Design thinking vs. designer's thinking: what's the difference?

Awang Besar, Nazirul Mubin (2025) Design thinking vs. designer's thinking: what's the difference? Bulletin. Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kedah, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kedah.
Abstract

Different theoretical and historical underpinnings give rise to the contrast between "Design Thinking" and "Designer's Thinking." The term "Design Thinking" first appeared in the latter half of the 20th century, thanks to academic institutions like Stanford's d.school and design consultancies like IDEO. It offers a human-centred, problem-solving methodology that incorporates steps like empathise, define, ideate, prototype, and test, and was influenced by Simon's (1969) The Sciences of the Artificial. Originally presented framework for creativity, as a general It places a strong focus on scalable, approachable solutions to challenging issues, regardless of the user's formal design knowledge. Designer's Thinking," on the other hand, describes the reflective and cognitive methods that skilled designers have honed via their work experience. Designer's Thinking emphasises the context-specific, iterative character of design practice, which defies formalisation, and is based on the work of academics such as Cross (1982) and Lawson (2006). Schön's (1983) concept of the Professional designers' embodied abilities and disciplinary expertise are the foundation of Designer's Thinking.

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