The Use of Design Thinking to Develop Corporate Skills and Competencies

Abstract

Design thinking is a methodology for proposing creative and innovative solutions for problems that use the mindset of the designers. The Bootcamp Bootleg suggests the following steps for design thinking: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Corporate training usually aims to develop key analytical skills and competencies such as: analytical thinking, decision making, problem solving, leadership, and strategic thinking. However, 21st century holistic and intuitive skills are also required in management today, such as communication, creativity, innovation, and empathy. Design Thinking roots are business and design, and its application to the area of education is more recent. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss how design thinking, combined with information and communication technologies (ICT), can be used to promote 21st century skills and competencies in the corporate environment.