---
name: creative-design-thinking-workflow
description: "Guide human-centered design processes using empathy-driven methodologies across Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test phases."
tags: [creative, design-thinking, workflow, facilitation]
---

---
last-redoc-date: 2025-09-28
---

# Design Thinking Workflow

**Type:** Interactive Document Workflow **Module:** Creative Intelligence System (CIS)

## Purpose

Guides human-centered design processes through the complete design thinking methodology: Empathize,
Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. Creates solutions deeply rooted in user needs by combining
empathy-driven research with systematic creative problem-solving.

## Distinctive Features

- **Phase-Based Structure**: Full five-phase design thinking journey from empathy to testing
- **Method Library**: Curated collection of design methods in `design-methods.csv` organized by
  phase
- **Context Integration**: Accepts design briefs or user research via data attribute
- **Facilitation Principles**: Guides divergent thinking before convergent action, emphasizes rapid
  prototyping over discussion

## Usage

```bash
# Basic invocation
workflow design-thinking

# With project context
workflow design-thinking --data /path/to/product-context.md
```

## Inputs

- **design_challenge**: Problem or opportunity being explored
- **users_stakeholders**: Primary users and affected parties
- **constraints**: Time, budget, technology limitations
- **recommended_inputs**: Existing research or context documents

## Outputs

**File:** `{output_folder}/design-thinking-{date}.md`

**Structure:**

- Design challenge statement and point-of-view
- User insights and empathy mapping
- "How Might We" questions and problem framing
- Generated solution concepts
- Prototype designs and test plans
- Validated learning and iteration roadmap

## Workflow Components

- `workflow.yaml` - Configuration with design_methods CSV reference
- `instructions.md` - 7-step facilitation guide through design thinking phases
- `template.md` - Structured output format
- `design-methods.csv` - Phase-specific design techniques library


## Workflow Instructions

# Design Thinking Workflow Instructions

<critical>The workflow execution engine is governed by:
{project_root}/.faos/core/tasks/workflow.xml</critical> <critical>You MUST have already loaded and
processed: {project_root}/.faos/cis/workflows/design-thinking/workflow.yaml</critical>
<critical>Load and understand design methods from: {design_methods}</critical> <critical>⚠️
ABSOLUTELY NO TIME ESTIMATES - NEVER mention hours, days, weeks, months, or ANY time-based
predictions. AI has fundamentally changed development speed - what once took teams weeks/months can
now be done by one person in hours. DO NOT give ANY time estimates whatsoever.</critical>
<critical>⚠️ CHECKPOINT PROTOCOL: After EVERY <template-output> tag, you MUST follow workflow.xml
substep 2c: SAVE content to file immediately → SHOW checkpoint separator (━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━) →
DISPLAY generated content → PRESENT options [a]Advanced
Elicitation/[c]Continue/[p]Party-Mode/[y]YOLO → WAIT for user response. Never batch saves or skip
checkpoints.</critical>

<facilitation-principles>
  YOU ARE A HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN FACILITATOR:
  - Keep users at the center of every decision
  - Encourage divergent thinking before convergent action
  - Make ideas tangible quickly - prototype beats discussion
  - Embrace failure as feedback, not defeat
  - Test with real users, not assumptions
  - Balance empathy with action momentum
</facilitation-principles>

<workflow>

<step n="1" goal="Gather context and define design challenge">
Ask the user about their design challenge:
- What problem or opportunity are you exploring?
- Who are the primary users or stakeholders?
- What constraints exist (time, budget, technology)?
- What success looks like for this project?
- Any existing research or context to consider?

Load any context data provided via the data attribute.

Create a clear design challenge statement.

<template-output>design_challenge</template-output>
<template-output>challenge_statement</template-output> </step>

<step n="2" goal="EMPATHIZE - Build understanding of users">
Guide the user through empathy-building activities. Explain in your own voice why deep empathy with users is essential before jumping to solutions.

Review empathy methods from {design_methods} (phase: empathize) and select 3-5 that fit the design
challenge context. Consider:

- Available resources and access to users
- Time constraints
- Type of product/service being designed
- Depth of understanding needed

Offer selected methods with guidance on when each works best, then ask which the user has used or
can use, or offer a recommendation based on their specific challenge.

Help gather and synthesize user insights:

- What did users say, think, do, and feel?
- What pain points emerged?
- What surprised you?
- What patterns do you see?

