DESIGN THINKING FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LAB 2024-25

A survey report

Prepared by

Team Phoenix

Shubham Pandarinath Nikam (71772212192),

Ragul K (71772212171)
Vasanth J (71772212205)
Vengadesh S (71772212206)
rd
3 year Mechanical Engineering-B,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Government College of Technology,
Coimbatore 641013.

Submitted to
Dr. S. Parimala Murugaveni,
Prof.S. Bradeesh Moorthy,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Government College of Technology,
Coimbatore 641013.
 1. EXERCISE 1: INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN THINKING

1.1 AIM:
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the Design Thinking process, a human-centered
approach to problem-solving.

1.2 DESIGN THINKING – INTRODUCTION:

Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users,
challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions to prototype and
test. It emphasizes understanding the needs of the end-users, challenging assumptions, and
redefining problems to identify alternative strategies and solutions. Originating from the
design community, this methodology has now been adopted across industries to develop
products, and processes that deliver real value to users.

1.3 STEPS IN DESIGN THINKING PROCESS:

The Design thinking process involves a series of steps that guide teams through
understanding the problem, brainstorming ideas, and developing and testing solutions. Below
are the five important steps in the Design Thinking process:

1. Empathize
2. Define
3. Ideate
4. Prototype
5. Test
The key steps involved , will be briefly explained below

1. Empathize:
The Empathize phase involves deep observation and understanding of the users for whom a
solution is being designed. The team aims to understand the problem, typically through user
research. Empathy is crucial to design thinking because it allows designers to set aside your
assumptions about the world and gain insight into users and their needs. This step allows for
building a strong emotional connection with the users, ensuring the problem is tackled from
their perspective.
For example, designers might conduct shadowing exercises, where they follow users
throughout their day, observing how they interact with a product or service in their natural
environment. Other techniques include deep-dive interviews, where probing questions reveal
not just what users say they want, but what they actually need. This kind of empathy-building
helps uncover "hidden pain points"—those unspoken or unnoticed frustrations that users
might not even realize they have.
Define:
Once the team accumulates the information, they analyze the observations and synthesize
them to define the core problems. These definitions are called problem statements. The team
may create personas to help keep efforts human-centered. This is where teams distill their
findings and outline the core issue they are trying to solve. A well-crafted problem statement
serves as a guide for the ideation process.
What makes the Define stage fascinating is how it takes a messy, complex situation and
distills it into a concise and focused problem. It's like taking a chaotic puzzle and suddenly
seeing the big picture. At this stage, designers sift through the wealth of user data and
insights, looking for patterns, pain points, and opportunities that stand out. The key here is to
redefine the problem from a human-centered perspective, framing it in a way that captures
the true needs of the user, not just the surface-level symptoms.
Ideate:
With the foundation ready, teams gear up to “think outside the box.” They brainstorm
alternative ways to view the problem and identify innovative solutions to the problem
statement. The Ideation phase encourages free thinking and the generation of a wide range of
ideas. During this phase, teams prioritize quantity over quality, as even outlandish ideas can
lead to breakthrough solutions.
This phase encourages "wild ideas" and unconventional solutions, because sometimes the
most outlandish ideas lead to the most innovative breakthroughs. Techniques like
brainstorming, mind-mapping, and role-playing bring out ideas from every angle. A
particularly interesting approach is the "Worst Possible Idea" exercise, where participants are
asked to come up with the most impractical or absurd solutions imaginable. Surprisingly, this
frees people from the pressure of thinking realistically, which often results in truly creative
and outside-the-box ideas that might not have surfaced otherwise.

Prototype:
This is an experimental phase. The aim is to identify the best possible solution for each
problem. The team produces inexpensive, scaled-down versions of the product (or specific
features found within the product) to investigate the ideas. Prototyping isn’t about building
the final product; it’s about quickly creating rough versions that capture the core
functionality. These prototypes can range from simple paper sketches and storyboards to
more interactive models using everyday materials like cardboard or clay. In fact, some of the
most ground breaking innovations started with incredibly simple prototypes.
Take, for instance, the first prototype of the computer mouse, which was made from a block
of wood and a button. These low-fidelity prototypes are quick to produce and easy to modify,
allowing teams to experiment with various solutions without being too attached to any single
version.

