Design Thinking Vs Creative Intelligence

Design Thinking and Creative Intelligence are both collaborative and imaginative processes. Recent research has shown that they silence the part of the brain that controls the Inner Critic allowing for more free and spontaneous thought processes.

Design Thinking

Design Thinking is human-centric; considering user needs first and technology second. It starts with figuring out what problem needs to be solved. What is trending now and what will be in the future?

Observation (focus groups, interviews and even shadowing people) helps understand, and empathise with, user needs. Then resources are used imaginatively.

Design Thinking is also fast in contrast to other more mainstream models. Collaboration, brainstorming and visual mapping move through a series of improvements, feedback rounds and redesigns instead of aiming for one perfect final product.

Creative Intelligence

Creative Intelligence is usually less analytical and less about user needs. Instead, Creative intelligence is a mindset that embraces going beyond ‘normal,’ openness, experimentation, ambiguity as well as mixing things up.

When someone is creatively intelligent, they are often imaginative and innovative problem solvers. Artists and designers are obvious examples of this, but scientists like Einstein or Elon Musk can be as well.

Listen further

To hear a range of people talk about how their Creative Intelligence and Design Thinking have changed our world, listen to the podcast Design Matters with Debbie Millman.