Latest news with #designthinking
Forbes
31-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why UI/UX Could Determine Success For AI Systems
Adam Bowen is the CEO & Co-Founder of Tergle, a Y Combinator-backed company building AI agents for audit. The most sophisticated AI product in the world fails if users can't effectively interact with it. As companies pour billions into AI development, many are discovering an uncomfortable truth: Poor user interface/user experience (UI/UX) design is becoming a primary bottleneck preventing AI being used daily by consumers. This represents a critical blind spot for technology leaders who have invested heavily in AI infrastructure while overlooking the human interface that determines adoption and business value. For clarity, UI and UX refers to both the visual elements users see (UI) and their overall journey when experiencing the system (UX). In AI contexts, this includes how users discover AI capabilities, understand what the system can do, interpret results, correct errors and build trust in automated decisions. The Business Case For AI-Centric Design Thinking Every dollar invested in AI UI/UX design can yield exceptional returns. McKinsey research published in 2018, which tracked 300 companies over five years, found top-quartile design performers achieved 32 percentage points higher revenue growth and 56 percentage points higher total returns to shareholders. For AI products specifically, usability scores may correlate with adoption rates (registration required). In a study that analyzed user reviews using sentiment analysis, ChatGPT achieved the highest usability scores (0.504 on Android, 0.462 on iOS), while Google's Gemini AI scored lower at 0.016. I think the companies achieving AI success understand this dynamic. Organizations with high AI maturity may generate higher ROI than those merely experimenting, and the differentiating factor isn't algorithm sophistication—it's user adoption driven by thoughtful interface design that builds trust and enables effective human-AI collaboration. Essential Principles For AI Interface Excellence I've found the most successful AI products follow proven design frameworks that prioritize transparency, control and user understanding. Microsoft's research team, working with 49 design practitioners, developed 18 validated guidelines for human-AI interaction that form the foundation of effective AI UI/UX. These principles address three critical phases: initial interaction (setting clear expectations about AI capabilities), ongoing interaction (providing contextual information and maintaining social norms) and error recovery (explaining failures and enabling user correction). From my perspective, the most critical yet underappreciated principle is progressive disclosure of AI complexity. Many interfaces overwhelm users with technical details upfront or hide everything behind a "magic" black box. The sweet spot lies in revealing AI capabilities gradually as users build competence and confidence. Start with simple, high-value interactions that demonstrate clear benefit, then progressively expose more sophisticated features and controls. We are beginning to see this underway with OpenAI and Anthropic adding reasoning traces to their models, allowing users to optionally peek behind the curtain at the AI's thought process without forcing this complexity on everyone. The Competitive Advantage Of Human-Centered AI Design We're witnessing the emergence of the third major UI paradigm shift in computing history. After command-line interfaces and graphical user interfaces, AI represents a move toward intent-based interfaces where users describe desired outcomes rather than specific steps. This shift demands new design approaches that balance automation with user control. Multimodal AI interfaces are gaining significant traction, with Roots Analysis projecting the market to grow from $3.29 billion in 2025 to $93.99 billion by 2035—a 39.81% CAGR. However, I've noticed this represents the most aggressive projection among major research firms, exceeding other credible forecasts. Grand View Research provides the most conservative projection: $2.27 billion in 2025 growing to $10.89 billion by 2030 (36.8% CAGR). Voice interfaces are moving from novelty to necessity, with an estimated 8.4 billion digital voice assistants in use globally by 2025. Companies like Meta are integrating multimodal capabilities into everyday objects like Ray-Ban smart glasses, creating seamless transitions between voice, visual and contextual interactions. As I see it, organizations winning with AI understand that technology advantage is temporary, but user experience creates lasting differentiation. AI capabilities will over time commoditize, and then interface design, in my opinion, will become the primary competitive battleground. Users will likely choose AI products that feel trustworthy, understandable and empowering over those that feel opaque or threatening, regardless of underlying technical sophistication. I think the path forward requires treating AI UI/UX design as a core competency rather than an afterthought. Organizations that master human-centered AI interface design could capture huge value as AI adoption accelerates across industries. Yet those who treat UI/UX as an afterthought may watch their systems gather dust, as users flock to more compelling alternatives. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Times of Oman
22-07-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Design thinking conference explores use of AI in developing innovative solutions
Salalah: A two-day design thinking conference, which kicked off in Salalah on Tuesday, explored the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in developing innovative solutions and enhancing design operations. Dr. Ahmed Mohsen Al Ghassani, Chairman of Dhofar Municipality, was the chief guest at the opening of the conference, themed "Redesigning the Future: Design Thinking to Solve Contemporary Challenges". The conference, organised by the Ministry of Labour, offers an opportunity for leaders from public and private sector establishments to meet with experts in the fields of design, innovation and public administration. The event will address strategies for supporting cultural and social change, the role of innovation in bringing about positive transition and the importance of innovative thinking in addressing challenges. The conference also deals with audience analysis measures, converting ideas into feasible projects, global successful business models and the impact of sustainable design and innovative marketing on improving the quality of services and products.
