Current Perspectives of Design Thinking and Design Literacy

Design thinking has been valued in business and education field. Design thinking uses creative approaches to problem solving, organizational development, and learning. For designers, the ultimate goal is to produce user-friendly and economic products that meet people’s needs and desires. In order to achieve that goal, creativity, imagination, and design thinking have become necessary capacities for designers to transform abstract ideas into useful products and services successfully. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship among creativity, imagination, and design thinking of Chinese design undergraduates. Two research questions are asked: What is the relationship among creativity, imagination, and design thinking of our participants? Do gender and age affect these relationships? Based on structural equation modeling, we found that the relationships among creativity, imagination, and design thinking were strong and positive. Additionally, age and gender did not affect in these relationships. Although some limitations were discussed in the current study, the results provide unique value for future research. Keywords: Challenge creativity, imagination, design thinking, structural equation modeling, Taiwanese undergraduates DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-20-01 Publication date: July 31 st 2021

The workshop will engage participants to co-create concept maps and a visual thesaurus associated with ‘design thinking’. For design researchers, scholars and practitioners this workshop aims to expose the epistemological challenges and opportunities associated with ‘design thinking’ in management and leadership contexts. Concept mapping is a tool and technique that aims to enable visual thinking and knowledge organization skills. It offers a way to externalize understanding of complex topics (i.e. design thinking) in terms of both intra- and inter-personal relationships (i.e. within the management domain). A visual thesaurus displays semantic connections using pictures or images, not words. It aids in recognizing visually similar events or visual synonyms. Workshop participants will be guided through a series of visual thinking and design techniques to develop concept maps and a visual thesaurus for ‘design thinking’ and design-related terminologies within the management discourse. The outputs generated from the workshop will reflect a multidisciplinary understanding of the subject for knowledge translation and identify future research goals

Design thinking as a mindset and as a process for design and business innovation receives a lot of attention. Thus, concrete and structured methods for design thinking need to be devised, and design thinking competencies should be fostered proactively. Design thinking is underpinned by visual thinking composed of interactive iterations of Seeing—Imagining—Drawing. The visual reasoning model developed to understand and support visual thinking describes the process with cognitive activities as well as knowledge and schema. The visual reasoning model could serve as a framework to devise structured methods and tools for design thinking and to foster design thinking competencies. It would be desirable if schema to serve as underlying models in imagining service activities are to be identified so that cognitive activities in seeing—imagining—drawing can be systematically structured in service design, where the objects of designing are human activities and experiences. In this paper, three structured design methods developed for service design have been described and characterized in the framework of the visual reasoning model. Particularly the context-based activity modeling has been demonstrated as schema in structured imagining of service activities for product-service systems, as it serves the underlying role in organizing information on human activities consistently and yet with different interactions with other constituents of these three imagining methods.

Due to the significant effect the COVID-19 epidemic had on employment and education within the tourism and hospitality sectors (Cameron et al., 2022; Carr, 2020; Fletcher et al., 2022) the purpose of this research project was to identify whether a different approach to vocational learning could better equip learners with the skills necessary to be work-ready. This research aimed to explore the application of a design thinking methodology to the development of a work-based learning programme for hospitality and tourism that serves the needs of industry and learners. The following fundamentals formed the basis of the research. • Explore the insights that can be gained by applying Design Thinking theory as a critical lens to evaluate teaching and learning initiatives in Tourism and Hospitality • Independently apply knowledge and implement this into the development of work-based learning pedagogic approach in tourism and hospitality education. • Evaluate the use of Design Thinking as a tool for pedagogic development through rigorous intellectual analysis, reflective practice, criticism and problem-solving. Initially, the methodology was Design Thinking incorporated into a work-based learning environment. However, the structure of the project had to be modified as a result of my transition to another role outside of Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. As this was a major pivot, I realised that by creating a reflective case study, I could discover how Design Thinking might feature in the study. Therefore, Design Thinking was used to explore the insights of how Design Thinking could be applied to a living event in an educational setting. The key insights were that a Design Thinking approach to hospitality and tourism education enables learners to grow holistically because the skills are not technical rather 21st Century skills whereby the learners develop both soft and core skills. Additionally, there was evidence of increased levels of student confidence, motivation, whanaungatanga and interdisciplinary collaboration. However, there were challenges and the following recommendations were made. Design Thinking can be messy and for Design Thinking pedagogy to be implemented into a curriculum there needs to be collaboration across a variety of sectors and you need tutorial staff with agile ability to cope with different needs. Moving away from a prescribed delivery dictates the need to develop a toolbox of resources and as traditional education is highly structured and prescribed compared with Design Thinking which responds to ‘just in time’ teaching there-needs to be flexibility without time constraints. Through my experience as a practitioner, I have gained invaluable insights from completing my Master of Professional Practice. A key outcome from my research project is the ability to view and formulate innovative pedagogic concepts by approaching it through a Design Thinking perspective. My development has spanned the kaiako role I held within Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, to the role as Ringa Whanake (Qualifications Development Facilitator) and a researcher. My new learning was a lived experience, unfolding and empowering changes to my practice.

