My compilation of favorite design thinking tools, resources, & literature.
This curated collection of resources continues to grow as I’ve grown as a design thinking practitioner. I’ve been amazed and humbled by the generosity of the design thinking community and the willingness to share best practices. I strive to do the same, sharing best-of-the-best design thinking tools from both leading institutions and practitioners.
I’m always on the lookout for new design thinking tools & resources as I continue to practice and teach design thinking. Please feel free to recommend others!
Last Updated – 6/23/18 – (new items are in red font)
Free Online Resources
- Stanford d.School Resources & Tools
- frog design’s 43 page Collective Action Toolkit
- SessionLab Brainstorming Facilitation Tools
- 45 Design Thinking Resources for Educators
- IDEO.org Field Guide to Human Centered Design
- Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit co-developed by IDEO
- Google Design Sprint Kit
- IBM Design Thinking Field Guide
- Alexandar Cowan Venture Design (great tools/templates for Empathy, Ideation, & Agile)
- Public Design Vault (500 design and design thinking tools, all in one spot!)
Online Training
- Stanford d.School Virtual Crash Course (https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources-collections/a-virtual-crash-course-in-design-thinking) – Free
- University of Virginia (via Coursera) – Design Thinking for Innovation (https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design-thinking-innovation) – Free videos, $ for certificate
- University of Virginia (via Coursera) – Design Thinking for the Great Good: Innovation in the Social Sector (https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design-thinking-social-sector) – Free videos, $ for certificate
- University of Virginia (via Coursera) – Agile Meets Design Thinking (https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-getting-started-agile) – Free videos, $ for certificate
- Cooper Hewitt (via EDX) – Design in the Classroom – Free online class, $ for certificate (https://www.edx.org/course/design-classroom-cooper-hewitt-smithsonianx-eddesign1-1x#!)
- IDEO U (https://www.ideou.com/) – $
- Acumen & IDEO.org – Introduction to Human Centered Design – Free online class on how to use HCD for social innovation (https://www.plusacumen.org/courses/introduction-human-centered-design)
- Acumen & IDEO.org – Facilitator’s Guide to Human Centered Design – Free online class on leading others through the HCD process (https://www.plusacumen.org/courses/facilitator%E2%80%99s-guide-human-centered-design)
Design Thinking Playbooks & Toolkits
- Deutsche Telekom’s awesome ‘Design Thinking Doing’ Playbook
- ‘Design Thinking for Business Innovation’ book by MJV (some great visuals!)
- ‘Design Thinking for Communications Professionals’ playbook by PWR New Media
- ‘The Service Design Playbook’ by BCPS in British Columbia, Canada
- ‘Design Thinking The Guidebook’ by Royal Civil Service Commission in Bhutan
- ‘IBM ‘Design Thinking Field Guide’ (pocket-sized but mighty field guide!)
- Human Centered Design Discovery Guide by Lab @ OPM & GSA
- Nesta’s ‘Playbook for Innovation Learning’ (great tools for enabling overall innovation & design thinking)
- Luma Institute’s ‘Empowering People to Use Design Thinking in Their Everyday Work’ Decklet
- ‘How Design Thinking Supports Innovation in K-12 Education’ by IDEO & WISE
- ‘Designing for Public Service’ Playbook by IDEO and Nesta
Design Thinking Conferences & Connection
- List of Global Design Thinking Conferences for 2018
- Tips for Connecting with the Design Thinking Community
Design Thinking Business Case Building
- ‘The Total Economic Impact of IBM’s Design Thinking Practice’ by Forrester
Design Sprint Resources
Books
- Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation (by Tim Brown)
- Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Tool Kit for Managers (by Jeanne Liedtka)
- Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All (by Tom Kelley & David Kelley)
- The Achievement Habit: Stop Wishing, Start Doing, and Take Command of Your Life (by Bernard Roth)
- The Design Gym Design Thinking Reading List (quite comprehensive!) (http://www.thedesigngym.com/the-never-ending-design-thinking-reading-list/)
- Design for Strengths: Applying Design Thinking to Individual and Team Strengths (by John Coyle, a design thinker with a very interesting background and story!)
Videos
- Onopia by Peter Keates (https://tv.onopia.com/henry-ford-hfli-design-thinking-designthinking-learning/)
- Tom Kelley (from IDEO) makes the case for design thinking in a 1 hour interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1pBhHjGKvI)
- Design Thinking = Method, Not Magic (Stanford University webinar) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSuK2C89yjA)
- Essential Design Thinking Videos & Methods by Interaction Design Foundation (Link to videos)
Case Studies
- Collection of 40 Design Thinking Success Stories
- Design Thinking’s role in transforming Airbnb from failing start-up to billion dollar business
- Design Thinking & Innovation at Apple
- Design Thinking the IBM Way
- P&G Using Design Thinking as a Competitive Advantage
Articles
- Empathy:
- Ideate:
- Prototype:
[…] Tools & Resources […]
[…] Tools & Resources […]
[…] Tools & Resources […]
[…] Tools & Resources […]
[…] Tools & Resources […]
[…] Tools & Resources […]