Fast Company
08-07-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Why education isn't keeping up with the creative industry
Creativity's value to business success can't be overstated. Not only do 70% of employers say that creative thinking is the most in-demand skill, but studies show that companies prioritizing design outperform those that don't by two to one. And as the rise of AI, social media, and creators continues to quickly transform both business and culture, it will likely be the creative industry—and those working within it—that will help others navigate that change. Things are evolving quickly and creativity is essential to that evolution. So then, why is it that creative education—the backbone of creativity —is largely standing still while others are embracing change? For decades, the current creative education landscape in the U.S. is largely private, expensive, and increasingly out of sync with the industry's real needs. Most accredited creative programs follow a similar structure: multi-year degrees with high tuition costs, studio-based courses, and portfolio development as the primary measure of progress. While these programs can offer technical training and creative rigor, they often produce similar outcomes: predictable ideas in an industry that thrives on surprise. Also, creative tools and thinking are changing every day, necessitating constant learning not facilitated by current models. Of course, creativity can thrive outside of formal education. Especially now, creative tools are increasingly accessible, and that's a good thing. Also, platforms like TikTok, Canva, and AI-driven products have lowered the barrier to entry, and today's creators are proving that you don't need a degree to have a voice, or an audience. But access to creative tools isn't the same as understanding how to use them well—or how to achieve a level of craft in execution that not only produces results but is worthy of being celebrated. Structured education still matters. So, instead of abandoning creative education altogether, the answer may be in forcing it to evolve–embracing new models that acknowledge the real-world needs of business and culture. When education fails, everybody loses In my work with creative organization and educational nonprofit D&AD, I've seen the lack of innovation's impact in creative education in the U.S., especially as expensive tuitions and employers' reliance on traditional talent pipelines leads to creative homogeneity: Business growth suffers when companies pull from the same narrow talent pools. Diverse perspectives drive cultural relevance and resonance. And for Gen Z in particular— demanding cultural alignment from the brands they support—the cost of getting it wrong is higher than ever. Diversity of thought suffers when teams are filled with people who've had the same training, same references, and same industry touchpoints. Surprising ideas don't arise from predictable inputs. Across marketing, branding, and beyond, we're seeing the effects—ideas that feel increasingly familiar—created by teams that look increasingly alike. Entry-level, mid-level and even leadership demographics stagnate because if the pipeline into the creative industry is closed, the pipeline up stays closed too. Studies show that this kind of lack of leadership diversity hurts business innovation as well. The current U.S. traditional creative educational model only perpetuates these issues, excluding not only the same groups often left out of higher education—low-income students, first-generation college students, Black, brown, Indigenous, neurodivergent, and rural creatives—but also a growing cohort of social media creators as well as creatives with raw talent who never had access to training, mentorship, or even the vocabulary to describe what they're good at. Strengthen creative education Fortunately, there's been a major shift in how alternative creative programs are viewed, not just by talent, but by the industry itself. What once felt like a 'plan B' is now seen as a fast, relevant, and often more inclusive way to surface new voices and ideas. Alternative programs don't need to be a threat to traditional creative education. In fact, organizations like ours can provide insights into how to evolve to provide what talent needs. Commit to low cost or even free: More urgently, access remains a major barrier. If you can't afford tuition, unpaid internships, or the time it takes to build a portfolio, you're often locked out—not because you lack talent, but because you lack the means to invest or even awareness that this path even exists. That's why, at D&AD, our night school Shift is fully-funded with no cost to the student, while still delivering a 74% industry placement rate. Other educational institutions need to follow suit, offering ways to dramatically decrease the financial barrier to entry. With the right access, the right talent will show up. Stress real world skills: Most creative programs do a good job teaching skills, but rarely offer the context students need to thrive in the real world. Students learn how to ideate, design, and critique. But they are