Taking a rational and analytical approach in strategic decision-making often lacks customer input. Adding a human-centric design approach to the equation enables the identification of new opportunities that both reflect customer needs and support strategic goals.
In our daily tasks we use both hemispheres of our brain in equal measure: the logical, analytical and rational left hemisphere, and the creative, imaginative and intuitive right hemisphere. In the same sense, when making business decisions, both perspectives should be considered equally important: the rational/analytical business-approach and empathic/innovative design-approach.
With business design you can bridge the gap between these two perspectives by studying the requirements of both the user and the business. In a nutshell, business design brings the needs of customers and users into strategic decision making.
Business design combines two perspectives: the rational/analytical business-approach and the innovative/creative design-approach.
Crunching numbers…
The business approach stands on defining the company’s strategy consisting of the target markets and customer segments, the technologies used to produce a service, the ecosystem needed to provide a service and the earnings logic to keep the business up and running. This approach relies on hard facts and figures based on what is already known and an estimation of where the world is going.
…. and digging for desires…
When it comes to making business decisions, the design approach adds a softer side to the equation. The design perspective takes into consideration the emotions and needs of potential users. Rather than using objective data, knowledge is created from user insight and subjective opinions from user research. Where the business approach is focused on market segments and economic logic, the design approach is more focused on real people and their behavior.
….leads to creating new
Business design empowers the creation of services that reflect user needs but are also feasible from a business perspective. The purpose is to enrich a company’s strategy by bringing the customer’s voice and empathy into business decisions. It is used for creating business ideas that have an identified group of potential customers and verified demand.
Business design can be used to solve several challenges, such as modeling and developing internal processes, identifying areas for development in the current business, identifying new business opportunities or defining business models for new services.
Whether your need is to renew your current business or create something completely novel, adding the design approach to your process pays off.
