use specific tools and techniques from design thinking, in addition to these fundamental ideas, to enhance conventional LEAN methodologies. For instance, GE can utilize customer journey mapping to pinpoint areas of customer experience difficulty and inefficiency (Gryta & Mann, 2020). This can be used to find areas for process improvement and innovation. GE can swiftly develop and test new product concepts through design sprints, enabling the company to identify and validate prospective solutions.
GE may promote an innovative culture and advance company-wide improvement objectives by integrating the fundamental ideas of Design Thinking with conventional LEAN approaches. GE can utilize design thinking to identify unmet customer needs, develop and test new product concepts, and enhance customer experiences.
Additionally, GE can gain a deeper comprehension of customer needs and behaviors through thick data and ethnography, which can guide product development and procedure improvements. While the double diamond concept can help to generate and refine ideas for innovation, rapid prototyping, and storytelling can assist GE in communicating the value and impact of new products and services (Gryta & Mann, 2020). GE may become a more adaptable and customer-focused organization, better prepared to handle the challenges of a rapidly changing business environment, by utilizing these tools and approaches.
Conclusion
In conclusion, GE can apply the core principles of design thinking to strengthen its traditional LEAN methods. By utilizing the broader Discovery Design Thinking framework and its practical tools, GE can foster a more innovative culture and support improvement goals throughout the entire company. The relationship between big data and thick data, the “jobs to be done” framework, ethnography, rapid prototyping, storytelling, and the double diamond concept are all crucial components of design thinking that can assist GE in better understanding the needs of its customers, developing and testing new product concepts, and creating more engaging customer experiences. By adopting Design Thinking, GE can develop a more adaptable, customer-focused organization better suited to succeed in a rapidly changing business environment.
Reference
Gryta, T., & Mann, T. (2020). Lights Out: Pride, Delusion, and the Fall of General Electric. Houghton Mifflin.