The Design Thinking Toolbox

The Design Thinking Toolbox presents the most important tools and methods in the design thinking cycle. Based on the largest international survey on the use of design thinking tools, this book includes explanations of the most popular design thinking methods from experts in the field. Simple instructions, expert tips, templates, and pictures of the applications make The Design Thinking Toolbox a valuable resource, especially for beginners in design thinking. It is suitable for design thinkers who want to get familiar with the tools quickly and comprehensively. It is the ideal complement to the international bestseller The Design Thinking Playbook.

• The Toolbox in a nutshell
• The global survey
• What is design thinking?
• Quick start
• The Toolbox
• Warm-ups that fit the setting
• Clapping game
• Bingo
• Stop & go
• 30 circles
• Ninja
• Marshmallow challenge
• Understand
• Problem statement
• Design principle
• Interview for empathy
• Explorative interview
• Ask 5x why
• 5W+H questions
• Jobs to be done
• Extreme users/Lead users
• Stakeholder map
• Emotional response cards
• Observe
• Empathy map
• Persona/User profile
• Customer journey map
• AEIOU
• Analysis questions builder
• Peers observing peers
• Trend analysis
• Define point of view
• "how might we…" question
• Storytelling
• Context mapping
• Define success
• Vision cone
• Critical items diagram
• Ideate
• Brainstorming
• 2x2 Matrix
• Dot voting
• 6-3-5 Method
• Special brainstorming
• Analogies & benchmarking as inspiration
• NABC
• Blue ocean tool & buyer utility map
• Prototype
• Frequently used kinds of prototypes
• Exploration maps
• Prototype to test
• Service blueprint
• MVP
• Test
• Testing sheet
• Feedback capture grid
• Powerful questions in experience testing
• Solution interview
• Structured usability testing
• A/B Testing
• Reflect
• I like, I wish, I wonder
• Retrospective "sailboat"
• Create a pitch
• Lean canvas
• Lessons learned
• Road map for implementation
• Problem to growth & scale innovation funnel
• Applications
• Universities: MER310  at Stanford University
• Companies: "Co-creation toolbox" by Siemens
• Intrapreneurship: "Kickbox" by Swisscom
• Transformation: "Digital transformation roadmap"
• Promotion of young talent: "Young innovators"
• Personal change: "Design thinking life"

This is not a book to read, but to use as a reference. As the authors previous book, this is extremely simplistic and sometimes child-like in its approach (some may like, but I am not one of them).

To be true, they cover a lot of ground, from how to hold workshops, to utilize different models/methods/etc, but if you have had any experience with ITIL, Lean, Project or Product management, marketing or at least attended some recent strategy courses, you will not find anything new in this book. It is all old re-hash (like 5 Whys, Blue Oceans, Define Success, etc.).

That said, it is an OK book for its intended audience, which I interpret are non-management trained "Design Thinkers" that can't be bothered to learn the "boring" stuff in any other way.

If you need a reference book on some current management utilities, it is OK.