Innovation Lifecycle Management: Design Thinking

Majority of organizations including healthcare are facing problems that are in a whole new level of scale compared to the challenges we’ve faced in the past few decades. In a largely globalised world, the challenges are becoming more intertwined with the systems connecting all. To solve the problems that organizations are facing today or will face in the future, innovators need a new kind of thinking, a new approach towards innovation. Design thinking is a major part of a new approach towards innovation. It allows organizations like healthcare to have both human-centered perspective and scientific approach towards problem solving. Design Thinking approach is capable of addressing a wide range of challenges and is often used for bringing about innovation within the following contexts - Human-centred innovation, shifting markets and behaviours, medical breakthroughs, issues relating to new technology, redefining value, quality of life, etc. Design thinking is not only a method or process of problem solving. It is also a mindset that is applicable to almost any scenario requiring innovation or unique thinking. Design thinking in healthcare plays a critical role in improving innovation, efficiency and effectiveness. It is a great method to help in creating innovative solutions via logic and imagination. Design thinking process allows large organizations like hospitals to implement a human-centred perspective in creating innovative solutions while also combining logic and research. To embrace design thinking and innovation, healthcare systems should ensure that they have the right mindsets, collaborative teams, and conducive environments.