On November 12, the seminar titled “Different Viewpoint for Innovation – Design Thinking” was held by Professor Youngjoong Chang for the Center for Science-based Entrepreneurship in the Creative Learning Building (E11). As a designer and educator of design thinking, Professor Chang presents this way of thinking as a perspective alternative to science. The seminar sought to encourage innovative problem-solving for startups and corporate management. This is achieved through keeping an alternative perspective to view everyday experiences, according to Professor Chang.

Interest in design thinking has increased significantly in the past decade as business-related media popularized the term design thinking, which generally refers to the cognitive process used for design across various domains. Professor Chang used numerous examples during the seminar to aid the understanding of this vague and broad subject.

In Professor Chang’s opinion, design thinking is commonly prerequisite to making profit, providing service, and managing business. Unlike scientific method and rigor, those employing design thinking base their conclusions on experiential data. “It’s very interesting,” he said, “the concept of having to deny scientific structure to become innovative.” However, it is also the convergence of different scholarship. Along with the merits of design thinking, Professor Chang also introduced its limitations. The definitions of design thinking vary because it is subjectively viewed, relative to other scientific terms. This is partly due to a lack of standard theories and models for this research area.

Key applications of design thinking in businesses are mainly related to making observations in real situations. From this, experience-based modifications can be made to meet customers’ expectations and lessen their concerns. “In order for this to happen, one must have authenticity and experience.”