What are the Benefits of Fast Design Thinking?

MAKE – STUFF – FAST

We are constantly told we live in a fast-paced society and that we need to slow things down but in the case of design thinking and prototyping, slowing things down can cause paralysis! Instead, I have been testing out a new concept, Make-Stuff-Fast! Or what I like to call Fast Design Thinking.

Experiencing these three words in action has blown the design lid right off my head. Or in other words, given me the best a-ha moment on steroids I have had in a long time.

Make-Stuff-Fast.

Then test (with customers) and repeat.

When customers have something ‘real’ to interact with, everything shifts (this part I knew!) It is incredible how quickly things move when your client has a ‘quick and dirty’ design in their hands.

The ability to get rapid feedback from clients and validate/kill your ideas/change direction, when you do this at speed can turn a six-month process into a two-day process.

At the heart of this is making ideas real.

Taking ideas off the thousand post-it notes you have created and put something real in front of your customer. Whether it is an interaction, an interface, a visual, a concept or an object. It allows your client to see, hear and feel those emotions and responses to the design you have presented.

You can then brainstorm together what worked, didn’t work, what wasn’t thought of, what should be removed and based on your insights, hit the play button again.

MAKE – STUFF – FAST

Then test (with customers) and repeat…

My BIG learn is to change our thinking from ‘1-3 prototypes over a day’ to ’50 prototypes over a day’. As perfectionists (which we are demanded to be), it can feel uncomfortable working, making and testing so quickly. However, the value is immense when we let go of our ideas of what can be tested.

Literally, anything goes!

Fast Design Thinking

Next time you have a design sprint or have to come with concepts, prototypes or an interface using design thinking methodology, take it one step further and think quickly! Fast Design Thinking is the way you need to move your ideas forward to get a quick analysis and a speedy solution for your client.