often not educated on the other important aspects essential to success: understanding the pace, context and nuance, mastering the soft skills essential to conversation and collaboration, as well as how to function productively as part of a team. We've found that by taking on live briefs from brands like Spotify, Adidas, Diageo, and Airbnb—presenting ideas, fielding feedback, and navigating ambiguity in real time—we've been able to nurture creatives to hit the ground running in a workplace. Nurture a learning mindset: The only constant is change, so it's critical to embrace an approach that prioritizes discovery and experimentation. The simple fact is that you can't expect relevant creative work from teams running on outdated approaches. Iterative training isn't just about tools. It's about staying connected to cultural shifts, industry changes, evolving platforms—and most importantly, changing audience expectations. The most impactful creative work comes from teams that are learning continuously, not just about craft, but about context. More traditional creative colleges and schools need to build iterative offerings that reflect this reality. The truth is that the best creative education doesn't just teach craft; it nurtures curiosity, builds confidence, provides context, and fosters community. These aren't immutable qualities but ones that evolve and change, especially now that social and technological factors have radically altered the creative industry and the businesses relying on it. We have to invest in creative people, not just the creativity. And it starts by giving creatives the right education.
Fast Company
08-07-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
'Design thinking' is on its deathbed (and that's okay)
BY and Mark Wilson Design thinking, the notion that anyone can solve problems like a designer with the right method and mindset, was a mainstay of corporate America from the 2000s into the 2010s. In recent years, though, the ideology's effectiveness has been called into question, and it has become one of the most divisive topics in the field. Now it looks like corporations have started sidestepping the term completely. When analyzing 176,000 design job listings for our annual report on Where the Design Jobs Are, we searched specifically for employers' use of the term 'design thinking.' We found that it dropped significantly year over year: by 9.1% in UX/UI design, 17.6% in product design, and a whopping 57.2% in graphic design. We have been scrutinizing the idea of design thinking for years. It began humbly, with late design luminaries including Sara Little Turnbull and Bill Morridge trying to codify the field's human-first principles (work that would evolve at Stanford's But as the term grew popular in the early aughts—presented primarily by the design firm IDEO as part magic, part skill that anyone could learn (just pay IDEO to learn it!)—it became the de facto veneer for Fortune 500 corporations that wanted to chase some of that Apple magic. They, too, could attempt a design-forward viewpoint. The super-early-rate deadline for Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Awards is Friday, July 25, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The evolution of design thinking: From products to problem-solving across industries
Once a niche process used mostly in product design, design thinking has become a flexible, people-first framework for solving problems across business, education, entertainment, and more. This story, based on information gathered by Lazzoni, follows the five classic stages of design thinking — empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test — and shows how major innovators have used it to shape everything from technology to storytelling. The roots of design thinking reach back to the 1950s and '60s. Architects and engineers were among the first to experiment with a structured way to think through creative challenges. In 1969, Nobel laureate Herbert A. Simon published 'The Sciences of the Artificial,' a foundational text that introduced the idea of design as a form of thinking. Simon emphasized quickly building, observing, and testing, core ideas that remain central to the modern process. Over the next few decades, the method evolved. By the 1970s and '80s, researchers and professionals refined the approach further, and in the 2000s, firms like IDEO and institutions like Stanford's helped it go mainstream. Their five-stage model helped turn design thinking into a go-to strategy for innovation. No longer limited to physical products, it's now shaping how teams solve problems, build systems, and improve experiences across industries. Empathy is the foundation of good design and often the most crucial part. It means avoiding guesswork and really getting to know the people you're designing for. That involves watching, listening, and immersing yourself in their day-to-day lives to understand what they do, what drives them, and what gets in their way. One of the most well-known examples is how Apple approached design under Steve Jobs. The team didn't just brainstorm in a room. They spent months