A problem-solving method that explores all possible solutions by examining the structure and relationships of different variables. Useful for generating innovative design solutions and exploring a wide range of possibilities in digital product development.
A strategic approach where multiple potential solutions are tested to identify the most promising one. Crucial for innovation and reducing risk in decision-making.
A visual tool that maps out opportunities and the corresponding solutions, helping teams identify and prioritize where to focus their efforts. Crucial for strategic planning and ensuring alignment between problems and solutions.
A cognitive process used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions, often contrasted with convergent thinking. Essential for fostering creativity and innovation in problem-solving and design.
A short, time-boxed period used in Agile development to research a concept or explore a new technology. Important for reducing uncertainty and risk in development.
The context and set of conditions surrounding a problem that needs to be solved. Essential for understanding the full scope of a problem and identifying potential solutions.
Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) is an AI method that solves new problems based on the solutions of similar past problems. This approach is essential for developing intelligent systems that learn from past experiences to improve problem-solving capabilities.
Short, exploratory design activities or exercises that encourage creative thinking and experimentation. Important for fostering creativity and innovation in the design process.
The process of investigating and experimenting with new technologies to understand their potential applications and benefits. Essential for innovation and staying ahead in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
An iterative design process that uses algorithms and computational tools to generate a wide range of design solutions based on defined constraints and goals. Crucial for exploring innovative and optimized design solutions.
The process of generating a broad set of ideas on a given topic, with no attempt to judge or evaluate them initially. Crucial for creative problem-solving and developing innovative solutions in product design and development.
A creative problem-solving technique that uses metaphors to generate ideas and solutions. Crucial for stimulating creative thinking and generating innovative ideas.
A brainstorming technique that involves listing all possible attributes of a product or problem to generate new ideas and solutions. Useful for generating creative solutions and improving product features.
A method used to create detailed narratives of potential future events to explore and understand possible outcomes and inform decision-making. Essential for strategic planning and anticipating the impact of different decisions or changes.
A creative thinking technique where the typical process is reversed to generate new ideas by considering the opposite of conventional assumptions. Useful for fostering innovation and challenging existing assumptions in problem-solving.
A user-centered approach to problem-solving that involves empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing. Crucial for developing innovative and effective solutions that meet user needs.
A project or venture that starts from scratch, with no constraints imposed by prior work, enabling innovation and flexibility in development. Essential for recognizing opportunities for innovation and fresh development in business initiatives.
Research aimed at exploring and identifying new opportunities, needs, and ideas to inform the design process. Essential for discovering user insights and guiding innovative design solutions.
An open-ended and creative approach to problem-solving or planning, often involving brainstorming and envisioning future possibilities without constraints. Useful for fostering innovation and creative thinking in strategic planning and ideation sessions.
An enhanced version of the SCAMPER technique that includes additional prompts to further stimulate creativity and innovation. Useful for expanding the scope of ideation and generating more diverse ideas.
A problem-solving approach that involves breaking down complex problems into their most basic, foundational elements. Crucial for developing innovative solutions by understanding and addressing core issues.
A brainstorming technique where participants sketch eight ideas in eight minutes to generate a wide range of concepts quickly. Essential for fostering creativity and generating diverse ideas rapidly.
A research technique that explores the context in which users interact with a product, service, or environment to understand their needs and behaviors. Crucial for gaining deep insights into user contexts and designing more relevant solutions.
A brainstorming technique where participants intentionally suggest bad ideas to spur creative thinking and overcome mental blocks. Important for fostering creativity and out-of-the-box thinking during ideation sessions.
A research approach that starts with observations and develops broader generalizations or theories from them. Useful for discovering patterns and generating new theories from data.
A time-constrained, intensive process that helps teams quickly design, prototype, and test ideas. Important for rapidly developing and validating design solutions.
The belief in one's ability to create change through creativity, often leading to more innovative and effective problem-solving. Essential for fostering a mindset of innovation and creativity in design.
Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse (SCAMPER) is a creative thinking technique that encourages innovation in a product or process. Useful for generating new ideas and improving existing products or processes.
A cognitive bias where people underestimate the complexity and challenges involved in scaling systems, processes, or businesses. Important for understanding the difficulties of scaling and designing systems that address these challenges.
The tendency to believe that large or significant events must have large or significant causes. Important for understanding cognitive biases in decision-making and designing systems that present accurate causal relationships.
A design process model that outlines four phases: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver, promoting both divergent and convergent thinking. Crucial for structuring the design process and fostering both creativity and precision.
A tool used during brainstorming sessions to prompt and inspire creative thinking, often containing questions, scenarios, or constraints. Useful for facilitating structured ideation sessions and sparking new ideas.
A cognitive bias where people attribute group behavior to the characteristics of the group members rather than the situation. Crucial for understanding team dynamics and avoiding misattribution in collaborative settings.
The practice of drawing inspiration from sources outside of one's field to generate creative ideas. Useful for fostering creativity and innovation in design and product development.
An area in a market or industry that is currently underserved or unaddressed, presenting opportunities for innovation and new business ventures. Important for identifying gaps in the market that can be filled with new products, services, or solutions.
The area within a market where unmet needs or problems present potential for new products or services. Essential for identifying new business opportunities.
A principle stating that as the flexibility of a system increases, its usability often decreases, and vice versa. Crucial for balancing versatility and ease of use in design.
The discrepancy between what people intend to do and what they actually do. Crucial for designing interventions that bridge the gap between user intentions and actions.
The study of cooking techniques, ingredients, and the cultural significance of food, providing insights into creativity and innovation in other fields. Useful for drawing parallels between culinary arts and design, fostering creativity and innovation.
A learning phenomenon where information is better retained when study sessions are spaced out over time rather than crammed in a short period. Crucial for designing educational tools and content that optimize long-term retention.
A cognitive bias where group members tend to discuss information that everyone already knows rather than sharing unique information, leading to less effective decision-making. Important for understanding group dynamics and improving the quality of collaborative decision-making among designers.
Obstacles to effective communication that arise from differences in understanding the meanings of words and symbols used by the communicators. Crucial for designing clear and effective communication systems and avoiding misunderstandings.
A philosophy that emphasizes reason and logic as the primary sources of knowledge and truth. Useful for understanding the foundations of logical thinking and decision-making in design and development.
A cognitive bias where people rely too heavily on their own perspective and experiences when making decisions. Important for designers to recognize and mitigate their own perspectives influencing design decisions.
The study of the relationships between people, practices, values, and technologies within an information environment. Helps in understanding and designing systems that are sustainable and adaptive to human and environmental changes.
A rule-of-thumb or shortcut that simplifies decision-making and problem-solving processes. Essential for designing user-friendly interfaces that facilitate quick and efficient decision-making.