Send in the Squad-Podsquad! Using Design Thinking as a Framework to Develop a Public Health Promotion Programme.

Abstract. Alternative assessments in mathematics education face several challenges that need to be designed to measure students' abilities holistically. The objectives of this research are: 1) to determine the feasibility of developing creative alternative mathematics assessments using a design thinking approach, and 2) to assess the effectiveness of mathematics learning using alternative assessments with a design thinking approach. The research sample consists of graduate students from the Mathematics Education program at PGRI University Semarang. This study employs the development model proposed by Plomp J and Nieveen N. The development of creative alternative mathematics assessments using a design thinking approach is analyzed through: a) pretest data, b) posttest data, and c) effectiveness analysis, including n-gain calculations (pretest-posttest) and completeness testing. The findings indicate that: 1) the development of creative alternative mathematics assessments with a design thinking approach is deemed feasible for use, and 2) the effectiveness of alternative mathematics assessments using a design thinking approach is evidenced by: a) an increase in the average learning outcomes of students before and after using the creative alternative mathematics assessment with a design thinking approach, and b) student learning outcomes meeting the completeness criteria when using the creative alternative mathematics assessment with a design thinking approach. �Keywords: Development; Alternative Assessment; Mathematics Learning; Design Thinking

Engineers, as problem solvers, need to stay connected with society. Delivering the expected service to the community and making it worth living requires a strong social connectedness because the engineering profession is not only about Technology but, more importantly, about creating social values by providing solutions to societal challenges. This is possible by placing the students in an ecosystem that provides the scope to develop socially responsible students with the designer’s mindset, to establish a positive social connection. Such an ecosystem is possible to build using the Design thinking approach. Design thinking, as the name implies, comprises two elements, a designer mindset, and a well-defined process. For engineers, it is mandatory to have a designer mindset to sharpen their problem-solving skills, which is the basic quality expected. The Design Thinking approach helps students in building an empathetic mindset which establishes a strong positive connection with society and makes them socially responsible. The core strength of the design thinking approach is the concept of empathy. The whole approach revolves around empathy and the user for whom the solution is developed. It believes that the people who face problems are the one who holds the key to the solution. At every stage of design thinking, a strong connection with society in the form of the user is experienced. This paper derives a new conceptual understanding of how the design thinking approach will help students to become socially responsible engineers. The study was conducted on a student group of 500 from a first- year engineering Program. Phase-wise presentation made by individual teams of 5-6 students on the societal problems was assessed using rubrics. In conclusion, the design thinking approach has been an effective tool for developing socially responsible students in their first year of engineering. Keywords—: Design thinking; empathy; mindset; socially responsible.

Aim/Purpose: To explore the effectiveness of utilizing the design thinking approach in developing digital self-directed learning environment to enhance digital literacy skills in Thai higher education. Background: To foster digital literacy skills in higher education, Thai students require more than access to technology. Emphasizing digital self-directed learning and incorporating Design Thinking approach, can empower students to learn and develop their digital skills effectively. This study explores the impact of digital self-directed learning environment, developed using a design thinking approach, on enhancing digital literacy skills among higher education students in Thailand. Methodology: The research methodology involves developing a digital self-directed learning environment, collecting and analyzing data, and using statistical analysis to compare the outcomes between different groups. The sample includes 60 undergraduate students from the School of Industrial Education and Technology at King Mongkut Institute of Technology, divided into a control group (n=30) and an experimental group (n=30). Data analysis involves mean, standard deviation, and one-way MANOVA. Contribution: This research contributes to the evidence supporting the use of Design Thinking in developing digital self-directed learning environment, demonstrating its effectiveness in meeting learners’ needs and improving learning outcomes in higher education. Findings: Key findings include: 1) the digital media and self-directed learning activities plan developed through the design thinking approach received high-quality ratings from experts, with mean scores of 4.87 and 4.93, respectively; and 2) post-lesson comparisons of learning outcome and digital literacy assessment scores revealed that the group utilizing digital media with self-directed learning activities had significantly higher mean scores than the traditional learning group, with a significance level of 0.001. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners in higher education should use design thinking to develop digital self-directed learning environments that enhance digital literacy skills. This approach involves creating high-quality digital media and activities, promoting engagement and improved outcomes. Collaboration and stakeholder involvement are essential for effective implementation. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should continue to explore the effectiveness of design thinking approaches in the development of learning environments, as well as their influence on different educational aspects such as student engagement, satisfaction, and overall learning outcomes. Impact on Society: By enhancing digital literacy skills among higher education students, this study contributes to the development of a digitally skilled workforce, encourages lifelong learning, and aids individuals in effectively navigating the challenges of the digital era. Future Research: Future research could explore a broader range of student demographics and educational settings to validate the effectiveness of the Design Thinking approach in enhancing digital literacy. This could include integrating design thinking with alternative digital learning and teaching methods to further improve digital literacy.