studying how people actually used technology, paying close attention to the moments when things didn't quite work. And they weren't just looking for functional needs. They were trying to understand how products made people feel. Jobs once said, 'People don't know what they want until you show it to them,' a mindset that drove Apple's empathy-first design process and led to intuitive, emotional product experiences. Charles and Ray Eames brought a similar mindset to their work in furniture and installations. Their philosophy, 'To make the best for the most for the least,' was rooted in understanding people's day-to-day lives. They emphasized function, comfort, and accessibility in their work. Their designs were beautiful, but they were also shaped by a deep awareness of user context, whether that meant a lounge chair or an educational exhibit. Furniture and interior designers have long relied on empathy to create pieces that genuinely enhance users' lives. For instance, at Ikea, designers routinely spend time in customers' homes to observe how people live, their challenges with existing furniture, and unmet needs in daily routines. This thinking led to modular storage solutions and flat-pack furniture, which addressed real-world constraints like affordability and space and simplified assembly. George Nelson of Herman Miller similarly innovated furniture and space design. His focus on real use cases and emotional needs resulted in relevant iconic designs. They respond to how people use their homes and offices, emphasizing comfort, adaptability, and emotional well-being. In corporate environments, companies like Herman Miller have developed methodologies such as the Living Office, which begins with deep user research—workshops, interviews, and on-site observation—to understand how people work and interact, ensuring that every element of the workspace supports both individual and collaborative activities. Once designers deeply understand their users, the next step is zeroing in on the right problem to solve. The Define stage makes use of all of the research collected during the Empathy stage. It's about framing the challenge in a way that puts real human needs front and center, not just business goals or technical hurdles. This isn't always easy. Designers have to sift through everything they've observed to spot patterns and insights. Then, they write a problem statement that reflects the user's needs, not the company's assumptions. This stage is critical for making sure that the solution is both relevant and meaningful. Apple used this step to its advantage. When developing the iPhone, the team recognized how frustrating traditional smartphone keyboards were. That insight didn't come from guessing but from watching users struggle. Apple then reframed the challenge from simply 'building a phone' to 'designing a phone experience that feels natural.' That shift in focus made all the difference. Steelcase, a leader in office furniture, recognized that the shift toward open-plan offices created new problems, such as a lack of privacy and difficulty booking meeting spaces. By defining these challenges through user observation, Steelcase was able to develop solutions like the Room Wizard, an electronic system for reserving meeting rooms, and modular furniture systems that accommodate both collaboration and focused work. Today, the Define stage is being used far beyond product teams. Educators and business strategists now use design thinking to frame messy, complex problems in more human-centered ways, turning ambiguity into clarity and insight into action. Once the problem is clear, it's time to start coming up with ideas — lots of them. The Ideate stage is all about creativity and open thinking. Teams are encouraged to go wide, question the usual way of doing things, and explore ideas that might seem unconventional at first. This is where techniques like brainstorming, brainwriting, and mind mapping come into play, pushing teams toward fresh possibilities without worrying (yet) about feasibility. The goal isn't to find the perfect answer right away. It's to create space for out-of-the-box ideas, get them out in the open, and then build on them. In fact, quantity is more important than quality during this stage because even 'bad' ideas can lead to great ones. Design legends Charles and Ray Eames were early masters of this mindset. Their iterative process involved testing countless materials, forms, and functions before settling on their final designs. They didn't stop at the first good idea. They kept going. Their willingness to explore and revise, especially in their furniture and exhibit work, shows what strong ideation habits can produce.. Netflix takes a similar approach by constantly iterating on features. Whether it's improving personalization or experimenting with new user interface elements, the team leans on ideation to stay responsive to user needs and ahead of trends. Their focus on rapid concept generation helps them build tools that feel fresh, relevant, and intuitive. Once you've got a solid batch of ideas, the next step is to start building. Prototyping means