15 Key Design Thinking Tools for All Stages

Design thinking is more than just a process; it’s a mindset that encourages empathy, experimentation, and collaboration. It empowers teams to tackle complex problems by understanding user needs and iterating solutions through a structured yet flexible approach. But what are the five stages of design thinking, and more importantly, which Design Thinking Tools can best support you throughout each stage? 

In this blog, we’ll delve into the essence of design thinking, explore its five transformative stages, and highlight the best Design Thinking Tools for each phase. We’ll also discuss the criteria for selecting these tools to ensure they meet your particular needs. Ready to elevate your approach with the right tools? Let’s explore the future of innovation together.

Table of Contents 

1) What is Design Thinking?

2) What are the Five Stages of Design Thinking?

3) Best Design Thinking Tools for Each Stage

4) Selection Criteria for Design Thinking Tools

5) Conclusion

What is Design Thinking?

Design Thinking is a human-centred approach to innovation and problem-solving. Understanding users, questioning assumptions, redefining challenges, and developing creative prototypes and testable solutions are all part of the process. This methodology is particularly useful for tackling ill-defined or unknown problems and is structured around five key phases:

1) Empathise: Research and understand users’ needs

2) Define: Clearly define the problem you want to solve

3) Ideate: Generate a range of ideas and solutions

4) Prototype: Create tangible representations for a subset of ideas

5) Test: Try out the prototypes with users and gather feedback

Design Thinking is iterative and non-linear, which means these phases are often revisited multiple times to refine solutions.

 

What are the Five Stages of Design Thinking?

The following are the five stages of Design Thinking that form an iterative, user-centred approach to problem-solving:

1) Empathise

a) Understand users' needs and experiences

b) Use techniques like interviews, observations, and surveys

c) Focus on gaining deep insight into the problem from the users' perspective

2) Define

a) Synthesise information gathered to define the problem clearly

b) Create a focused problem statement based on users' needs

c) Ensure the problem is actionable and user-centered

3) Ideate

a) Brainstorm and develop a wide range of creative solutions

b) Use techniques like mind mapping and sketching

c) Encourage thinking beyond obvious solutions

4) Prototype

a) Build simple, low-cost models or sketches of potential solutions

b) Explore how ideas might work in practice

c) Focus on quick, tangible representations

5) Test

a) Test prototypes with real users to gather feedback

b) Refine or rethink solutions based on user reactions

c) Iterate through testing to improve the solution

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Best Design Thinking Tools for Each Stage

Here are the Best Design Thinking Software and Tools for all stages

1) Design Thinking Tools for the Empathise Stage

Let’s explore some of the best tools to help you empathise effectively:

1) Typeform

What it is: Typeform is an online form and survey builder designed to create engaging and interactive forms.

Key Features:

a) Interactive Forms: Create forms that feel conversational.

b) Templates: A wide range of customisable templates.

c) Integrations: Connects with over 500 apps like Google Sheets, Slack, and Mailchimp.

d) Logic Jumps: Personalise the form experience based on user responses.

Pros: 

a) User-friendly interface

b) Highly customisable

c) Great for collecting detailed user feedback

Cons:

a) Limited analytics capabilities

b) Higher pricing compared to some alternatives

Price:

a) Free Plan

b) Basic Plan: £19 per month

c) Plus Plan: £38 per month

d) Business Plan: £63 per month

e) Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing

2) Hotjar

What it is: Hotjar is a behaviour analytics and user feedback solution that helps you understand how users interact with your website.

Key Features:

a) Heatmaps: Visualise where users click, move, and scroll

b) Session Recordings: Watch recordings of real user sessions

c) Surveys and Feedback: Collect user feedback directly on your site

d) User Interviews: Conduct live user interviews

Pros:

a) Easy to set up and use

b) Comprehensive behaviour analysis tools

c) Free basic plan available

Cons: 

a) It can be expensive for larger sites

b) Limited data retention on lower-tier plans

Price:

a) Basic Plan: Free

b) Plus Plan: £25 per month

c) Business Plan: £64 per month

d) Scale Plan: £139 per month

3) UserZoom

What it is: UserZoom is a UX research platform that offers tools for usability testing, surveys, and analytics.