Exploring design ideas, through two dimensional and three dimensional forms, is the basis of design exploration and visual design thinking during the design process. Imagining how drawings and models (be it manual or digital) will be presented in reality is the essence of visual design thinking. By the beginning of the 20th Century, architecture has become more three dimensional in design exploration and in representation. This transition to three dimensions makes the processes of visual design thinking more related to digital media. The nature of media, utilized by architects, affects design-exploration processes. The research investigates both the processes of visual design thinking and the interrelation between visual design thinking and digital media, in order to shed more light on how digital media should be introduced to students of architecture.

Мета дослідження – виявити сукупність чинників формування образного мислення дизайнера, необхідних для генерування значної кількість проектних пропозицій та аргументації різних варіантів утілення обʼєктів проектування; з’ясувати механізми відбору й застосування реалізованих в проектах образів та символів. Методи дослідження. Для поглибленого дослідження чинників формування образного мислення дизайнера застосовано методи аналізу й синтезу, порівняння й абстрагування, що дало змогу виділити сутнісні складники кожного із чинників впливу та виявити специфічні риси їхньої взаємодії. Наукова новизна. У дослідженні вперше встановлено обʼєктивну й цілісну картину щодо умов і вимог до проектної діяльності фахівців із графічного дизайну, осмислено специфіку створення образів у свідомості дизайнера відповідно до існуючих чинників та виявлено наявність синергічного ефекту взаємодії різнохарактерних чинників, які впливають на ефективність і продуктивність роботи дизайнера. Висновки. Формування й розвиток художньо – образного мислення дизайнерів є одним із найважливіших завдань вищої професійної школи, для вирішення якої необхідно розробити нові педагогічні технології, що базуються на найбільш значимих досягненнях комплексу наук: педагогіки, психології, філософії, сучасних інформаційних, поліграфічних та пакувальних технологій. Для ефективного формування й розвитку художньо-образного мислення дизайнера треба використовувати структурно-комплексний підхід та забезпечувати інтегрований вплив усіх виявлених у дослідженні чинників.

With the continuous development of our country’s modernisation process and the continuous development of education, the education of design talents is getting more and more attention from people, the era of design as a “secondary subject” in schools has ended, modern people have recognised that the world of design is a world of infinite wonders, and that some design experience is an indispensable element for enriching people’s lives, and design is related to the deepest things in human nature. Design is closely related to the deepest part of human nature. As an important part of the design field, visual communication design is not only an education of design techniques as traditionally believed, but also a complex systematic project to develop wisdom. It is not possible to improve one’s design quality with only a little bit of technique. In addition to mastering design technique, we must also be familiar with the development history of design and its development prospect, have the ability to appreciate design and have insight into design, and fully explore one’s own visual thinking, so as to make one’s own design thinking more active. Visual thinking is a novel concept. This ability is inherent in us, and for designers of visual communication design, the cultivation of visual thinking should be richer and more diversified. But to engage in design through this ability requires special training.

Design Thinking is well recognized as a mindset and as a process in design and in business innovation and diverse complex problem-solving tasks. In this conceptual paper, design thinking process is explained using visual thinking composed of seeing – imagining – drawing so that its interactive and iterative nature can be better understood. The visual reasoning model developed earlier to support visual thinking with underlying cognitive activities as well as schema and knowledge is used to characterize four specific imagining methods for service design. Further research would be desirable to justify the potential of the visual reasoning model as a framework in devising methods and tools to support design thinking.

16 - Design thinking perspective for developing safety management practices in nuclear industry

