10 Best Design Thinking Examples: A Detailed Guide

Design Thinking places human beings at its core, marking the importance of understanding the needs and perspectives of the people for whom a solution is being designed. While tackling a business challenge, the first question should always revolve around the underlying human need that the solution aims to address. By shaping it according to the needs of individuals, organisations can develop superior products, services, and processes that resonate well with their target audience.

Here are 10 Design Thinking Examples that demonstrate the remarkable impact of Design Thinking on a company's growth. Discover these practical Design Thinking Examples that showcase innovative problem-solving in diverse fields. Read this blog and learn from real world applications.

Table of Contents 

1) What Does Design Thinking Means?

2) Key Design Thinking Principles

3) Top Design Thinking Examples

           a) Netflix

           b) Apple

           c) Airbnb

          d) UberEats

          e) Burberry

          f) Oral B

          g) GE Healthcare

          h) IBM

          i) Intuit

          j) Nike

4) Conclusion

What Does Design Thinking Means?

Design Thinking is a method to solve problems by prioritising the end user’s needs, that is, the customer. Unlike conventional problem-solving, which follows a linear approach of identifying an issue and generating solutions, Design Thinking relies on iteration. It focuses on continuous brainstorming of ideas and adapting to meet consumer needs rather than seeking a single definitive solution. 

Design Thinking has also proven its worth in the non-profit sector, particularly in community programs. By involving the communities, organizations can develop more relevant and impactful solutions. Running a Design Thinking Workshop within the community fosters a sense of ownership and engagement among members, leading to more sustainable and long-term positive outcomes.

Top Design Thinking Examples 

Here, we have compiled a comprehensive list of top Design Thinking Examples to discover how companies strategically used Design Thinking Skills to solve problems.

1) Netflix 

Netflix’s success among its competitors can be linked to its effective use of design thinking. Before Netflix began streaming services, customers had to visit physical stores for DVD rentals and returns. Netflix utilised this problem and introduced a convenient subscription model that delivered DVDs directly to customers’ homes. This move revolutionised the movie rental experience and quickly gained popularity in the public sphere. 

Netflix continued to invest in Design Thinking to update itself with the changing trends. For example, when DVDs became less popular, the company quickly launched an on-demand streaming service, eliminating the wait for physical discs. Its commitment to understanding customer desires has been a key factor in its success.   

In 2011, Netflix took one step further when it started to produce original and compelling content that was not available on traditional networks. It established itself as a pioneer in the industry by this smart move. To improve user experience, Netflix integrated short trailers into its interface in 2016, based on customer feedback.  

2) Apple 

Apple's approach to innovation, management, and design has been a perfect example of exceptional Design Thinking. While the company is renowned for its iconic physical products, such as the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, it was its iOS platform strategy that marked its journey as an industry innovator. 

Under Steve Jobs' leadership, Apple embraced Design Thinking principles by prioritising real user needs and desires over business-centric goals. They fostered empathy to make people fall in love with their products, a core principle of the Design Thinking Process in Entrepreneurship. The company's success lies in creating simple, user-friendly products that relate to customers, which sets Apple apart from its competitors. This design-centric approach revolutionised the tech industry and solidified Apple's position as a leader in innovation and user-centred design.

Apple's success in the market can be linked to its focus on integrating customer experience into product design. Imparting these strategies can help your own design thinking strategy succeed and lead in a competitive market. 

Want to join the League of Innovative Thinkers? Sign up for our Design Thinking For R&D Engineers Training today!

3) Airbnb 

 Airbnb's founders initially made only around $200 a week. However, they decided to take a different approach by observing customer behaviour and sympathising with their needs. They noticed that the low-quality pictures posted by hosts were stopping potential customers from renting rooms.   

Airbnb's founders travelled to understand customers' needs and invested in high-quality pictures showcasing rooms, special features, and the neighbourhood, doubling revenue within a week. The solution was simple yet effective – investing in high-quality cameras to capture appealing pictures based on their travel observations.   

This success came from their adoption of Design Thinking principles. Instead of solely focusing on expanding their audience, they prioritised understanding their existing customers and addressing their pain points. 

4) UberEats 

The design team at UberEats follows a committed approach to Design Thinking vs Agile by combining advanced technology with the pleasure of dining. They prioritize understanding their users' experiences by organizing “The Walkabout Program,” a quarterly event where designers immerse themselves in a city's culture to learn about its transportation, delivery, restaurant industry, and food culture.

To maintain a user-driven approach, UberEats designers engage in rapid field testing, where they interview and prototype with key stakeholders such as restaurant workers, delivery drivers, and customers. Such innovative processes allow them to gather valuable feedback and continuously improve the product. 

Promoting collaboration and creativity, the UberEats team conducts workshops where experts from various fields come together to brainstorm potential advancements. They actively participate in industry conferences, meetups, and talks, focusing on restaurant trends, cuisine, and food technology, to stay up to date with the latest developments and insights in the field. 

Want to stand out in a competitive design landscape? Register today for our Instructional Design Training Course.