Key Features:

a) Usability Testing: Conduct moderated and unmoderated tests

b) Surveys: Create and distribute surveys to gather user insights

c) Analytics: Analyse user behaviour and feedback

d) Participant Recruitment: Recruit participants for your studies

Pros:

a) A comprehensive set of research tools

b) Easy to set up and use

c) High-quality participant recruitment

Cons: 

a) Expensive compared to some alternatives

b) Some features are locked behind higher subscription levels

Price: 

a) Quick Start Plan: £1,200 per year (approximately £100 per month)

b) Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing

Note: Yes, UserZoom has merged with UserTesting as of April 3, 2023. The combined company operates under the UserTesting name, offering a comprehensive solution for UX research and insights.

2) Design Thinking Tools for the Define Stage

Let’s explore some of the best tools to help you define problems accurately:

4) EnjoyHQ

What it is: EnjoyHQ is a research repository that helps teams organise and analyse user research data.

Key Features:

a) A centralised repository for all research data

b) Advanced search and filtering options

c) Collaboration tools for team analysis

d) Integration with other research tools

Pros:

a) Easy to organise and access research data

b) Facilitates team collaboration

c) Supports various data types

Cons:

a) It can be complex to set up initially

b) Higher cost for smaller teams

Price:

a) Start Plan: £960 per year (approximately £80 per month)

b) Grow Plan: Custom pricing

c) Scale Plan: Custom pricing

Note: EnjoyHQ is now part of UserTesting, providing a unified platform for UX research and insights.

5) Make My Persona

What it is: A tool by HubSpot for creating detailed buyer personas to better understand target users.

Key Features:

a) Step-by-step persona creation process

b) Customisable templates

c) Integration with HubSpot CRM

d) Export options for sharing personas

Pros:

a) Easy to use

b) It helps in understanding the target audience

c) Free to use

Cons:

a) Limited customisation options

b) Best suited for marketing personas

Price:

a) Free

6) Flowmapp

What it is: A tool for creating user flows, sitemaps, and personas to define the structure and strategy of a project.

Key Features:

a) User flow diagrams

b) Sitemap creation

c) Persona development

d) Collaboration features

Pros:

a) Intuitive interface

b) Great for visualising project structure

c) Facilitates team collaboration

Cons:

a) Limited integrations

b) It can be pricey for smaller teams

Price:

a) Free Plan

b) Pro Plan: £15 per month

c) Team Plan: £28 per month

d) Agency Plan: £79 per month

3) Design Thinking Tools for the Ideate Stage

Let’s explore some of the best tools to help you ideate effectively:

7) Miro

What it is: An online collaborative whiteboard platform for brainstorming and planning.

Key Features:

a) Infinite canvas for brainstorming

b) Pre-built templates

c) Real-time collaboration

d) Integration with other tools like Slack and Jira

Pros:

a) Highly versatile

b) Great for remote teams

c) Easy to use

Cons:

a) It can be overwhelming with too many features

b) Higher cost for premium features

Price:

a) Free Plan

b) Starter Plan: £6 per member per month

c) Business Plan: £12 per member per month

d) Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing

8) Ideaflip

What it is: A brainstorming tool that allows teams to capture, organise, and develop ideas.

Key Features:

a) Sticky notes for idea capture

b) Real-time collaboration

c) Easy organisation of ideas

d) Export options

Pros:

a) Simple and intuitive

b) Great for team brainstorming

c) Affordable

Cons:

a) Limited advanced features

b) Basic integrations

Price:

a) Personal Plan: Free

b) Basic Plan: £6 per user per month

c) Professional Plan: £10 per user per month

d) Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing

9) MindMeister

What it is: A mind mapping tool for visualising ideas and concepts.

Key Features:

a) Mind map creation

b) Collaboration features

c) Presentation mode

d) Integration with other tools

Pros:

a) Easy to use

b) Great for visual thinkers

c) Supports collaboration

Cons:

a) Limited free plan

b) It can be pricey for advanced features

Price:

a) Free Plan

b) Personal Plan: £5 per user per month

c) Pro Plan: £9 per user per month

d) Business Plan: £14 per user per month

4) Design Thinking Tools for the Prototype Stage

Let’s explore some of the best tools to help you prototype efficiently:

10) Figma

What it is: A collaborative interface design tool for creating prototypes and design systems.

Key Features:

a) Real-time collaboration

b) Vector-based design tools

c) Prototyping features

d) Design system management

Pros:

a) Highly collaborative

b) Powerful design tools

c) Free plan available

Cons:

a) It can be resource-intensive

b) Learning curve for new users

Price:

a) Free Plan

b) Professional Plan: £12 per editor per month (billed annually) or £14 per editor per month (billed monthly)

c) Organisation Plan: £36 per editor per month (billed annually)

d) Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing

11) InVision

What it is: A digital product design platform that allows for prototyping, collaboration, and feedback.

