A design is essentially a plan or specifications for the design of an object, structure or system and/or for the proper execution of such plan or specifications in the form of an example, product or procedure, or the end result of that plan or specifications. The word ‘design’ as used in this context, generally includes the entire arrangement of materials, equipments and other relevant details for building or constructing something, whether visible or invisible, visible or non-visible, fixed or movable, or man-made or organic. ‘Obvious’ design refers to a design that manifests itself in easily recognizable form and is intended as a characteristic of something created or produced by humans. ‘perceptual design ‘refers to a design that produces a perception of reality that is independent of human understanding and is therefore ‘real’.
Design thinking can help us to generate better understandings of the physical, chemical, electrical, optical and potential energy properties of all types of matter at diverse levels of density from the atomic to planetary in terms of molecules. It can account for the emergence of the universe from nothing to a multiverse. Design thinking also accounts for many of the greatest technological breakthroughs that have occurred over the history of the human species, including such incredible events as the Wright Brothers flight across the English Channel and the Statue of Liberty. Many well-known designers and scientists have used the tools of design thinking to solve some of the most troubling puzzles of our time, including such technologies as: the Internet, digital cameras, space shuttles, clocks, and even light bulbs. The possibilities are literally endless.
The key to innovation is the ability to think not from a design perspective alone, but to conceive of what the end user might want, need or want to make available. In doing so, we open up countless options for designing user experiences, products and services. Design thinking empowers people to seek true empathy when formulating or implementing solutions to real-life user problems. Design thinking also empowers people to share their experiences, thus providing an invaluable forum for feedback and user education. By thinking critically and creatively about design issues, the potential for breakthrough innovation becomes more likely.