Using Design Thinking to Develop a New Product

In this chapter, we explore the practical application of using Design Thinking methodology to design a new medical device. Design Thinking has been used in companies and organizations seeking innovative responses to rapidly changing market and competitive demands. This user-centric approach to innovation has been applied in virtually all industries, but the one that has shown increasing interest in user-centricity and innovation is healthcare. The medical device manufacturers are obliged, before certifying medical devices, to test them with users – healthcare professionals. At some moments when doctors have to make decisions at short notice, a well-designed product can make the difference between life and death, a fact that influences the motivation of those involved in the development of such important products. We present step-by-step processes of how a medical device company applied Design Thinking as a UX and product design methodology to develop a new medical device. Based on the findings from there, we illustrate the practical benefits and uncover some challenges when applying Design Thinking to product design.