Project success is one of the most studied topics in project management. Notwithstanding this vast literature base, project results continue to disappoint stakeholders. Turner and Cochrane (1993) argued that the traditional measure of success, completing the project on time and within budget, is based on the assumption that in projects both the goals and the method of achieving them are well understood at the start of the project. For some projects however, the objectives and/or the methods are not clearly defined. These projects are only successful if they achieve a unitary, beneficial change with value for users. A domain that has great experience in dealing with these type of problems, where only the aspired end value is known, not the goals and methods, is Design Thinking. The study reported in this paper explored the question What aspects of the Design Thinking approach should be integrated into Project Management in order to contribute to the successful management of projects? Based on an analysis of the literature, we developed a conceptual framework that characterizes the differences between the Rational Analytic approach and the Design Thinking approach to projects. We deployed an experimental research strategy to empirically explore what new insights a design thinking approach gives to project managers. Our findings indicate that with the aid of a Design Thinking tool, the project managers were able to adopt a design thinking approach. In applying this approach, they played an active role both in the problem definition phase of the project and in synthesizing new solutions that create value for users. Based on the insights gathered from the experiment, we propose that the following three aspects of Design Thinking should be integrated into Project Management: 1. Framing and reframing, 2. Focus on the wants and needs of users and 3. Use of visual aids.

Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) have the potential to support guideline implementation and bridge the research translation chasm. However, clinician barriers to uptake remain strongly reported in previous studies. This study aims to utilise a design thinking approach to develop a CDSS for breathlessness in primary care. A low fidelity mockup was developed based on an exploratory focus group to elucidate clinician needs and assess responses to key features. The low fidelity prototype was then developed and tested through two rounds of Think-Aloud testing. Post each Think-Aloud, changes were made and split-run (A/B) testing conducted in the second round in response to user interface concerns raised in the first round. Overall, GPs find the CDSS to be a useful addition to their breathlessness assessment and are open to its use. This study showed that utilising a design thinking and practice-oriented approach with rapid usability testing, it was possible to gain crucial insight in a more rapid and cost effective way.

ContextThere is growing interest and importance for responsible research and innovation (RRI) among academic scholars and policy makers, especially, in relation to emerging technologies in the agricultural context. While the evolution of smart technologies in agriculture has led to an increase of available solutions that can be used by farmers, the RRI process of new farming technology has been minimally detailed in research contributions to date. ObjectiveThis paper thus aims to describe the first 3 phases of a design thinking process to aid with the development of an agricultural innovation, namely, a geotag photo application for use on smart devices. MethodsThe design thinking approach involved engaging with target users, such as farmers, farm advisors and inspectors, alongside research scientists, app developers and the national agricultural governing body in Ireland to commence the app development process. This paper describes methodology used to elicit the first three major phases of the design thinking approach: empathise, define and ideation. In the first phase a stakeholder mapping activity was conducted, as well as 7 focus groups and 10 interviews with users and other key actors regarding the challenges and needs related to using the app. The define phase included a reflection of results from the first phase and subsequent development of user-personas and problem statements to inform the third phase. The third phase, ideation, consisted of four interactive user-centred workshops, focusing on app needs, in which ideas and solutions were developed and prioritised. Results and conclusionsThe design thinking approach supported multiple stakeholders to express and evaluate the benefits and challenges they associated with the initial development phases involved in designing a new geotag photo app. It also revealed that, by including farmers and additional actors in developing new farming technology enables technology developers to harness the full value of multiples types of knowledge and expertise. In conclusion, future research on innovation development should consider that by enabling engagement among a wide variety of actors, such as that offered by the initial stages of design thinking, and attending to a greater diversity of values is essential to the development of a responsible, and responsive, digital tool. SignificanceThis study is the first to methodically document the early stages of developing a geotag smartphone app using a design thinking approach. This paper will therefore benefit other scholars aiming to include farmers, and other agricultural stakeholders to have an input on the agri-tech development decisions that will ultimately impact their farming lives.