creating quick, low-cost versions so you can test how something might work in the real world. These early models make it easier to try different approaches, gather feedback, and keep things moving. Instead of aiming for perfection, the goal is to learn and improve. Prototypes can take many forms, such as sketches, storyboards, physical mock-ups, or digital wireframes. What matters is turning ideas into something tangible that users can interact with. This helps identify what works, what doesn't, and what needs to be improved before investing too much time or money. At Herman Miller, designers build full-scale prototypes of chairs, desks, and office systems to test ergonomics, durability, and aesthetic appeal, often iterating through dozens of versions before settling on a final design. In educational settings, students are challenged to create weight-bearing furniture from unconventional materials using the design thinking cycle to ideate, build, and refine their creations based on real-world constraints and user feedback. Apple has long embraced this mindset. When the iPhone was in development, the team created and tested multiple versions, each shaped by user feedback. Those early prototypes influenced everything from the phone's look to the way we swipe and tap. Prototyping brings ideas out of the abstract and into the real world. It's a fast, flexible way to learn what sticks and what needs another round of thinking. The final stage of design thinking is all about testing, but not in a one-and-done way. It's about learning through real use. Teams put prototypes in front of actual users, gather honest feedback, and make changes based on what they observe. Often, this process loops back into earlier stages, sparking new ideas or reframing the problem. Furniture and interior design testing is an ongoing, iterative process that extends well beyond initial user trials. At Steelcase, new products undergo extensive usability testing in real-world office environments, where employee feedback leads to refinements in comfort, adjustability, and integration with technology. Ikea regularly invites customers to assemble prototypes in-store, gathering insights on where users struggle and what improvements are needed in instructions or hardware. Herman Miller's Living Office projects include post-occupancy evaluations, where designers observe how people use new workspaces and adjust based on observed behaviors and direct feedback. Apple has long treated testing as a critical phase. Before launching new products, teams conducted extensive user trials, adjusting both hardware and software based on how people actually used the device. The iPhone's intuitive gestures, layout, and overall flow were all shaped through testing with real users. Netflix heavily relies on continuous A/B testing to shape its user experience. From personalized content rows to the autoplay feature, everything gets tested at scale. Teams ask what people like and study what people actually do. That focus on user behavior, combined with fast iteration, helps Netflix stay relevant and user-friendly in a crowded media space. Today, testing goes beyond products. Businesses use it to refine strategies. Educators use it to improve lesson plans. Even individuals apply it when making life decisions. Whether in tech or teaching, putting ideas to the test leads to better outcomes and keeps the process grounded in real-world application. Design thinking continues to grow and change. What started as a tool for product teams is now influencing how entire organizations work. One of the biggest shifts is how it's blending with other frameworks. More and more teams are combining design thinking with Lean and Agile methods to work faster without losing sight of the people they're designing for. This mix adds structure to the creative process, making it easier to keep innovating even in fast-moving environments. At the same time, new priorities are shaping how design thinking is used day to day. There's more attention on sustainability, data-backed decisions, and making space for a wider range of voices. As more industries see its value, design thinking is becoming a practical tool for anyone, not just designers. From healthcare to public policy, teams are using it to tackle real-world problems in their own fields. Still, it's not a perfect system. Design thinking can take time, which can be a challenge when speed is a top priority. Critics also point out that an overemphasis on user needs can sometimes lead to solutions that ignore business goals or broader systems. Scaling the approach across teams or organizations can also pose logistical hurdles, especially when there's limited buy-in. At its heart, design thinking is still about one thing: putting people first. And in a world full of big, messy issues like climate change, digital burnout, and inequality, that mindset matters more than ever. The tools might evolve, but the goal of approaching problems with empathy, clear thinking, and a drive to make a real difference doesn't change. This story was produced by Lazzoni and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
