Lean and Design Thinking — A Valuable Match

Optimisation of processes and designing what the customer wants. What do Lean and Design Thinking have in common? And what makes them valuable in combination?

I had the pleasure to learn and practice lean management while working at a US based medical device company. Initially, I was intrigued by the Japanese verbiage and difficult terms used, but as I gradually learned the concepts by applying them to real problems, often in the area of improving processes which were not running as expected, I became really passionate about it. After a few years, I had participated in, led or championed many projects which improved processes or solved customer problems in a lean way. The results were astonishing, above anything I had expected.

I currently often think of my early days in applying lean. Nowadays I am sensing comparable vibes of potential, starting to train design thinking to others at the global financial institution I am now working for. In the current digital age, organisations and people want to drive innovation to find solutions for existing problems, or to find opportunities or inspiration for products and services which will meet or exceed future customer needs.

Both lean management (or lean production) and design thinking are concepts which have been there for a long time. In this article I am sharing my views and experiences on what makes these concepts - or rather mindsets - so valuable in everyday business life. Whether it concerns solving a customer problem, designing a new product, fixing a broken process or bringing people together working on the same purpose: There are elements in both that are worth applying and combining. But before we do so, let’s first have a quick look at what both concepts are about.

Lean

Lean finds its origin in manufacturing. It is a way to improve a process by eliminating waste, or non-valuable steps, in a process. Value is defined in the perspective of the customer. Lean processes are built in steps which add value to the customer, i.e. the customer is willing to pay for. The original term lean stems from the 1980s, and many may have heard or know about the Toyota Production System, which is based on principles of a well-tacted and well-timed process (also called just-in-time production), meeting the needs of the customer. Lean has many tools, definitions, methods and systematic approaches. Organisations applying lean are mostly characterised by a culture of continuous improvement at the very working level of the organisation.

Design Thinking

Although principles of design thinking originate from industrial design and engineering in the 1960s, later it became a way of problem solving in much wider application areas. Probably all of us will have participated in a brainstorm session of any kind, which might be the most recognisable element in the design thinking process. A key principle in design thinking is building on the ideas of others. From the 1980s onwards, design thinking has emerged from Stanford University as a creative way of working and problem solving, for wide applications in any business you can imagine. A design thinking process is open and builds on a problem statement and starts by empathising with the customer’s needs. Despite the open nature, the process follows logical subsequent steps: empathise, define, ideate, prototype and test (or possible alterations and nuances thereof).

The 7 Commonalities of Lean and Design Thinking

Having worked with lean principles and design thinking over the years, I have seen patterns repeating and I have felt ideas sticking. In the remainder of this article, I will share The 7 Commonalities of Lean and Design Thinking,as I experienced them over time.

1.Putting the customer first!

It all starts and ends with the customer. In lean, the customer is the department, internal unit, or external customer receiving the final output of a process. The lean challenge is to produce what the customer wants, and is willing to pay for. Design thinking starts with the customer, by understanding his or her expectations, through creating empathy for the customer’s problems, challenges or needs. Multiple user or customer profiles can exist, and asking 5 times why is a technique we do not only see in design thinking, but often also in lean process improvements.

2. It’s a mindset, not a trick

Because of the verbiage and definitions, both lean and design thinking might mystify you. To the outsider, both might seem methods which are able to solve problems with tricks or an unconventional approach. However, true success does not originate from magic and impressing people with posh terms. The most successful organisations applying lean and design thinking are great at it because they have transformed their way of thinking on problem solving. They have created a mindset with their staff, that change can be created at the working level, by empowering people, rather than by directing orders from the top. Often this mindset change was created through hard and real transformational work. Lean and design thinking can both change principle believes in how a truly customer-focused organisation should function.

3. Results come from teamwork

One thing that I have experienced as a true commonality of lean and design thinking is that both are driven by teamwork. Whether it is the brainstorm process and the co-creation by cross-functional teams in design thinking, or the input-output driven process view of departments, units and people working together in a lean process improvement, both strive for the best results for the customer. The participants in a lean kaizen event or an action-loaded design thinking session intensively work together as a team, often in a condensed time frame to ensure focus and clarity. A team, which created itself through collaboration and a common passion for the problem statement or customer need in scope.

4. Never stop learning

Many of us work in organisations where making errors is a bad thing. I get the point, when building an airplane or processing payments, I am sure that the customer will appreciate a zero error process. Therefore, lean often works hand in hand with six sigma improvement projects, which focus on reducing the defects in a process by making it more stable. Lean in itself is a flow-based process, in which the team working on the improvement is very diligent to understand the process, the hand-offs and the inputs and outputs of a process in detail. They do so by asking open questions and understanding the why’s. In design thinking a likely mindset of learning and curiosity is apparent. I like the guiding principle of avoiding ‘yes, but…’ sentences, and using ‘yes, and…’ sentences instead. Learning in design thinking is also encouraged through the clear focus on the customer problem. Really understanding the customer, even by following the customer in daily life, understanding the customer’s challenges, concerns, desires, hopes and opportunities. Learning by asking many questions, to which the answers are often perspective changing to find a solution nobody had though of.

5. Discipline

Although lean and design thinking are based on openness, new perspectives and creativity, both follow a clear discipline and structure to get to the best results. Earlier I have already mentioned the five steps in design thinking. Guess what? Lean normally also follows the same number of steps. They are often called DMAIC, which stands for Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control. The lean green belt or black belt leading a lean process improvement is trained to follow those steps one by one in a planned, structured and logical way. The design thinking facilitator also acknowledges that structure leads to result. Although participants in a design thinking session might not sense it at every moment during their often energetic ideation and co-creation process, their facilitator makes sure that the creation process is structured in well-timed activities.

6. Change happens at working level

Organisations which live continuous improvement often have the characteristic that they are able to empower people at working level. An often used term in lean is going to the gemba, a lean way of looking at a process at the place where the actual work is done, and the value is created for the customer. Where else would you be able to actually see the process? And this is where the people in the process can best work together. In design thinking an important value is working together and co-creating the solution the customer actually wants. The working level here is the spontaneous group of people formed to create a new product, solution, process or experience. The best ideation processes often stem from a carefully selected cross-functional team. In that team, every individual contributes with his or her own experience, perspectives and expertise, which helps building ideas that would not have come up by working on it individually, or in different locations.

7. You can touch it, you can see it, you can hear it

Both lean and design thinking are methodologies which use multiple human senses. A smart mind in itself does not necessarily lead to success. Visuals and audio help in building an efficient process or a great new and innovative product. Whether it is a kanban board used in lean, showing the status of a process and when new input is required, or the use of music to pump up the energy in a design thinking ideation session. Design thinking is also a very output driven process, with lots of feedback cycles. And probably the most noticeable object of a design thinking workshop is the actual prototype of the solution created. Created to be touched, to be looked at, to be talked about and to be taken to the next improvement and iteration after bringing it back to the customer.

Lean & Design Thinking

I am convinced that lean and design thinking can be a very powerful combination for bringing processes, organisations or innovations to life. Lean and design thinking could make the sum of two parts larger than two. It is worth the effort. Your customer will notice.