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Crash course on Stanford's D.School page: https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources-collections/a-virtual-crash-course-in-design-thinking https://dschool.stanford

Crash course on Stanford's D.School page: https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources-collections/a-virtual-crash-course-in-design-thinking https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources-collections/a-virtual... Juul serves as a foundational example of design thinking. In the words of the founders, both grads of the Product Design masters program, the concept was not to create an "electronic cigarette" but to annihilate the concept of cigarettes altogether in favor of a true 21st century innovative delivery system. Regardless of your position on the societal ills of underage nicotine dependency, it's a fascinating case study to see how a niche product (Plume, I believe it was called?) for loose-leaf cannabis and extracts dubbed the "iPhone of vapes" evolved into a $15B household brand. How Juul, founded on a life-saving mission, became the most embattled startup of 2018 https://www.fastcompany.com/90262821/how-juul-founded-on-a-life-saving-mission-became-the-most-embattled-startup-of-2018 https://www.fastcompany.com/90262821/how-juul-founded-on-a-l... I think the real skill involved is Visual Thinking. Good old fashioned pencil and paper flow state ideation. If there is one practice I wish I had spent more time acquiring it would definitely be illustration / drafting ;)

Judgmentality 8y ago
I do not mean to attack you, but my initial reaction is similar to OP - this just reeks of BS. > How Juul, founded on a life-saving mission, became the most embattled startup of 2018 A life-saving mission? They are currently being banned by the FDA, the organization that Trump just defanged, for their sale of questionably safe products targeted at children. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/health/juul-ecigarettes-vaping-teenagers.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/health/juul-ecigarettes-v...
- Scoundreller 8y ago
  Did they really target children, or just create flavours that were desired by both adults and children? What flavour should they make that don’t (theoretically) appeal the children? Beer? Anchovies? Broccoli? Mesquite BBQ? Adults can like bubblegum or sweet and fruity flavours. I know I ask for them from my dentist for my cleanings instead of mint.
  - koboll 8y ago
    Yeah it's odd that Green Apple Smirnoff Ice can continue to exist and yet flavored JUUL is banned.
    - my_username_is_ 8y ago
      The differences in addictivity between alcohol and nicotine seem like a pretty significant difference
      - Scoundreller 8y ago
        Except alcohol is directly harmful, nicotine is barely harmful. And nobody has ever died from nicotine withdrawal. Or smashed their car after inhaling nicotine.
        TheOtherHobbes 8y ago
        Literally tens of millions of people have died because of nicotine addiction, so your comment is so frankly ridiculous it doesn't even deserve a more considered response.
        pizza 8y ago
        I read their comment as making a distinction between nicotine intake of arbitrary delivery system vs smoke inhalation of a tobacco + MAOI panoply ('cigarettes'). I can envision a world where nicotine addicts don't have to hurt themselves nearly as much to get their fix. I say that with the disclaimer that I don't think that makes it good, per se - just pragmatically a lot better.
        jwdunne 8y ago
        That's not entirely fair because there's a distinction between nicotine and smoking. The method of delivery killed those nicotine addicts. None of those nicotine addicts died as a direct result of what nicotine does to the body. Combusting tobacco and inhaling the smoke is what killed them (ignoring chewing or snorting). If I used a patch, I can continue my nicotine addiction without fear of lung disease. I can't do the same with smoking. There's no method of delivering a habitual psychoactive dose of alcohol that doesn't cause harm. But all said and done, I'm not sure vaping nicotine, with all those flavours, has been proven safe. There's a lot of talk about popcorn lung.
sonnyblarney 8y ago
Yeah I'm not so sure Juul is that special. There are tons of competitors in what is effectively a new and disruptive space with tons of potential upside by re-legitimizing nicotine addiction. For whatever reason, they're winning, but there are so many factors beyond design that I'd be very reluctant to postulate this was the decisive factor. Marketing, branding, operations, access to large markets, talent, social proximity to 'free press', soft lobbying (i.e. close relationships to various institutions through hiring or serendipity etc.).
- kitten_mittens_ 8y ago
  > relegitimizing nicotine addiction You should visit Europe where smoking doesn't have nearly the amount of stigmatization it does in America. There are smoking rooms within my office in Germany, and the rooms smell like an American restaurant circa ‘95.
  - sonnyblarney 8y ago
    Yes, I lived in Germany, it's a throwback. But your comment makes it seem as though the Euros have some bohemian progressive outlook in the issue; this is not nude sunbathing, this is smoking, it kills people for sure :).
  - Vinnl 8y ago
    I'm not sure whether you can generalise over Europe that easily. There's quite the stigma on smoking in the Netherlands, which has for the largest part gained a foothold after banning smoking in working places (including cafés and bars). I haven't heard of a Dutch workplace offering special smoking rooms so far.
    - kitten_mittens_ 8y ago
      Can you smoke in Dutch bars? One thing that I was horrified by in the Netherlands was people smoking right at entrances to buildings. In the US, you have to be 20 ft (~6 meters) from entrances when you smoke.
pavelrub 8y ago
I find in interesting that, to the question of "can someone explain in plain English what is Design Thinking?", your answer is a link to a Stanford crash course, and some story about a company that produces vapes, with a link to a long-winded article about them. This makes me strongly suspect that Design Thinking is indeed BS.
- KineticLensman 8y ago
  Yes. > explain in plain English doesn't generally mean 'download a deck of cards' from Stanford.
- sizzle 8y ago
  I would argue design thinking had less to do with Juul's success than, say, quality product design from multiple product iterations, quality hardware, and quality electrical engineering that can be mass produced like an Apple product. Quality that starts with the electronics and ends with an appealing form factor and sleek fit and finish. Of course the UX needs to be thoughtful and as least frustrating as possible, which arguably has more to do with your typical interaction design and usability testing methods in the realm of UX design and research. Juul combined great product design, engineering, product iteration, and support from management from the top down to make the best product possible that is typically seen in design driven companies such as Apple. I think design thinking definitely has the power to break down silos in organizations with heavy engineering culture but you need the right org chart and executive support to create game changing products no matter how much 'design thinking' goes on behind closed doors. I agree it is a hot marketing buzzword sold to clients to win business as mentioned by others, and that we need to acknowledge the fact that you need executive management support at the highest levels or you're dead in the water. Was design thinking responsible for the Tesla Model 3, or was it more about innovation in tech and manufacturing combined with quality electrical and hardware engineering + funding driven by a leader with a vision hell-bent on creating a game changing product and fostering a culture conducive to that end goal.
Hoasi 8y ago
> I think the real skill involved is Visual Thinking. Good old fashioned pencil and paper flow state ideation. If there is one practice I wish I had spent more time acquiring it would definitely be illustration / drafting ;) You hear a lot about design in corporate discourse these days. Visual art tools like mind mapping, whiteboard animation, and even storyboards are getting prime time in the context of business. This is partly legitimate. Sketching is one of the best ways to understand complex concepts and come up with new ideas. Both are valuable skills. But organizations also love to boast about how much design-oriented they are. Talking about "design thinking" or "mindful design" and so forth doesn't mean anything changed. Fads come and go. Today techniques like boards, graphs and sketches are making a comeback within companies. How much is hype versus how much is due to people unwilling to focus for a long time on something? Visual concepts tend to get the point across fast. It's great as long as it is not to the detriment of in-depth analysis. As an illustrator/designer, companies saw you as a disposable executant who made things pretty. That is, versus a writer who was more on the conceptual side of things and understood the overarching strategy. Not sure the designers gained any more respect in the process but that is another story. It will change again.
- sizzle 8y ago
  I can tell you speak from deep experience, great insights thanks!

