Define

The "Define" Stage in Design Thinking

The "Define" stage of design thinking is the process of moving from a broad understanding of a problem to a focused and actionable problem statement. It helps in selecting which problems are truly worth solving.

Bounded Empathy

When defining a problem, a design thinker must practice bounded empathy. This means empathy isn't limitless; it's constrained by two crucial boundaries:

• Technical Feasibility: This condition asks whether you have the technical and technological competence to deliver a solution to the customer's problem. If a solution is not technically feasible, the problem should not be pursued.
• Business Viability: This condition ensures that solving the problem makes business sense, ideally by generating profit either immediately or in the future.

Prioritizing Problems

To avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer number of problems, it's essential to prioritize. The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is a useful tool for this. This principle suggests that 80% of the impact comes from solving just 20% of the problems. By identifying and focusing on these high-impact problems, you can deliver significant value without addressing every single issue.

To effectively define and prioritize these problems, a design thinker can use the MECE technique. MECE, a term coined by Barbara Minto of McKinsey, stands for:

• Mutually Exclusive: Each problem should be distinct and not overlap with others.
• Collectively Exhaustive: The set of problems, when solved together, should address the entire problem space.

By applying these principles, you can define a problem that is both impactful and manageable, setting the stage for the ideation phase of design thinking.