What's This Book About?
Design Thinking is a powerful thinking tool which could drive a brand, business or an individual forward positively. It is also the way of thinking that designers go through in every design project. Thinking like a designer can transform the way organizations develop products and services on the front end, while improving processes and strategy at the back end.
Simply put, it is a way of thinking and ideating on a solution to address a problem or better meet a customer need. It is a process focused on solutions, not problems.
In this book you will:
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Understand key characteristics of Design Thinking
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Understand the 5 action phases of Design Thinking:
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Empathize – Understand your customers and users
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Define – Define clear project and business objectives
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Ideate – Explore ideas and solutions
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Prototype – Build and visualise ideas
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Test – Review ideas and decide on the best one
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How Will the Book Benefit You?
This book will help you:
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Clarify and solve problems better
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Understand your users
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Communicate in visuals confidently
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Innovate ideas and inspire others
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Experiment quickly and at little cost
Who Will Benefit From This Book?
This book is useful for:
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Non-design and design professionals who work in innovation, change management, trend forecasting, problem-solving and quality improvement
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Business and startup owners who want to offer better products and services to their customers
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Freelance designers and design students who want to make a difference in the marketplace
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Design trainers interested in delivering design thinking workshops
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Innovation, creativity and design enthusiasts
What Our Readers Say ...
“Daniel Ling is one of the most innovative experience designers in Asia. This book gives you the tools he uses to make customers happy and businesses successful.”
– David McQuillen, Customer Experience Pioneer & Entrepreneur
“A practical approach on adopting design thinking in your everyday life, and the book complements with great hands-on activities to guide you through seamlessly.”
– Raven Chai, Founder of UX Consulting and UXSG
“Daniel shares his wonderful experience and knowledge to improve the quality of experience design in Asia.”
– Dr Yen Ching Chiuan, Head of Division of Industrial Design NUS Singapore
Crush Complex Problems in The Marketplace? Purchase Book Here
Why Would You Buy This Book?
1. Most Practical Design Thinking Guidebook You'll Ever Need
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Daniel has brought together a simple, easy-to-understand framework of design thinking action plan and mindsets, covering everything you need to know about a practical, action-based design thinking approach. As an experienced, pioneering design thinker in the financial industry, Daniel speaks the language of a banker while thinking like a designer.
Becoming an effective design thinker without an action plan and the right mindsets is difficult, even with plenty of time and effort. Without one, you could spend thousands on design thinking bootcamps trying to piece it all together.
2. Focus on How Rather Than What
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Daniel has delivered design thinking principles with practical activities and templates so that you can apply the approach to your own work. The book includes a step-by-step guide to applying a simple design thinking approach, ready-to-use templates with case study examples, and practical activities to do with your team.
The “what” of design thinking is everywhere on the internet. Everyone wants the “how”, and this book shows you how to apply it.
3. Daniel Ling is the Design Thinker Relevant To You
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Daniel has established himself as a designer in a business suit, with years of experience facilitating design with the sales, operations, IT, legal and marketing teams of a bank. He does know a thing or two about talking to non-designers.
The book speaks from a non-designer's point of view. It is neither theoretical nor technical, so the knowledge is simple and easy to understand.
Two Things For Me After You Read This Book
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” – Albert Einstein
This book is now available to readers in Singapore, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the rest of the world, on Amazon and as a PDF. I feel a responsibility to share my experience in design thinking, along with the action plan and mindsets that come with it.
In sharing the knowledge in this book, I ask two things of you. With that, I will have fulfilled a life objective.
1. Apply what you have learnt
Start small, but start. Wisdom from a quote, inspiration from an activity or a practical tool from a template – these are all building blocks you can apply to your life, workplace, school or community. Stay mindful of what you have learnt and apply design thinking wherever you go.
2. Be the change agent
Be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Change is inevitable, and only a fool refuses to embrace it. Once you start becoming a design thinker and solving problems in new ways, people will notice and follow – especially when you deliver the right results.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who wrote the Complete Design Thinking Guide for Successful Professionals?
The book was written by Daniel Ling, Founder and CEO of Emerge Creatives, an SSG-approved training organisation in Singapore. It was published in June 2015 as a 182-page guide (ISBN 9781514202739).
2. What does the Complete Design Thinking Guide cover?
It explains design thinking through a 5-step action plan: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test. Each phase comes with practical templates, such as personas, plus mindsets and case studies so professionals can apply the method at work.
3. Who should read this Design Thinking Book?
The guide is written for non-design and design professionals, business and startup owners, freelance designers, design students and trainers who want a practical, step-by-step way to solve problems and innovate.
4. Where can I buy the Complete Design Thinking Guide?
The paperback is available worldwide on Amazon, and a PDF edition can be downloaded from Payhip. Both links are on this page.
5. How does the book relate to Emerge Creatives’ AI Design Thinking course?
The book is the foundation of Emerge Creatives’ 3-day WSQ AI Design Thinking Certification Course in Singapore. The course applies the same 5-step method with AI tools and is eligible for SkillsFuture funding.