Problem space exploration

Design problems evolve throughout many typical design processes. Little research has focused on the extent to which design problems evolve and the role that various factors play in this evolution. In this research, we drew from data gathered for the Design Thinking Research Symposium that traced a design team's process as they progressed from the end of a large-scale user data-gathering phase to a deeper understanding of the problems to be addressed. Analysis revealed evidence of three factors that impacted the way the design problem was defined—the structure of the co-creation sessions, cultural perceptions and norms of the team and the users, and user data and its translation by the team. Understanding factors that guide the definition of the design problem can support designers in expanding their awareness in design decision making and problem solving because they can be more reflective and explicit about how and why their understanding of the design problem changes and more intentional about exploring the design problem space.