Creating a Crisis Resistant (Sustainable) Company with Design Thinking Mindset
My friends who have attended our workshops or listened to our speeches know that one of the indispensable inputs for innovation is the problem. Depending on this, there is always a question that I always get, “Should every startup / business model absolutely have to solve a problem?”. Yes, successful products or services must correspond to a problem or need that users care about.
“Why should we need to create solutions in a world where there are no problems or needs?”
Every year, World Economic Forum has been sharing a report called The Global Risks 2020 (Download link -> http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risk_Report_2020.pdf) which is a great tool for inspiration. In the summary table below, you can spot “infectious diseases” and many more potential risks.
Today, institutions are struggling with financial problems and also, they are fighting for survival. This is the most critical time that they need to benefit from Design Thinking methodologies. If the institutions can transform their solution development process into design thinking based way of working (also called as innovative mindset), then they will not have to be afraid of pandemic or other risks any more.
Nevertheless, most companies ignore the concept of design thinking, in other words, sustainable innovation approach that starts with the problem/need/empathy or insight. It is understandable that institutions have everyday routine to do and they are somewhat right but unfortunately the lower of responding quickly to problems in a crisis, the lower the probability of survival.
As Prof. Vijay Govindarajan mentioned in Reverse Innovation book, “The more problems we have, the more potential to create solutions.” Regardless of being developed country or not, they have numerous problems and this means that they can create great solutions. For example, in India there is financial bottlenecks and infrastructure problems especially in the health sector. This situation has forced entrepreneurs and institutions to develop solutions where access to the ultrasound device is very low. General Electric developed a mobile phone-sized ultrasound device that help health organizations to cope with deaths during pregnancy. In this way, many possible deaths can be prevented by controlling the mother and baby either by the creek or at the top of the mountain.
As a result, we can divide firms into two according to their innovation competencies;
1. Firms that can build a design thinking mindset across the company.
2. Firms who are disrupted by innovative startups or firms.
For this reason, innovation and design thinking methodologies should be one of the main pillars of companies but not only in times of prosperity and also for solving problems in everyday life.
