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The Double Diamond Model of Design Thinking

The Double Diamond Model of Design Thinking - A brief

The double diamond model is a visual representation of the design thinking process. It consists of a series of divergent and convergent stages.

  • First Diamond:

    • Divergent Stage (Inspire & Empathize): The process begins by exploring a broad range of ideas and possibilities to understand the problem. This includes the inspire stage, which focuses on "why" we want to solve a problem, and the empathize stage, which involves talking to many different stakeholders to understand their perspectives.
    • Convergent Stage (Define): After gathering a wide range of information, the process converges to a single, focused problem statement. This define stage clarifies which problem is worth solving and to what extent it will be addressed.

  • Second Diamond:

    • Divergent Stage (Ideate): The process diverges again to generate a wide variety of ideas for the defined problem.
    • Convergent Stage (Prototype, Test, & Scale): The process converges by selecting and refining the best ideas through prototyping and testing. This final stage culminates in scaling the solution to a wider audience.

The Design Thinking Journey of Mahatma Gandhi

Although the term "design thinking" didn't exist during his lifetime, Mahatma Gandhi's journey can be seen as a practical application of its principles.

1. Inspire: Gandhi's initial life path was to become a barrister. However, a pivotal incident in South Africa, where he was thrown off a train despite having a valid first-class ticket, became his moment of inspiration. This experience ignited his resolve to fight for the millions of his countrymen who faced similar discrimination.

2. Empathize and Define: Upon his return to India in 1915, Gandhi's actions demonstrated his commitment to empathy. He abandoned his Western attire for "khadi" cloth, a symbol of his solidarity with the common Indian people. He aimed to "be the customer you want to serve," becoming one of the commoners he sought to help, rather than a leader separate from them.

His defining moment was choosing a non-violent approach from the many parallel paths to independence available at the time, such as violent rebellion or political negotiation. He decided to use the concepts of "Ahimsa" (non-violence) and "Satyagraha" (truth force) to achieve independence, an idea that was new in its application, despite having roots in Indian history.

3. Ideate: Gandhi's approach of "Ahimsa and Satyagraha" was his unique idea for tackling British rule. This provided a new and fantastic way to challenge the British Empire, offering an alternative to the frustration and failed attempts of earlier movements.

4. Prototype and Test: To prove that his idea of non-violence could work, Gandhi conducted a famous prototype: the Dandi March. He chose the simple case of salt, which was made in India but taxed by the British, as the focus of his protest. By walking to the coast and illegally making salt, he tested whether Indians would follow his non-violent approach. When his followers were beaten but did not retaliate, it proved the power of their non-violent resistance and forced the British to yield.

5. Scale: After the Dandi March proved his method was effective, Gandhi scaled the movement. The success of this single event led to a massive, non-violent movement that ultimately resulted in India's independence in 1947. The ability to scale the non-violent approach was the true test of this innovation.

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