PurposeThe paper aims to explore the relationship between gamification and design thinking approach to innovation in the context of the early stage of innovation process (ESoIP). Design thinking is conceptually appropriate to support innovative, complex and uncertain business environments. Still, its practices have demonstrated some difficulties in managing the ESoIP, such as lack of structure and clarity around goals. This paper argues that gamification can enhance and complement design thinking in the management of firms' ESoIP.Design/methodology/approachGiven the need to achieve a deeper understanding of the linkages between gamification and design thinking, the paper follows an exploratory theory building approach for this complex reality of innovation. The case study research method was conducted in three firms (Trivalor, Novartis and Microsoft) that applied a gamification approach to the ESoIP.FindingsThe results demonstrate that gamification has the power to enhance and complement design thinking practices by getting tasks more organized and improving coordination and employees' engagement in the innovation process.Practical implicationsThe paper provides critical managerial contributions on how firms can use gamification to improve design thinking approaches to ESoIP. Its consequences are also crucial to innovation, R&D, and product/service development managers interested in using gamification to support the ideation and concept development of new solutions complementing traditional design thinking approaches.Originality/valueMerging the gamification and design thinking approaches is novel, particularly on firms' ESoIP. The paper provides a comprehensive discussion of design thinking shortcomings and the role that gamification can play in overcoming them.

The recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Jakarta, Ankara, Ivory Coast and Brussels in 2015 and 2016 respectively, highlight the complexity and challenges associated with counter-terrorist operations. The words of Rosenhead and Mingers (Rational analysis for a problematic world revisited. John Wiley and Sons Ltd., West, Sussex, England, 2001 [48: 4–5]) resonate with the complex space of counter-terrorism and these recent incidents. They argue that we ‘…are not confronted with problems that are independent of each other, but with dynamic situations that consist of complex systems of changing problems that interact with each other’. Such a complex problem space can be viewed as “wicked problems” or “messes” (Rittel and Weber in Policy Sci 4:155–169, 1973 [46]). Rosenhead and Mingers (Rational analysis for a problematic world revisited. John Wiley and Sons Ltd., West, Sussex, England, 2001 [48: 4–5]) describe ‘messy problems’ as that which have inherent complex interdependencies and dynamic complexity. They argue that ‘Individual problems may be solved. But if they are components of a mess, the solutions to individual problems cannot be added, since those solutions will interact’. Within the context of counter-terrorism, deep uncertainty is the source of surprises and shocks in a system and the main cause of discontinuity in the strategic space of a system. It highlights the complex social factors that require an empathic approach to uncover the connectivity and processes (Masys Exploring the security landscape—non-traditional security challenges. Springer Publishing, 2016 [36]) supporting this emergence of violent extremism. The problem space transcends domain specific analysis to require a more inclusive approach that draws upon insights from sociology, economics, political science, humanities in the problem framing (Masys in Applications of systems thinking and soft operations research in managing complexity. Springer Publishing, 2015 [35]). New methods and methodologies have evolved to address such inherent complexity in problem spaces. Design thinking, system and complexity approaches emerge as a response to the inability of traditional approaches to handle human and social aspects of problem situations. The epidemiological model (disease model) of terrorism is a metaphor that captures the inherent complexity of terrorism (Stares and Yacoubian in Terrorism as a disease: an epidemiological model for countering Islamist extremism, 2007 [53]). References to terrorism being a “virus” or to al Qaeda “mutating” or “metastasizing” are common. Holistic approaches to medicine and disease have leveraged design thinking approaches to tackle the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Like the epidemiological model, it is argued in this chapter that design thinking can be instrumental in foresight and strategic intervention to support counter-terrorism. Tetlock and Gardner (Superforecasting: the art and science of prediction. Penguin, Random House, 2015 [59: 123]) ask the question ‘following the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, will there be another attack carried out by Islamist militants’? To examine such a question Tetlock and Gardner (Superforecasting: the art and science of prediction. Penguin, Random House, 2015 [59: 123]) argue that there is a requirement to generate different perspectives and synthesize them. They liken this to a dragonfly. ‘Information from these thousands of unique perspectives flows into the dragonfly’s brain where it is synthesized into vision so superb that the dragonfly can see in almost every direction simultaneously’ (Superforecasting: the art and science of prediction. Penguin, Random House, 2015 [59: 77]). The elements of perspective taking, dialogue, synthesis, empathy, framing, ideation, prototyping, testing and learning makes design thinking a powerful approach in the counter-terrorism problem space. This chapter examines the counter-terrorism problem space leveraging the epidemiological approach to illustrate how Design thinking can be applied to develop analysis methodologies and intervention strategies to support counter-terrorism and resilience. It is about not only understanding the future but also influencing it.

