Design (re)Thinking with the Mission in Mind
In the past several years, Design Thinking has become a prominent technique to solve complex challenges in Government. Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to problem solving where empathy is a key principle, and where we strive to understand stakeholders’ goals, ambitions, motivations, needs, desires, and frustrations. It provides a structured, yet iterative and flexible process to create alternatives, and identify and then implement new ways of working to achieve mission goals.
The Lab at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) are great examples of Government organizations using human-centered design to help federal employees and agencies solve complex challenges and exceed their missions creatively, innovatively, and strategically.
In 2019, The Lab supported the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in building the Veterans Experience Office, which had the goal of being the top customer experience (CX) office in the Federal Government. By using human-centered design, The Lab helped the VA realize it needed a new enterprise-level view of its organization to solve this complex CX problem. IT modernization is a critical Government mission area where design thinking can help solve complex challenges.
The USDS works to deliver better government services to the American people through technology and design. By using Design Thinking, USDS helped agencies like Health and Human Services (HHS) modernize the Medicare Payment System, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) build a website for emergency managers and school administrators to keep students safe. Tackling a problem using Design Thinking starts by ‘empathizing’ with customers and key stakeholders, and ‘framing’ the problem, while remaining focused on the mission.
Agencies can use Design Thinking to take a different approach to problems and can use the following techniques during the five phases of the process:
Empathize – Defining, prioritizing, and interviewing stakeholders are critical empathizing techniques. This research phase not only deepens agencies’ understanding of the stakeholders they serve and the challenges they aim to solve, but it also puts the mission into context. Empathizing is the foundation of Design Thinking
Frame – Analyzing data and exploring stakeholder needs are key framing techniques. These approaches allow clear articulation of complex problems, further define the mission, and allow for the integration of innovative solutions at future steps in the Design Thinking process
Explore – Iterative idea generation is a crucial exploring technique. This limitless step explores all possible ideas and solutions. Agencies can consider how challenges, opportunities, and priorities apply to the mission
Experiment – Building prototypes is an important experimenting technique. This phase can take many forms, which aims to test innovative solutions that meet user needs and works toward mission success
Implement – An implementation plan is an essential technique that incorporates stakeholders’ unique environments, places complex challenges into context, and embodies the mission. When agencies put solutions into action and constantly refine, they fulfill their mission
The five phases of the Design Thinking process and the various techniques it consists of encourage a human-centered approach to identifying and solving complex Government challenges. ‘Empathize’ is the critical foundational step that agencies must integrate throughout each Design Thinking phase. The American people are at the center of the Government’s mission, making the Design Thinking framework key to addressing their complex needs.
Use the techniques in this five-step Design Thinking approach to keep stakeholders needs at the center, break down complex challenges, and implement innovative solutions that deliver on the mission.