In the era of modern education, the integration of design thinking and artificial intelligence has emerged as a transformative force, particularly in the context of the Education 5.0-7.0, which has its peculiarities. This paper searches through the intersection of these two concepts through a philological point of view, exploring their implications, synergies, and challenges. Design thinking, with its human-centered approach to problem-solving, emphasizes empathy, creativity, and iterative ideation. Artificial intelligence, on the other hand, offers unprecedented opportunities for personalized learning, data-driven decision-making, and adaptive systems. Together, they hold immense potential to revolutionize pedagogy, curriculum development, and educational technologies. The relevance of this research is determined by investigating the integration of philological perspectives, design thinking, and artificial intelligence (AI) in the evolving educational frameworks of Education 5.0 to 7.0. By combining human-centered design with advanced AI technologies, it aims to create personalized and adaptive learning experiences, enhancing student outcomes and engagement. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers and educators on developing inclusive and effective curricula, preparing students for future challenges and careers. Additionally, it contributes to the academic discourse on educational innovation, supporting global trends towards digital transformation and interdisciplinary approaches in education. This research introduces a novel interdisciplinary framework that integrates philological insights with design thinking and artificial intelligence (AI) within the context of Education 5.0 to 7.0. It pioneers the examination of linguistic and cultural dimensions in design thinking methodologies enhanced by AI, offering new perspectives on creating personalized, adaptive learning experiences. By bridging the gap between human-centered design and intelligent systems, the study proposes innovative approaches to curriculum development and pedagogy, setting a foundation for future educational innovations and contributing to the evolving academic discourse on educational technology and methodology. Drawing on insights from philology, the study of language in historical and literary contexts, this paper this article aims to explore how design thinking and artificial intelligence intersect with language acquisition, textual analysis, and cultural interpretation in education. It investigates the role of language in shaping learning environments, communication strategies, and knowledge dissemination processes in the digital age. Furthermore, it explores the ethical considerations inherent in the use of artificial intelligence in education, particularly regarding data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the preservation of linguistic diversity. It advocates for a nuanced understanding of the cultural and social dimensions of language within educational AI systems, promoting inclusivity, equity, and ethical literacy. The methodology involves a comprehensive literature review on cognitive differences, contextual elements, and recent innovations in education, academic papers, books, and articles on philology, design thinking, AI in education, and the evolution of Education 5.0 to 7.0. The analysis and practical implementation of the case studies from educational institutions implementing AI and design thinking methodologies. The ultimate goal is to contribute valuable insights to guide educational institutions in adapting to the 21st-century landscape and fostering inclusive and impactful effective learning environments. Thus, we use such methods of qualitative analysis as thematic analysis for dentifying common themes and insights from literature and case studies regarding the integration of philology, design thinking, and AI in education, content analysis for analyzing curriculum documents and educational artifacts to assess the presence and impact of design thinking and AI elements. Moreover, we use case studies of students who have successfully integrated AI and design thinking while learning foreign language, detailed examination of their implementation processes, challenges, and outcomes. Through a multidisciplinary approach that bridges education, design, artificial intelligence, and philology, this paper seeks to inform educators, researchers, and policymakers about the transformative potential of integrating design thinking and AI in education. By embracing philological perspectives, it aims to foster critical inquiry, interdisciplinary collaboration, and human-centered innovation in the Education 5.0-7.0 era.

Design thinking is an interdisciplinary problem-solving approach that combines user-centered focus, challenge framing, visual thinking, experimental methods, and cross-functional collaboration. It has always been regarded as an important means to improve corporate sustainable innovation capabilities and team performance. However, its effectiveness is a controversial topic, with some proponents praising its ability to solve systemic problems while others question its applicability within traditional business processes and its impact on sustainable innovation success. Because of its exploratory nature, there is currently a lack of quantitative empirical research on its impact. Therefore, this study takes Huawei’s electric vehicle R&D sustainable innovation project as an example to explore the impact of design thinking on corporate sustainable innovation capabilities and team performance by analyzing the relationship between design thinking and team empowerment. The study included hypotheses, semi-structured qualitative interviews, quantitative questionnaire data, and structured equation model analysis. This study reveals the mechanism by which design thinking operates in industrial enterprises. There is a positive correlation between design thinking practice and team performance in sustainable innovation projects. Moreover, through the regulation of design thinking, team performance can be strengthened. However, the applicability of design thinking in highly sustainable innovation environments needs further research. In summary, this study provides fundamental insights into the complex relationships between design thinking, corporate sustainable innovation, and team performance, and provides direction for future research.

Human rights can be formalised in laws and legislation, but can also be operationalised on a more informal, practical level, like when interacting with people, products, services, local or organisational policies or the arts. It is here where the proper implementation of human rights is context-defined and where human rights might conflict with each other. A design thinking perspective helps to resolve these issues. Applying a design thinking perspective might also facilitate social innovation. That is because design thinking is a positive, constructive approach in which solutions are designed and tested for their effectiveness. Within a design thinking perspective on human rights – not to be confused with a human rights perspective on design – an artefact is created that enables human beings to pursue a good life.

