Beyondthebuzz:UnlockingAIpotentialwithDesignThinking

The allure of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just undeniable, it's inspiring. News headlines trumpet its transformative potential, but successful implementation requires more than cutting-edge technology. Successful AI innovation starts with a solid foundation.

All that is gold does not glitter

Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to revolutionise industries, but headlines often overshadow the practicalities. Successful AI implementation requires a solid foundation beyond just the latest technology. This is where Design Thinking steps in, a human-centred approach that reassures us by bridging the gap between technical prowess and real-world application.¹ Design Thinking helps us navigate the ‘unglamorous side’ of AI—defining relevant use cases and keeping grounded in users' needs.

Bring me problems, not solutions

Traditional approaches often jump straight to solutions. Design Thinking flips this script. It emphasises the importance of clearly identifying specific pain points, understanding your unique challenges, and then thinking about where and how technology can deliver true value.

Is it streamlining repetitive data entry in your finance department? Maybe it's optimising logistics by using AI to predict delivery delays and reroute shipments, saving you time and money. Or perhaps it's enhancing customer service by using AI-powered chatbots to provide instant responses to customer queries. By focusing on well-defined problems like these, any designed and developed solution can address genuine human needs and deliver real value to your organisation.

Clear processes & clean data

A recent Harvard Business Review article highlights a concerning statistic: 80% of AI projects fail.² Imagine providing a master chef with spoiled ingredients—no matter their skill, the outcome will be disappointing. That's what deploying AI on messy data looks like. AI thrives on clear instructions and high-quality data, called 'clean data '.

Clean data is data that is accurate, complete, and consistent, and it's crucial for the optimal functioning of AI algorithms. Clean processes generate well-structured data, which allows AI algorithms to learn and function optimally, maximising their impact and delivering real value.

Our Design Thinking inspired approach

Design Thinking offers a structured approach for navigating AI development's 'unglamorous side'. At Dynamo6, we use a five-stage iterative process, inspired by Design Thinking, that brings together our unique design and technology expertise:

Discover: Understanding the human context is crucial. Through user research and collaborative stakeholder workshops, we seek to understand the human context and create an outline for the puzzle we will solve with AI.

Define: Based on the user and organisational insights, a clear and concise problem statement is formulated. This helps us consider what's possible and what the opportunity presents.

Ideate: Building on the defined problem, this stage encourages brainstorming creative solutions. With both your team and our technology experts involved, we'll explore innovative solutions to the defined problem. This stage encourages "what if..." thinking, considering simple solutions and out-of-the-box approaches, and even sketching early-stage prototypes.

Develop: Now it's time to mix data, ideas, logic, and all the magic ingredients needed for the technical bits. This stage involves building a working Proof of Concept to demonstrate the concept, combining the user insights and designs, and bringing the solution to life.

Demonstrate: With our working Proof of Concept in hand, we return to our original group of stakeholders for validation. This stage is all about testing the developed solution in a real-world context, gathering feedback, and iterating based on their insights. By demonstrating the solution, we ensure it meets users' needs and expectations, making necessary adjustments to refine and perfect the final product. This collaborative approach guarantees that the solution is not only innovative but also practical and effective in addressing the original problem.

Through user research and collaborative workshops, we can better understand and empathise with your challenges, resulting in better outcomes and innovations. Our Design Thinking-inspired approach, combined with our multidisciplinary team of business analysts, digital creatives, and technology experts, ensures that technology solutions, including AI-based ones, are grounded in real needs. Since our process is focused on the user, not the technology, we also won't hesitate to change course if we find that an AI solution is not the best idea.

Turn your ideas into reality: The Dynamo6 Innovation Lab

Have a spark of an AI idea that could address a business challenge? The Dynamo6 Innovation Lab is the perfect springboard. We partner with organisations to bridge the gap between innovative ideas and practical technology solutions, including AI.

The Innovation Lab provides a collaborative environment, expert guidance, and the necessary resources to transform your AI ideas into working proof-of-concept and technical feasibility plans. Overall, this accelerates the innovation process and ensures the practicality and viability of your technology solutions.

References

¹ Esther Han for Harvard Business School Online, ‘What is Design Thinking and why is it important?', Jan, 2022.

² Iavor Bojinov for Harvard Buisness Review magazine, ‘Keep Your AI Projects on Track’, Nov-Dec 2023 edition.