Towards designing society 5.0 solutions: The new Quintuple Helix - Design Thinking approach to technology

(a) Situation faced: During the review of an information system for medical material purchasing at a Brazilian insurance company, it became clear that part of the process supported by this system was done informally and there was no consensus among the employees about some of the related fundamental concepts and procedures. (b) Action taken: A consulting firm hired by the insurance company to find a solution to these challenges proposed to use the Design Thinking approach to process redesign, by aligning the Design Thinking stages with the phases of the Business Process Management (BPM) lifecycle. A series of workshops that applied various Design Thinking tools was conducted with representatives from all of the company’s departments that deal with the purchasing process, as well as a team of information technology (IT) professionals. (c) Results achieved: The Design Thinking approach facilitated the following outcomes: (1) formalization of the employees’ perceptions regarding the existing purchasing process, (2) design of a to-be process for material purchasing, which was approved by all stakeholders, and (3) formalization of requirements for the new information system for managing the material-purchasing process. (d) Lessons learned: The case demonstrated the value of applying the Design Thinking approach to process redesign and improvement, adding useful instruments for BPM analysis. The BPM lifecycle phases correspond well with the Design Thinking stages, and Design Thinking techniques match BPM’s social-construction viewpoint well.

Despite it being widely acknowledged that integrating principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) in engineering has numerous benefits such as more innovative and inclusive design outcomes, there have been ongoing challenges in addressing equity, promoting diversity, and fostering inclusive teaching and learning strategies in higher education. If EDIA is taught separately from coursework in engineering, students are unlikely to engage with or incorporate EDIA principles in their work. Moreover, the pedagogical approaches for EDIA concepts, which include exploratory discussion and reflection, can be a barrier for student learning if they are not valued in the same way as traditional engineering epistemology and ideologies that prioritize a technical space and objective data. Lastly, evidence demonstrates that a lack of sense of belonging for underrepresented students can impact their learning experience. It is important to address how teaching approaches impact the shift of student mindsets in their design work and their engagement with the learning environment. In this exploratory project, we seek to understand the ways in which learning equity-driven approaches to design, such as design thinking, may impact engineering students’ perceptions of inclusivity in their learning environment and the quality of inclusivity in the work that they design and engineer. We focus on the rationale and development of the methodology in this paper since the work is still in progress. We are working with a diverse team of educators and researchers to review and revise course goals, student learning outcomes and related course content for two design thinking courses in a master’s level engineering program. Changes to the course material include further integrating EDIA principles and the “Liberatory Design framework” described by the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design as “a process and practice to liberate designers from habits that perpetuate inequity.” The impact of such revision is examined through qualitative analysis of students’ written reflections with prompts that focus on EDIA themes. A post-course survey is also used to assess students’ perceptions of EDIA in relation to their academic, professional, and personal learning experiences throughout the program and, more specifically, the design thinking course learning outcomes. Preliminary findings suggest that students connect design thinking approaches with an awareness of the value of diversity in their design teams and with more inclusive design outcomes for the end-user. This exploratory work can inspire research to further examine the role of design thinking and related pedagogical approaches in supporting the integration of EDIA principles in teaching engineering design.

