Design thinking in physical and virtual environments: Conceptual foundations, qualitative analysis, and practical implications

Minet, Alice; Wentzel, Daniel; Raff, Stefan; Garbas, Janina (2024). Design thinking in physical and virtual environments: Conceptual foundations, qualitative analysis, and practical implications Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 207(123596), pp. 1-14. Elsevier 10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123596

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Design thinking (DT) is a widely-used innovation approach characterized by its experience-based character. It revolves around creating innovative solutions through extensive interaction among end-users, team members, and other stakeholders. However, traditional on-site, physical DT sessions are increasingly replaced by virtual sessions, potentially undermining the experiential nature of DT. This study examines the effects of changing from a physical to a virtual format on participants' experiences in DT processes as well as the resulting outcomes. To this end, we first identified two established complementary psychological theories—construal level theory and embodied cognition—that provide starting points for understanding the experiences of participants in physical and virtual DT formats. Next, we pursued an exploratory qualitative study by conducting 41 in-depth interviews with DT experts from research and practice. Our findings show that the DT format has profound effects across all phases of the DT process. From a theoretical perspective, we contribute by showing that changing the DT format to a virtual setting affects participants' cognitive experiences during all DT process phases and the respective outcomes. From a managerial perspective, we suggest a roadmap for designing a hybrid DT process that integrates the advantages of both physical and virtual DT formats.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

Business School > Institute for Digital Technology Management
Business School

Name:

Minet, Alice;
Wentzel, Daniel;
Raff, Stefanhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3045-4746 and
Garbas, Janina

Subjects:

H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)

ISSN:

0040-1625

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Stefan Raff-Heinen

Date Deposited:

07 Aug 2024 08:52

Last Modified:

07 Aug 2024 08:52

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123596

Related URLs:

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Design thinking Digitization Construal level theory Embodied cognition Innovation management

ARBOR DOI:

10.24451/arbor.22056

URI:

https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/22056

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