Have you interacted with your phone without realizing it today?

Technology has truly become a big part of our daily lives. Interactions with our phones and other devices have become routine based and actions are often performed automatically.

The award-winning psychologist, Daniel Kahneman, describes the human thought process through two different systems in his best-selling book “Thinking, Fast and Slow”. System 1 refers to an intuitive and effort-free way of thinking, where actions become automatic. System 2, on the other hand, refers to a controlled and conscious way of thinking that requires our full attention and demands a lot of energy. Our brain tries to save energy, and this is where system 1 runs the show.

Daniel Kahneman’s thought theory is interesting when talking about technology and the process of designing the best solution for users. If the interaction with the apps we use every day has become automatic and based on prior actions as described in system 1, then it’s not enough to ask a client or user how a solution should be designed, since he or she may be unaware of his or her actions and therefore also of what the actual need is.

Use methods that supports our way of thinking

Scrum and agile management have been used to develop technology with iterative approaches for a long time. Through sprints, people work closely together with a focus on transparency and auto-perceptiveness to identify mistakes early and make adjustments, which moves things and the development process alongside faster. But with technology being such a big part of our lives today, you also need methods to explore what the right solution actually is.

As human beings, we love routines and have a hard time stepping outside our comfort zone. We need guidance and tools to do the things that sound so good in theory. Using Design Thinking will help you design for the intended user and adjust your mind in a way that supports our way of thinking.

Design Thinking – Not just a process, but a mindset

If the use of technology is controlled by the part of the brain that does things automatically based on prior experiences, then the solution you think you need might not match with what you actually do in practice. This is where Design Thinking can provide tools to develop solutions which meet the actual needs of the intended user while also supporting the Agile and Scrum development methodology. Scrum is an effective framework when the project team begins to develop the product, but Design Thinking helps the Scrum process by establishing the right starting point. If you don’t make sure that the right solution is being created and that all alternative outcomes have been explored and prioritized, then you will most often find yourself in a delayed project, needing to make many corrections late in the process. And as you all know, the later in the process, the more expensive the corrections will be due to the time spent on developing the wrong solution and the time needed to get back on track.

Design Thinking is not just a process, it’s a mindset that takes time to incorporate. Design Thinking is simple in theory but difficult to do in practice, because it challenges our way of thinking. It can be difficult for the human mind to see the point of going through “one process before the actual process”, when there is no profit initially. Design Thinking supports Kahneman’s system 1 in the way that is gives room for our intuitive way of thinking, but it also utilizes elements of system 2 to analyze the human behavior – it’s not always what you say that’s interesting, it’s what you do.

Design Thinking with 2BM

Are you still not sure where to start? Don’t worry, 2BM can help you start your project with a solid foundation and from the right starting point. We help you reframe your pains and see a solution that meets your actual needs by bringing a team of Process, UX, Design and Development experts.
We prioritize an agile approach with a focus on transparency – always with the user in mind. We build your solution in close collaboration with you!