PurposeInnovative restaurant service designs impart food wellbeing to diners. This research comprehends customer aspirations and concerns in a restaurant-dining experience to develop a service design that enhances the dining experience using the design thinking approach and evaluates its efficiency using the Taguchi method of robust design.Design/methodology/approachThe sequential incidence technique defines diners' needs, which, followed by brainstorming sessions, helped create multiple service designs with important attributes. Prototype narration, as a scenario, acted as the stimulus for evaluators to respond to the WHO-5 wellbeing index scale. Scenario-based Taguchi experiment with nine foodservice attributes in two levels and the wellbeing score as the response variable helped identify levels of critical factors that develop better FWB.FindingsThe study identified the best combination of factors and their preferred levels to maximize FWB in a restaurant. Food serving hygiene, followed by information about cuisine specification, and food movement in the restaurant, were important to FWB. The experiment revealed that hygiene perceptions are critical to FWB, and service designs have a significant role in it. Consumers prefer detailed information about the ingredients and recipe of the food they eat; being confident that there will be no unacceptable ingredients added to the food inspires their FWB.Research limitations/implicationsTheoretically, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on design thinking and transformative service research, especially in the food industry.Practical implicationsThis paper details a simple method to identify and evaluate important factors that optimize FWB in a restaurant. The proposed methodology will help service designers and technology experts devise settings that consider customer priorities and contribute to their experience.Originality/valueThis study helps to understand the application of design thinking and the Taguchi approach for creating robust service designs that optimize FWB.

Purpose Developing a human-centered design understanding in built environment-related professions and enabling them to encompass diversity are crucial for the improvement of more inclusive environments. Considering the value of guiding experiences of people with disabilities for more inclusive design practice and increasing the awareness of professionals with disabilities in design and building practice plays a key role in achieving this goal. There is a growing effort to implement inclusive and universal design issues to the educational programs of design and related disciplines for about two decades. Contrary to the developments in the pedagogy of “core” design disciplines, human-centered design perspective seems not to be widespread enough in the education of so-called “peripheral” occupations of design, like architectural drafting, especially in Turkey. Design Thinking (DT) approach, which is defined as a way of thinking, is in fact widely used in the design-related fields. In such a need of human-centered and creative problem solving, the approach seems to provide a potential to raise awareness about user-oriented design in such peripheral occupations like architectural drafting education. Considering the widening use of strategies of DT also in non-design fields, the research out of which this article comes from involves a special adaption of the approach. Departing from the ultimate aim “to raise awareness of hearing-impaired architectural drafting students about user oriented architectural design,” it applies the strategies of the DT to this special case and reports the process and its findings, hence not only providing a special instance of the model but also revealing its potential contribution to peripheral or non-design disciplines. Design/Methodology/Approach Since it particularly focuses on understanding of human behavior, provides flexible and holistic tools to investigate such phenomena and since it is based on a systematic and reflective process, the present research was carried out through qualitative research approach and its tools. Findings Study showed that in relation to hearing-impaired students’ underlined need for getting familiarized with the process of architectural design and focusing on human-centered design approach, present application of Design Thinking strategy worked effectively to provide basic information about architectural design, design process, and related tasks and user needs as well, as part of design process for hearing-impaired architectural drafting students with a certain level of hearing loss and language ability. Research Limitations/Implications Since the research was embedded within the existing educational system, data collection and observation processes had to be defined according to these boundaries. Also the students’ level of language abilities and their limited background about their field of study, because that they were first year students were the main limitations of the study. Apart from its aforementioned outcome, the research was a means of expanding the application of the initial DT model, and it could be seen as a contribution to the existing studies concerning the education of the hearing-impaired students. In general, the research illustrated that DT, as a carefully developed approach to be employed particularly for non-design occupations, could also be effectively used to teach design process for disabled design professionals. Consequently, it is thought that it could be applied to the formulation of courses such as; environmental design, design for all, inclusive design, as well as be utilized for students developing empathy with users, familiarizing with observation and interview techniques, and as a means of quick and systematic problem solving sessions. Practical Implications As it might be expected the study primarily contributes to the education of the hearing-impaired students. It helped students to develop an understanding of design process as well as develop their professional schemata (i.e. their conceptual vocabulary). As a research it provides a foundational knowledge concerning application of DT strategies in a specific field of study. Social Implications By nature, one of the basic problems confronting students with disabilities is to make them an integrated part of the society, from daily life to some specialized situations such as professional life and their education. Researcher strongly believes that this study has had implications as such although it was not primarily involved with such a goal. Originality/Value As it might be guessed the present study might be considered as a part of and a contribution to a larger research tradition evolving around the Design Thinking approach, i.e. its application and adaptation to different areas and field, and development of the strategy itself. On the other hand, since it adapts and applies DT to a specific case, and an original problem situation, actually a very rarely addressed one. As such, while it might be considered as a special contribution to that specific tradition, at the same time its primary contribution is to the education of the hearing-impaired students, and its pedagogy.

