Design thinking relies on three modes of thinking: Open, Explore, and Close. Open involves divergent thinking to generate creative options. Explore focuses on organizing ideas and finding patterns. Close involves convergent thinking to analyze ideas and select the best option. These modes are building blocks that can be applied at both the macro and micro levels of design thinking processes and activities. It is important to use the modes sequentially rather than simultaneously for effective thinking.

1. DESIGN THINKING

2. DESIGN THINKING’S THREE MODES OF THINKING: OPEN, EXPLORE, CLOSE
rely on three modes of thinking: Open, Explore, and Close. Each
mode represents a different mindset with which to approach
a complex challenge. Let’s take a look at each:
https://www.techpm.co/design-thinking-for-digital-products/

4. OPEN
Open is a mode of divergent thinking that’s focused on gen-
erating lots of creative options. It’s not about judging ideas
as good or bad; rather, it’s about going wide to come up with
diverse possibilities.
Whether we’re kicking off a brainstorm session, synthesiz-
ing research insights, or testing a new curriculum, we
begin by spending some time in Open. This helps us to avoid
jumping to foregone conclusions and, instead, push our

5. EXPLORE
After opening, there’s a lot to dig into. The Explore mind-
set is focused on organizing, combining and building
upon these possibilities. During Explore, we’re looking
for meaningful themes and patterns to make connections
and develop great insights.
From simple clustering to complicated matrices with
multiple dimensions, there’s a wide range of frameworks
out there to help us make sense of our thinking in Ex-
plore. Some of the most popular ones that we use include
affinity maps, 2×2 grids, Venn Diagrams and spectrums.

6. CLOSE
After exploring, we may have a better sense of what we
want to prioritize; however, Close helps us to assess these
options further and, ultimately, commit. Close is a mode of
convergent thinking that’s focused on narrowing our op-
tions and making decisions to move the process onward.
During Close, we’re analyzing and critiquing our thoughts
and ideas to select the best option to carry forward.
One of the most popular collaborative closing techniques
is the democratic vote, which can be done with the full

7. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Open, Explore and Close are the building blocks of
design thinking. On a macro level, the design thinking
process is one giant progression of opening, exploring,
and closing. On a more micro level, each phase within
the design thinking methodology can also be broken
down into a series of opening, exploring, and closing
activities. And if we zoom in further still, each one of
these activities is comprised of a sequence of these
three modes of thinking.

8. THE GOLDEN RULE OF OPEN, EXPLORE AND CLOSE
The most important thing to remember when using Open, Ex-
plore and Close is that these are discrete modes of thinking.
If we attempt to do them simultaneously, we’ll only end up
with a headache. For example, have you ever found yourself
in a brainstorm session (open thinking) where someone has
an excuse for why every possible idea won’t work (closed
thinking)? Creativity stalls.
Or have you ever been in a meeting where you’re trying to
make a decision (closed thinking) but someone keeps sug-

10. Design thinking is a human-centered design methodology
that provides a solution-based approach to problem-solv-
ing. It’s comprised of 5 major components, or “pillars”
Empathizing with the user
Defining the user’s concerns and needs as well as your insights
Ideating by challenging assumptions and creating ideas for innovation
Prototyping to build a solution
Test: Validate solutions with users and stakeholders

11. The importance of empathy — and interviews — in design
EMPATHIZE is an important first step in knowing where your learners are
coming from, understanding their learning preferences, and uncovering
the real issue – skills, knowledge (or otherwise).

12. enterprise
design
thinking
Empathy Map

14. Engaging The Learner With Design Thinking, Stage 2: Define
Once designers know who their audience is and what really drives them,
they can move on to the second stage in the design thinking process: define.
In this stage, designers define an actionable and meaningful problem state-
ment. They leverage all the information they gathered in the first stage and
organize, interpret and make sense of it.
This definition will guide the designer and help kick-start the ideation pro-
cess rather than just defining learning objectives.
This stage is about clarity and focus. Without it, the designer is stumbling in
the dark. Let’s bring some light into the design thinking process.

17. Engaging The Learner With Design Thinking, Stage 3: Ideate
The first two stages are the basis for the ideation stage.
In this stage, designers think outside the box to identify new solutions to the human-cen-
tered problem statement.
Generating ideas can be a challenging task if designers are not in the right environment and
are not able to take a step back.
The ideation stage is about looking at every possible angle for the well-defined problem
statement.
It is about pushing boundaries and effective collaboration.
Some best practices for this stage include having a skilled facilitator leading the session,
working in a creative environment featuring the work from the two previous stages, setting a
time limit and having a “there are no bad ideas” mindset

19. Brainstorming
The most common ideation technique is brainstorming, in which designers
collaboratively build good ideas based on the problem statement. Once cer-
tain ideas form, designers can categorize them and dedicate certain areas in
the room for specific ideas. The team can then add their additional ideas as
they walk around the room (an approach known as brainwalking).
Worst Possible Idea
Another useful technique is the worst possible idea, which helps more
reserved individuals produce bad ideas, which, in turn, result in valuable
threads. It’s a also a fun way to flip the ideation stage on its head and help
relax everyone on the team.
The ideation stage is really the heart of the design thinking process.

20. Visual Approaches
A more graphical approach to ideation is the use of mind maps, which allow designers
to connect ideas and find major and minor qualities of each. Designers can also
sketch or storyboard their ideas using rough sketches or diagrams to express possi-
ble solutions.
The ideation stage is really the heart of the design thinking process