Exploring Possibilities in Design Thinking: Stage 2 – What If?
Stage 2: What If?
This stage focuses on creativity. After understanding the existing problem in Stage 1 (What Is?), we now explore new possibilities and ideas.
Key Points:
✅ Ask creative and thought-provoking questions to generate ideas.
✅ Use insights from the previous stage to imagine new solutions.
✅ Instead of relying only on personal imagination, use trigger questions to think beyond usual limits.
Example:
- A restaurant finds that customers dislike long wait times (from Stage 1).
- Instead of simply hiring more staff, they ask: "What if customers could order before arriving?"
- This leads to an idea: a pre-order app that reduces wait times.
Tools Used in Stage 2: "What If?"
Tool 5: Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a method to generate fresh ideas and alternatives by involving different perspectives. The more diverse the team, the better the ideas.
How it Works:
- Start with a challenge (e.g., How can we make waiting at restaurants more enjoyable?).
- Gather a diverse team (different roles, backgrounds).
- Encourage open thinking (no criticism, just idea-building).
- Use trigger questions to inspire creative solutions.
- Document all ideas, no matter how wild they seem.
Example:
A supermarket wants to reduce checkout queues. Brainstorming session ideas:
- What if customers could scan items with their phones? (Self-checkout app)
- What if there were express lanes for smaller purchases? (Dedicated express counters)
- What if robots helped bag groceries? (Automation)
The Zen of Brainstorming (Best Practices)
| Principle | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Right people | Small, diverse group for fresh perspectives. |
| Right challenge | A clear design brief to focus the session. |
| Right mindset | Supportive, idea-building attitude. |
| Right empathy | Keep customer needs in mind. |
| Right inspiration | Use journey mapping insights. |
| Right stimulus | Ask trigger questions. |
| Right facilitation | Combine individual and group brainstorming. |
| Right follow-up | Organize ideas into concepts. |
Tool 6: Concept Development
This is the process of choosing the best brainstorming ideas, refining them, and evaluating their feasibility.
How it Works:
- Pick the most innovative ideas from brainstorming.
- Combine and refine ideas into structured concepts.
- Evaluate them using customer and business criteria.
- Develop multiple solutions to give customers a choice.
Example:
From the supermarket brainstorming session, the best ideas might be:
- A self-checkout mobile app.
- A "10 items or less" fast lane.
Instead of testing all ideas, the company develops these two into full concepts and evaluates which one is more practical.
Brainstorming vs. Concept Development
| Feature | Brainstorming | Concept Development |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Generate a large number of ideas | Select and refine the best ideas |
| Team | Open to all perspectives | Core team with deep project knowledge |
| Process | Free-flowing, creative | Structured evaluation |
| Outcome | A list of ideas | A few well-defined concepts |
Here are some real-world case studies to illustrate Stage 2: What If? in Design Thinking, focusing on Brainstorming and Concept Development.
Case Study 1: Starbucks – Reducing Customer Wait Time
Problem Identified (Stage 1: What Is?)
Starbucks realized that customers were frustrated with long wait times during peak hours.
What If? (Creative Thinking)
They conducted brainstorming sessions and asked:
✅ What if customers could order in advance?
✅ What if customers didn’t have to stand in line at all?
Brainstorming Ideas
- A mobile app for pre-ordering and payment.
- A separate pickup counter for pre-orders.
- AI-powered demand forecasting to prepare drinks faster.
Concept Development
Starbucks refined these ideas and launched the "Mobile Order & Pay" feature in their app. Customers could order ahead, skip the line, and pick up their coffee from a designated counter. This reduced wait times significantly and increased customer satisfaction.
Case Study 2: Airbnb – Improving Host-Guest Communication
Problem Identified (Stage 1: What Is?)
Airbnb found that some guests felt uncomfortable or confused about communicating with their hosts, especially in a foreign country.
What If? (Creative Thinking)
The Airbnb team asked:
✅ What if we made host-guest communication easier?
✅ What if guests had an in-app guide to their stay?
Brainstorming Ideas
- An in-app messaging system to chat with hosts.
- A pre-arrival digital guide with house rules, check-in instructions, and local tips.
- An AI-powered language translation tool for international guests.
Concept Development
Airbnb tested and implemented the in-app messaging system and digital guest guides, making communication more seamless and convenient. Later, they introduced automatic language translation, helping hosts and guests connect effortlessly despite language barriers.
Case Study 3: Nike – Sustainable Shoe Design
Problem Identified (Stage 1: What Is?)
Nike wanted to create eco-friendly shoes but faced challenges like cost, durability, and material sourcing.
What If? (Creative Thinking)
Nike’s design team asked:
✅ What if we could make a high-performance shoe from waste materials?
✅ What if we could completely eliminate carbon emissions in production?
Brainstorming Ideas
- Using recycled plastic bottles to create shoe fabric.
- Developing biodegradable materials that naturally break down over time.
- Redesigning the manufacturing process to use less energy.
Concept Development
Nike refined these ideas and developed the Nike Flyknit technology, which uses recycled materials to create lightweight, durable shoes. This reduced material waste by 60% compared to traditional methods.
Key Takeaways
| Company | Problem Identified | Brainstorming Ideas | Final Concept |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starbucks | Long wait times | Mobile ordering, pre-order counters, AI demand forecasting | Mobile Order & Pay app |
| Airbnb | Host-guest communication issues | In-app messaging, digital guides, AI translation | In-app chat & digital guidebooks |
| Nike | Need for sustainable shoes | Recycled materials, biodegradable components | Nike Flyknit (eco-friendly shoes) |
Summary:
- Stage 2: What If? explores new possibilities using insights from Stage 1.
- Brainstorming generates ideas through open discussion.
- Concept Development selects, refines, and evaluates the best ideas.