Judgmentality 8y ago

I do not mean to attack you, but my initial reaction is similar to OP - this just reeks of BS. > How Juul, founded on a life-saving mission, became the most embattled startup of 2018 A life-saving mission? They are currently being banned by the FDA, the organization that Trump just defanged, for their sale of questionably safe products targeted at children. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/health/juul-ecigarettes-vaping-teenagers.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/health/juul-ecigarettes-v...

Scoundreller 8y ago
Did they really target children, or just create flavours that were desired by both adults and children? What flavour should they make that don’t (theoretically) appeal the children? Beer? Anchovies? Broccoli? Mesquite BBQ? Adults can like bubblegum or sweet and fruity flavours. I know I ask for them from my dentist for my cleanings instead of mint.
- koboll 8y ago
  Yeah it's odd that Green Apple Smirnoff Ice can continue to exist and yet flavored JUUL is banned.
  - my_username_is_ 8y ago
    The differences in addictivity between alcohol and nicotine seem like a pretty significant difference
    - Scoundreller 8y ago
      Except alcohol is directly harmful, nicotine is barely harmful. And nobody has ever died from nicotine withdrawal. Or smashed their car after inhaling nicotine.
      - TheOtherHobbes 8y ago
        Literally tens of millions of people have died because of nicotine addiction, so your comment is so frankly ridiculous it doesn't even deserve a more considered response.
        pizza 8y ago
        I read their comment as making a distinction between nicotine intake of arbitrary delivery system vs smoke inhalation of a tobacco + MAOI panoply ('cigarettes'). I can envision a world where nicotine addicts don't have to hurt themselves nearly as much to get their fix. I say that with the disclaimer that I don't think that makes it good, per se - just pragmatically a lot better.
        jwdunne 8y ago
        That's not entirely fair because there's a distinction between nicotine and smoking. The method of delivery killed those nicotine addicts. None of those nicotine addicts died as a direct result of what nicotine does to the body. Combusting tobacco and inhaling the smoke is what killed them (ignoring chewing or snorting). If I used a patch, I can continue my nicotine addiction without fear of lung disease. I can't do the same with smoking. There's no method of delivering a habitual psychoactive dose of alcohol that doesn't cause harm. But all said and done, I'm not sure vaping nicotine, with all those flavours, has been proven safe. There's a lot of talk about popcorn lung.

