Double diamond: A design process model

Revision as of 10:59, 11 February 2021

Abstract

This article describes the Design Thinking model Double Diamond with a particular focus on how the model is applicable in the context of project management and what limitations it holds. The Double Diamond model was developed by the British Design Council in 2005 based on case studies from Design departments at 11 international companies. The model was visualized by a figure consisting of two diamonds, in which the first diamond displayed the problem and the second the solution. The Double Diamond model describes four general stages to help leaders and teams to structurally navigate through complex processes. Each of the four stages are characterized by what has been described as either divergent- or convergent thinking: Discover (Divergent), Define (Convergent), Develop (Divergent), and Deliver (Convergent). The initial Discover-stage aims to investigate, explore and identify the stakeholder needs while simultaneously seeking to understand the complexity of the problem. The Define-stage delimits the interpretations based on the findings in the Discover-stage, aiming to obtain a clear definition of the problem. The third stage, Develop, aims to acquire various solutions, which can address the problem. The Deliver-stage entails final testing and evaluations of the solutions pursuing an improved outcome. Connecting the model to the different project management life cycles shows that the double diamond is not a great fit for all types of life cycles, however the model still appears to be an appropriate PM tool in some cases, e.g., when scheduling a project. Further, it is discussed that the model contains certain limitations, e.g., its structure has been criticized for being too linear, which does not align with todays agile and iterative way of applying Design Thinking. The table of content for the present article is (Before final hand-in, I should shorten or fully remove the table of content, right?):

1) Overview of the article

- Graphic illustration of what will be addressed in this article

- Short introduction to Design Thinking as the model is based on this approach

- Use key references as a linkage to how the Double Diamon fits in the context of Project Management

2) Double Diamant model

- Description of the model: Background information, divergent/convergent, etc.

- Illustration of the Double Diamant followed by a detailed description of each stage involved (Purpose of the model)

- Connect the Double Diamant model to the Project Management life cycle stages

- Connect the Double Diamant model to the Agile- and Predictive life cycles

- (Consider connecting the Double Diamant model to the Pre-projects and Post-projects)

3) Application

- List of tools/methods involved in each of the four stages, e.g., Discover stage: Stakeholder analysis, Mind map, etc.

- Short explanation of the listed tools and how they contribute to the specific stage in the model

4) Limitations

- Assessment/Investigation of model limitations

- Reflect on the current state of the art: Is the model still relevant today?

5) Annotated bibliography

6) Key references used in the wiki article (and the abstract)

- Design Council (2005), chapter “The Design process”

- Tschimmel, K. (2012). “Design Thinking as an effective Toolkit for Innovation”

- Project Management: A guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK guide) 6th Edition (2017)

- (PRINCE2)