Design thinking is UX/visual design approach that focuses on experience. Experience happens whether we design for it or not so it makes sense to understand how users experience your product.

Web user interface and how the components look is not an experience.
The impression that the user gets is an experience.

Reframe your tasks to be more open ended while focusing on the goal. Just thinking about the assignment in a different way will improve your design because of the increased creative freedom.

# bad
Design a vase
Design an API marketplace

# good
Design a better way for your family to enjoy flowers at home
Design a better way for developers to use your services

Focusing on human needs leads to better ideas. Don't focus on wants, find out what your users really need.

Many perspectives generate more ideas. Brainstorming might generate more bad ideas; you just need to notice the diamonds.

Master the Loop: Observe - Reflect - Make

• Observe the needs of your target customers and how they use your product.
• Reflect on the problem you are solving and plan how your solution will work.
• Make abstract ideas into testable concrete solution concepts.

Observe + Reflect = Analysis Paralysis; nothing gets done
Observe + Make    = Taking Orders; without planning you are just recreting existing
Reflect + Make    = Flying Blind; are you actually solving anything

"Empathy maps" help to understand the problems you are solving. Create a persona and roleplay.

Rose, the Bank Teller:
- Quotes: what and how she says things
- Expectations: what does she think about the situations
- Actions: what does she do to get their job done
- Values: how does she feel about her job

"As-is scenarios" helps to understand the whole experience.

Flight booking =
Steps:    Plan          Prepare    	Travel   	Destination
Doing:    X 			X 			X 			X
Thinking: X 			X 			X 			X
Feeling:  X 			X 			X 			X

"Need statements" help to dig deeper what is expected. Don't write down features but more open-ended solutions for problems.

___ needs a way to ___ so that ___

Source

• IBM Watson Build, Design Thinking 101