Enterprise Architecture and Design Thinking evolved from very different foundations, we may associate design thinking with product marketing or logical problem-solving. This may seem like a stark contrast to the world of Enterprise Architecture (EA) – but in actual fact, there is a connection.
If we think of EA as a digital transformation program, delivering products, the concept of design thinking can be a real value add. Before we dive into the specifics of how these disciplines complement each other, lets look at the stages of design thinking:
- Stage 1: Empathize: Research your users’ needs
- Stage 2: Define: State your users’ needs and problems
- Stage 3: Ideate: Challenge assumptions and create ideas
- Stage 4: Prototype: Start to create solutions
- Stage 5: Test: Try your solutions out
Stage 1
Clearly design thinking is not about implementation, which is something that is also true of EA, but rather designing better solutions – a shared goal of both disciplines. Looking at the empathize phase of design thinking, enterprise architects commonly have a rigid mindset, a necessity in EA. Design thinking encourages architects to converse with stakeholders with an open mind, something which can really help to design better end-products.
Stage 2
The define stage also has some genuinely valuable approaches for architects, specifically around tracking engagement and proving out ideas. Where architects can struggle with the adoption of design thinking techniques is in the ideate stage, which encourages stakeholders to commit all ideas, without concern for practicality. When working with technical stakeholders thinking tends to be grounded very much in reality which be barrier to real blue-sky thinking. Clearly outlining to participants a desire to process ideas at the end may be required, so that unrealistic ideas may be discarded.
Stage 3 & 4
The prototype and test stages of design thinking propose potentially useful ways to help stakeholders to understand a proposed product, this enables us to move faster through the design process and on to the detail of the design.
Stage 5
In summary, design thinking and EA can be complementary. EA frameworks offer no shortage of structured, delivery focused methods of design but design thinking brings something different to the table. So the next time you are reviewing your EA methods, why not consider including some elements of design thinking