5) Burberry

Burberry faced tough times when the digital era disrupted its business. Once a respected name in fashion, the brand began to feel outdated, with many seeing it as a thing of the past. But instead of folding under pressure, Burberry decided to adapt. 

They took the time to study their target audience—particularly Gen X users—and understood their preferences and behaviours. By shifting its focus to a strong social media strategy, Burberry managed to increase its appeal and strengthen its connection with this audience. 

Through creative campaigns and thoughtful engagement, they were able to breathe new life into the brand. This approach helped them not only stay relevant but also cement their place as a modern, innovative fashion label.

6) Oral B

Design Thinking is successful not only in helping companies find effective solutions but also in validating initiatives before they are implemented. For example, when Oral B decided to upgrade its electric toothbrush, it added features like tracking brushing frequency, monitoring gum sensitivity, and even playing music.

The Design Thinking team found that brushing teeth is routine, and adding more features might lead to unwanted complications. Instead, they pitched two practical and user-centred solutions. Firstly, making toothbrushes easier to charge, especially when users are travelling or on the go. Secondly, they proposed the idea of connecting toothbrushes to phones and sending reminders for ordering replacement heads.  

Oral B implemented these suggestions and created a more user-friendly electric toothbrush that truly adapted to their customer’s requirements and needs. It is a classic design example of how prioritising user needs yields productive results. 

Explore our Design Thinking Training to learn ways to implement Design Thinking to solve problems.

7) GE Healthcare 

GE Healthcare serves as a prime example of how focusing on user-centricity can lead to notable improvements in a product, even if it appears to have no issues. While diagnostic imaging had already taken the health industry by storm, GE Healthcare identified a problem in how paediatric patients reacted to procedures.   

They observed children in different environments and interviewed hospital staff to gain more insights into young pediatric patients’ experiences. GE Healthcare’s “Adventure Series” redesigned MRI machines to fit child-friendly themes. It increased patient satisfaction significantly while also saving time and resources.   

The classic idea of “Empathetic Design” they imparted has yielded them the desired success. Their success story undermines the importance of understanding and addressing user needs even in seemingly problem-free products.

8) IBM

IBM is one of the most well-known examples of how design thinking can reshape a large organisation’s approach to problem-solving and innovation. The company recognised that its traditional development processes were too slow and often missed the mark in terms of customer needs. 

To address this, IBM introduced Enterprise Design Thinking—a framework that combines the principles of user-centred design with agile methodologies. By adopting design thinking, IBM shifted its focus to understanding the end-user’s perspective before developing solutions. 

Teams began conducting workshops, gathering user insights, and iterating on ideas through rapid prototyping. This approach allowed them to quickly test concepts, learn from feedback, and refine their designs. The results were significant. 

IBM saw faster development cycles, improved product quality, and a more meaningful connection with its customers. Enterprise Design Thinking became a company-wide standard, influencing everything from software development to consulting services.

Enhance your leadership skills with our specialised Leadership and Management Skills Course for efficient management at your workplace. 

 9) Intuit

Intuit, the company behind TurboTax and QuickBooks, uses Design Thinking to make financial tasks simpler for everyone. Instead of just focusing on technical details, they spend time with their customers, including small business owners, accountants, and everyday users. This helps them understand what they struggle with and what they really need.

By listening and observing how people work, Intuit’s team comes up with new ideas, tests them out, and keeps improving until they hit on solutions that work. This approach has helped them create easy-to-use interfaces and features that customers genuinely love, keeping them loyal and making Intuit a leader in its field.

10) Nike

Nike, a pioneer in merging sports and design, confronted the challenge of staying relevant despite having a dedicated customer base. To address this, Nike sought partnerships to gain insights from customers, inspiring their designers to create innovative solutions. The result was a prime example of the Design Thinking process. Nike's designers revamped their sneakers, adding transparent panels that showcased the wearer's choice of socks.

Nike also introduced pressurised air technology to enhance athletes' performance, addressing Design Thinking Problems in the process. This not only improved functionality but also turned their products into fashion statements, proving Nike's commitment to meeting customer needs and preferences.

Key Design Thinking Principles

 The core principles of Design Thinking can be outlined as follows:

1) User Centricity:  Put the user at the centre of the design process to develop a deep analysis of their needs, preferences, and challenges.

2) Collaboration: Promoting a multidisciplinary approach involving individuals with diverse skills and perspectives in the creative process.

3) Ideation:  Promote the exploration of diverse ideas and solutions through brainstorming and creative thinking.

4) Experimentation: Embracing a culture of prototyping and testing to iterate and refine ideas, products, or services quickly.

5) Implementation: Bringing concepts to life by executing well-defined plans and strategies to deliver real-world solutions that address user needs effectively.

Conclusion

We hope you read and understood the various Design Thinking Examples from leading companies and how they grow with the help of Design Thinking. A key area where this approach has proven effective is Design Thinking in Banking, where it helps banks design user-friendly services and improve customer engagement. The way it must be implemented depends on the analysis of a user-centred problem and finding a viable solution for it. Consider the requirements of your business model and plan your next Design Thinking strategy effectively.

Build stronger customer relationships with our Building A Customer-Centric Service Culture Training —sign up now!