The purpose is to study the application thinking of art design, with the unified expansion of conscious initiative as the core. Start with the essence and connotation of artistic design thinking. This paper discusses the nature, function, and application of artistic design thinking and the value of design. First of all, this paper analyzes “art design thinking”, which is divided into objective content and subjective mind fusion. It is a thinking mode applicable to the field of art, with a certain content of artistic thought and a consistent way of thinking, and emphasizes the principle of people-oriented, focusing on emotional experience and unique aesthetics. The paper explains that the characteristics of art design thinking are to understand things, to change things, and to associate things, and emphasizes that design should return to things eventually. Art design thinking is analyzed from the nature, function, and application of design thinking. Practical value, innovative value. In the design, the effective use of the thinking of art design can optimize the design. Then, it analyzes the original function and play of artistic design thinking in design. This involves the cognition, understanding, and comprehensive thinking of the original thing to combine image and rational thinking to extend and optimize creative ideas. Imagination and artistic thinking are transformed into new practical creativity, and art design thinking is used to optimize the design, so that the design has practical aesthetic value, to meet the needs of consumers. In terms of application analysis, it emphasizes the integration of cultural elements into artistic design thinking. This integration reflects that the designer and the spirit of creation cannot be separated, and the spirit of creation is fully reflected.

Design thinking's potential in delivering human-centred, systems-based solutions in modern healthcare is a key area of interest. Medical schools increasingly recognise the value of design thinking in fostering innovation and faculty development1. However, integrating design thinking into a core, multi-year curriculum, particularly in Health Promotion Education, remains underexplored. Since 2019, the Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University (MEDPSU) in Thailand has pioneered the integration of design thinking into its curriculum for fourth-year medical students within the Health Promotion block. Initially piloted with a group of 12 students, this approach marked a shift from traditional project development, which often lacked innovation, to a more dynamic, problem-solving methodology. This pilot group successfully developed a storybook for preschool children to address MMR vaccination hesitancy in Thailand's southernmost provinces. The project's success, evidenced by its adoption by the Ministry of Health and translation into Arabic for broader use, prompted the expansion of design thinking to all fourth-year medical students (N = 152). The curriculum emphasises empathetic understanding of user needs and collaborative prototyping and testing. Faculty development was crucial, involving a 2-day workshop for 22 faculty members tasked with mentoring student groups. Assessment methods shifted from traditional reports to formative evaluations focusing on user needs and project impact. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this approach was further adapted to address issues like mask compliance and isolation practices. Students engaged in real-world problem-solving, contributing to system-level initiatives in health service redesign. Recognizing the success of the Health Promotion block, the design thinking framework was extended to the Community Health block for third-year medical students in 2020. The curriculum was tailored to suit different year levels: third-year students focused on empathy, definition, and ideation phases, while fourth-year students concentrated on prototyping and testing, suitable for community-based projects. MEDPSU plans to expand this initiative to include other health professional faculties for inter-professional education. The integration of design thinking at MEDPSU has demonstrated notable successes, yet it has also highlighted certain challenges. Although student engagement has increased by 25% and project innovation by 32%, one significant challenge has been the limited number of design thinking experts within our faculty, currently just three. This limitation poses a constraint on the programme's capacity to expand and fully realise its potential impact. To address this challenge and improve the situation, MEDPSU is focusing on a multi-faceted strategy. This includes encouraging faculty members to engage in ongoing professional development in design thinking and utilising online platforms and resources for training and collaboration. This underscores MEDPSU's role in shaping future healthcare education and delivery. Despite starting with just 12 students in a Health Promotion block, we have skillfully expanded this approach to encompass an entire year level and further extended it to the Community Health block. The next phase of our journey involves collaboration with other health professional faculties for inter-professional education, a step that requires a more robust foundation of design thinking expertise to be truly effective. This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of the Prince of Songkla University, Faculty of Medicine. Therdpong Thongseiratch: Conceptualization; methodology; software; validation; investigation; formal analysis; supervision; resources; project administration; writing – original draft; writing – review and editing. Nutthaporn Chandeying: Conceptualization; methodology; data curation; project administration; resources; writing – original draft; writing – review and editing. Tanan Bejrananda: Writing – original draft; writing – review and editing; investigation; conceptualization; methodology; software; data curation. Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Design thinking has received considerable global attention in the education community given its focus on creative problem solving, human-centered design, and empathetic understanding. In response to the need for exemplary practices for teacher educators, we designed and implemented a design thinking module in a college-level learning technologies course offered in the teacher preparation program. Preservice teachers were asked to solve educational design challenges using learning technologies within specific problem spaces. We examined preservice teachers’ (n = 19) perceptions of design thinking mindsets and processes as well as perceived changes in their understanding of “teachers as designers.” A qualitative analysis of weekly student reflections and final reflection reports revealed that design thinking processes contributed to preservice teachers’ understanding of the design thinking role in education, its challenges, and design mindsets. A thematic analysis of their reflections revealed that their conceptualizations of teachers’ capacities for design had shifted. Subsequent to participating in the design thinking module, they perceived teachers as design thinkers, innovators and change agents. The implications of design thinking for preservice teacher education are discussed.