Key Features:

a) Interactive prototypes

b) Design sharing and feedback

c) Collaboration tools

d) Integration with other design tools

Pros:

a) Robust prototyping capabilities

b) Effective collaboration tools

c) Free plan available

Cons:

a) Occasional performance issues

b) It can be expensive for larger teams

Price:

a) Free Plan

b) Pro Plan: £4 per active user per month

c) Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing

12) Adobe XD

What it is: A vector-based tool for designing and prototyping user experiences for web and mobile apps.

Key Features:

a) Vector-based design tools

b) Prototyping features

c) Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud

d) Collaboration tools

Pros:

a) Intuitive interface

b) Great for Creative Cloud users

c) Powerful design and prototyping tools

Cons:

a) Limited plugins compared to competitors

b) Subscription-based pricing

Price:

a) XD Single App: £9.98 per month

b) XD for Teams: £22.99 per month

c) Creative Cloud All Apps: £52.99 per month

d) Creative Cloud All Apps for Teams: £79.99 per month

5) Design Thinking Tools for the Test Stage

Let’s explore some of the best tools to help you test and iterate effectively:

13) UserTesting

What it is: A platform for getting video feedback from real users as they interact with your product.

Key Features:

a) Video feedback from real users

b) Participant recruitment

c) Usability testing

d) Advanced analytics

Pros:

a) High-quality user feedback

b) Easy to set up tests

c) Comprehensive analytics

Cons:

a) Expensive for smaller teams

b) Pricing lacks transparency

Price:

a) Essentials: Free trial available

b) Advanced: Contact for pricing

c) Ultimate: Contact for pricing

14) Mural

What it is: A digital workspace for visual collaboration, useful for remote usability testing and feedback sessions.

Key Features:

a) Interactive whiteboards

b) Real-time collaboration

c) Pre-built templates

d) Integration with other tools

Pros:

a) Enhances team collaboration

b) Flexible and creative workspace

c) Easy to use

Cons:

a) Requires a learning curve

b) It can be overwhelming with too many features

Price:

a) Free Plan: £0

b) Team+ Plan: £8.10 per member per month (billed annually)

c) Business Plan: £14.60 per member per month (billed annually)

d) Enterprise Plan: Contact for pricing

15) Maze

What it is: A rapid testing platform that allows you to collect actionable insights from users through various testing methods.

Key Features:

a) Usability testing

b) Prototype testing

c) Surveys and feedback

d) Integration with design tools

Pros:

a) Easy to use

b) Integrates well with design tools

c) Affordable

Cons:

a) Limited advanced features

b) Basic reporting capabilities

Price:

a) Free Plan

b) Starter Plan: £20 per seat per month (billed annually)

c) Organisation Plan: Contact for pricing

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Selection Criteria for Design Thinking Tools  

If you're curious about how to choose the best Design Thinking Tools, here's a detailed breakdown.

1) Key Features

a) Brainstorming Tools: Facilitate the generation of numerous ideas without judgment, stimulating team creativity.

b) Mind Mapping Tools: Help organise ideas visually, connecting different concepts into thematic groups.

c) Customer Personas: Enable the creation of fictional customers representing the needs, behaviours, and motivations of your target audience.

d) Customer Journey Mapping: Visualise the user experience, including thoughts, emotions, actions, and pain points, often using storyboarding tools.

2) User Interface (UI)

a) Is the tool’s UX clean and attractive?

b) Are ideas easy to post and group by theme?

c) Can key features be accessed easily from menus or side panels?

3) Usability

a) Does the tool practice what it preaches in terms of empathy and functionality?

b) Is it easy to learn and master?

c) Is the user experience satisfying and engaging?

d) How responsive is the customer service team?

4) Integrations

a) Can the platform connect with other software?

b) Are there pre-built integrations with user research tools, UX/UI software, or design experience platforms?

c) Can it connect to storage solutions like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, or OneDrive?

d) Does it integrate with graphics or icon databases like The Noun Project or Adobe?

5) Pricing

a) Is the price appropriate for the features, capabilities, and use case?

b) Is the pricing clear, transparent, and flexible?

c) Does the tool fall within the typical range of £4 to £30 per user monthly?

d) How many collaborators and user seats are included in the cost?

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Conclusion 

Design Thinking Tools are essential for fostering innovation and solving complex problems. By selecting the right tools for each phase, you can enhance creativity, collaboration, and user-centric solutions. Embrace these tools to transform your design process and drive impactful results.

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