sonnyblarney 8y ago

Yeah I'm not so sure Juul is that special. There are tons of competitors in what is effectively a new and disruptive space with tons of potential upside by re-legitimizing nicotine addiction. For whatever reason, they're winning, but there are so many factors beyond design that I'd be very reluctant to postulate this was the decisive factor. Marketing, branding, operations, access to large markets, talent, social proximity to 'free press', soft lobbying (i.e. close relationships to various institutions through hiring or serendipity etc.).

kitten_mittens_ 8y ago
> relegitimizing nicotine addiction You should visit Europe where smoking doesn't have nearly the amount of stigmatization it does in America. There are smoking rooms within my office in Germany, and the rooms smell like an American restaurant circa ‘95.
- sonnyblarney 8y ago
  Yes, I lived in Germany, it's a throwback. But your comment makes it seem as though the Euros have some bohemian progressive outlook in the issue; this is not nude sunbathing, this is smoking, it kills people for sure :).
- Vinnl 8y ago
  I'm not sure whether you can generalise over Europe that easily. There's quite the stigma on smoking in the Netherlands, which has for the largest part gained a foothold after banning smoking in working places (including cafés and bars). I haven't heard of a Dutch workplace offering special smoking rooms so far.
  - kitten_mittens_ 8y ago
    Can you smoke in Dutch bars? One thing that I was horrified by in the Netherlands was people smoking right at entrances to buildings. In the US, you have to be 20 ft (~6 meters) from entrances when you smoke.

pavelrub 8y ago

I find in interesting that, to the question of "can someone explain in plain English what is Design Thinking?", your answer is a link to a Stanford crash course, and some story about a company that produces vapes, with a link to a long-winded article about them. This makes me strongly suspect that Design Thinking is indeed BS.

KineticLensman 8y ago
Yes. > explain in plain English doesn't generally mean 'download a deck of cards' from Stanford.
sizzle 8y ago
I would argue design thinking had less to do with Juul's success than, say, quality product design from multiple product iterations, quality hardware, and quality electrical engineering that can be mass produced like an Apple product. Quality that starts with the electronics and ends with an appealing form factor and sleek fit and finish. Of course the UX needs to be thoughtful and as least frustrating as possible, which arguably has more to do with your typical interaction design and usability testing methods in the realm of UX design and research. Juul combined great product design, engineering, product iteration, and support from management from the top down to make the best product possible that is typically seen in design driven companies such as Apple. I think design thinking definitely has the power to break down silos in organizations with heavy engineering culture but you need the right org chart and executive support to create game changing products no matter how much 'design thinking' goes on behind closed doors. I agree it is a hot marketing buzzword sold to clients to win business as mentioned by others, and that we need to acknowledge the fact that you need executive management support at the highest levels or you're dead in the water. Was design thinking responsible for the Tesla Model 3, or was it more about innovation in tech and manufacturing combined with quality electrical and hardware engineering + funding driven by a leader with a vision hell-bent on creating a game changing product and fostering a culture conducive to that end goal.

Hoasi 8y ago

> I think the real skill involved is Visual Thinking. Good old fashioned pencil and paper flow state ideation. If there is one practice I wish I had spent more time acquiring it would definitely be illustration / drafting ;) You hear a lot about design in corporate discourse these days. Visual art tools like mind mapping, whiteboard animation, and even storyboards are getting prime time in the context of business. This is partly legitimate. Sketching is one of the best ways to understand complex concepts and come up with new ideas. Both are valuable skills. But organizations also love to boast about how much design-oriented they are. Talking about "design thinking" or "mindful design" and so forth doesn't mean anything changed. Fads come and go. Today techniques like boards, graphs and sketches are making a comeback within companies. How much is hype versus how much is due to people unwilling to focus for a long time on something? Visual concepts tend to get the point across fast. It's great as long as it is not to the detriment of in-depth analysis. As an illustrator/designer, companies saw you as a disposable executant who made things pretty. That is, versus a writer who was more on the conceptual side of things and understood the overarching strategy. Not sure the designers gained any more respect in the process but that is another story. It will change again.

sizzle 8y ago
I can tell you speak from deep experience, great insights thanks!