Test:
 The Testing phase is where ideas meet reality—it's a critical step in validating whether a
solution truly addresses the user’s needs. What makes this stage particularly interesting is that
it’s not just about getting a simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down from users. Instead, it’s an
opportunity to gather deep insights, often uncovering unexpected behaviors or reactions that
can lead to even better solutions.The team tests these prototypes with real users to evaluate if
they solve the problem. The test might throw up new insights, based on which the team might
refine the prototype or even go back to the Define stage to revisit the problem.
In the end, testing isn’t just about making sure a solution works—it’s about continuously
improving it based on real user input. This process of iteration and refinement ensures that
the final product not only functions well but also resonates deeply with the users it was
designed for.

APPLICATION:
Design Thinking can be applied in various fields its application isn’t limited to just product
design—it’s being adopted in fields like healthcare, education, business strategy, and even
social innovation. In product development, for instance, this approach helps teams build
products that meet actual user needs, rather than just focusing on technical specifications.

• In healthcare, for instance, hospitals are using Design Thinking to redesign patient
experiences, making services more efficient while focusing on emotional well-being.
• In the corporate world, Design Thinking has been integrated into business models, improving
not only products but also customer experiences and internal workflows.
• Education is another domain where Design Thinking is reshaping the way institutions teach
and engage students. Schools and universities are applying the methodology to create more
collaborative, inclusive, and engaging learning environments.
• Beyond individual sectors, Design Thinking is also fueling social innovation. Nonprofits and
governments apply it to tackle large-scale societal issues like poverty, climate change, and
public health.

RESULT:
By following the Design Thinking process, we gained an in-depth understanding of how to
approach problems creatively and empathetically. Each step of the process—Empathize,
Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test—was explored thoroughly, resulting in the development
of solutions that are user-centered and innovative.
This process sharpened our ability to create innovative, impactful solutions that effectively
address real-world challenges.
 2. EXERCISE 2: DESIGN THINKING STAGE ONE EMPATHIZE

Questions asked:

1. Do you know to drive vehicles ?

2. If yes what is the intensity of light during night from your vehicles ?
3. Do you experience completely becoming blind for few seconds while such a vehicle passes
you ?
4. What are the difficulties that you face while walking or crossing road during night with so
many vehicles moving around?
5. What possible idea or suggestion would you provide to avoid this ?
6. Do you have any technical idea to mitigate such a problem?
RESULT FROM EMPATHY MAPPING :

Designing headlights for two-wheelers and four-wheelers that do not adversely affect opposite
drivers requires deep empathy for both the driver and the oncoming traffic. Understanding the
perspectives and challenges faced by all road users is key to creating effective and safe lighting
solutions. Here's how empathy plays a role in design thinking for this issue:

Understanding the Challenges Faced by Opposite Drivers:

1. Blinding Brightness: High-intensity headlights, especially LED or HID lights, often cause
discomfort and momentary blindness for oncoming drivers.

2. Height Differences: In four-wheelers, SUVs or trucks with higher-mounted headlights can beam
directly into the eyes of drivers in smaller vehicles or on two-wheelers.

3. Inconsistent Lighting Angles: Misaligned headlights due to poor design or user error exacerbate
glare and visibility issues.

4. Dynamic Road Conditions: Nighttime, fog, rain, and uneven roads amplify glare and make it
harder for drivers to react quickly.

EMPATHIZING WITH DRIVERS:

Oncoming Drivers: Imagine the sudden stress and panic of being blinded by an intense light while
trying to navigate a road safely.

Headlight Users: Understand that while drivers need adequate lighting for visibility, they often
aren't aware of the impact their lights have on oth
 3. EXERCISE 3: DESIGN THINKING – STAGE 2 DEFINE
3.1 Aim:
Practice the evaluation of define phase.

3.2 Definition of define phase:

The define phase in design thinking involves synthesizing insights gathered during the
empathize phase to articulate the core problem. It focuses on clearly stating the user needs
and challenges identified through research. This phase aims to create a problem statement
that is specific, user-centered, and actionable. By framing the problem effectively, teams can
ensure that subsequent ideation is aligned with addressing real user needs. The define phase
sets the stage for generating innovative solutions by providing a clear direction.

3.3 Steps in Design phase:

3.3.1 Step 1: Empathy mapping result

4.1 STAGE 3 IDEATE

Ideation is a creative process where designers generate ideas in sessions . It is the third stage
in the design thinking process. Participants gather with open minds to produce as many ideas
as they can to address a problem statement in a facilitated, judgment-free environment.

The ideation techniques we have used are:

• Brainstorming