In today's technological world, mobile-based application development has become a crucial and integral element for achieving competitive advantage. Various fields have tried to create mobile applications. One widely used method is Design Thinking, which focuses on creating more innovative, user-focused, and contextual solutions. This writing reviews mobile application development using the Design Thinking approach as the main method. In this research, the author explores the basic principles of Design Thinking, its processes, and how they can be applied effectively in the stages of mobile application development. The authors also analyze the benefits derived from this approach, including improved product quality, positive user response, and the potential to meet changing market needs. The results illustrate that the Design Thinking approach is not just an application development tool, but also a philosophy that drives better innovation and more relevant solutions. This SLR will display research results to what extent the Design Thinking approach in mobile application development has been used.

This explores the application of design thinking approaches in architectural education and innovation within Nigerian universities, highlighting its potential to transform pedagogical practices and professional creativity. Design thinking, characterized by iterative problem-solving, empathy-driven research, and prototype testing, offers a human-centered framework that bridges theoretical knowledge and practical architectural solutions. In the context of Nigerian architectural education, traditional curricula often emphasize technical skills and design theory but are limited in fostering creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and context-responsive problem-solving. This research underscores the need to integrate design thinking methodologies to cultivate adaptive, innovative, and socially responsive architectural graduates capable of addressing complex urban, environmental, and socio-cultural challenges. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study analyzes curriculum frameworks, pedagogical practices, and stakeholder perceptions across selected Nigerian universities. Data collection methods include qualitative interviews with faculty and students, review of design studios and project outcomes, and case studies of institutions implementing design thinking initiatives. Findings indicate that incorporating design thinking enhances critical reasoning, collaborative skills, and iterative experimentation among students, enabling them to generate innovative solutions tailored to local contexts. Furthermore, the study identifies challenges such as limited faculty training, resource constraints, and institutional resistance to pedagogical change, which hinder the full integration of design thinking practices. Recommendations are proposed for curriculum redesign, faculty capacity building, and the establishment of collaborative innovation labs to foster experiential learning. The study also emphasizes the broader implications for architectural innovation in Nigeria, suggesting that design thinking can contribute to more sustainable, culturally informed, and technologically adaptive built environments. Ultimately, the research demonstrates that adopting design thinking approaches in architectural education is not merely a pedagogical enhancement but a strategic pathway to cultivating future architects capable of driving innovation, resilience, and societal impact in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving urban and cultural landscapes.