<template-output>user_insights</template-output> <template-output>key_observations</template-output>
<template-output>empathy_map</template-output> </step>

<step n="3" goal="DEFINE - Frame the problem clearly">
<energy-checkpoint>
Check in: "We've gathered rich user insights. How are you feeling? Ready to synthesize into problem statements?"
</energy-checkpoint>

Transform observations into actionable problem statements.

Guide through problem framing (phase: define methods):

1. Create Point of View statement: "[User type] needs [need] because [insight]"
2. Generate "How Might We" questions that open solution space
3. Identify key insights and opportunity areas

Ask probing questions:

- What's the REAL problem we're solving?
- Why does this matter to users?
- What would success look like for them?
- What assumptions are we making?

<template-output>pov_statement</template-output> <template-output>hmw_questions</template-output>
<template-output>problem_insights</template-output> </step>

<step n="4" goal="IDEATE - Generate diverse solutions">
Facilitate creative solution generation. Explain in your own voice the importance of divergent thinking and deferring judgment during ideation.

Review ideation methods from {design_methods} (phase: ideate) and select 3-5 methods appropriate for
the context. Consider:

- Group vs individual ideation
- Time available
- Problem complexity
- Team creativity comfort level

Offer selected methods with brief descriptions of when each works best.

Walk through chosen method(s):

- Generate 15-30 ideas minimum
- Build on others' ideas
- Go for wild and practical
- Defer judgment

Help cluster and select top concepts:

- Which ideas excite you most?
- Which address the core user need?
- Which are feasible given constraints?
- Select 2-3 to prototype

<template-output>ideation_methods</template-output>
<template-output>generated_ideas</template-output> <template-output>top_concepts</template-output>
</step>

<step n="5" goal="PROTOTYPE - Make ideas tangible">
<energy-checkpoint>
Check in: "We've generated lots of ideas! How's your energy for making some of these tangible through prototyping?"
</energy-checkpoint>

Guide creation of low-fidelity prototypes for testing. Explain in your own voice why rough and quick
prototypes are better than polished ones at this stage.

Review prototyping methods from {design_methods} (phase: prototype) and select 2-4 appropriate for
the solution type. Consider:

- Physical vs digital product
- Service vs product
- Available materials and tools
- What needs to be tested

Offer selected methods with guidance on fit.

Help define prototype:

- What's the minimum to test your assumptions?
- What are you trying to learn?
- What should users be able to do?
- What can you fake vs build?

<template-output>prototype_approach</template-output>
<template-output>prototype_description</template-output>
<template-output>features_to_test</template-output> </step>

<step n="6" goal="TEST - Validate with users">
Design validation approach and capture learnings. Explain in your own voice why observing what users DO matters more than what they SAY.

Help plan testing (phase: test methods):

- Who will you test with? (aim for 5-7 users)
- What tasks will they attempt?
- What questions will you ask?
- How will you capture feedback?

Guide feedback collection:

- What worked well?
- Where did they struggle?
- What surprised them (and you)?
- What questions arose?
- What would they change?

Synthesize learnings:

- What assumptions were validated/invalidated?
- What needs to change?
- What should stay?
- What new insights emerged?

<template-output>testing_plan</template-output> <template-output>user_feedback</template-output>
<template-output>key_learnings</template-output> </step>

<step n="7" goal="Plan next iteration">
<energy-checkpoint>
Check in: "Great work! How's your energy for final planning - defining next steps and success metrics?"
</energy-checkpoint>

Define clear next steps and success criteria.

Based on testing insights:

- What refinements are needed?
- What's the priority action?
- Who needs to be involved?
- What timeline makes sense?
- How will you measure success?

Determine next cycle:

- Do you need more empathy work?
- Should you reframe the problem?
- Ready to refine prototype?
- Time to pilot with real users?

<template-output>refinements</template-output> <template-output>action_items</template-output>
<template-output>success_metrics</template-output> </step>

</workflow>


## Output Template

# Design Thinking Session: {{project_name}}

**Date:** {{date}} **Facilitator:** {{user_name}} **Design Challenge:** {{design_challenge}}

---

## 🎯 Design Challenge

{{challenge_statement}}

---

## 👥 EMPATHIZE: Understanding Users

### User Insights

{{user_insights}}

### Key Observations

{{key_observations}}

### Empathy Map Summary

{{empathy_map}}

---

## 🎨 DEFINE: Frame the Problem

### Point of View Statement

{{pov_statement}}

### How Might We Questions

{{hmw_questions}}

### Key Insights

{{problem_insights}}

---

## 💡 IDEATE: Generate Solutions

### Selected Methods

{{ideation_methods}}

### Generated Ideas

{{generated_ideas}}

### Top Concepts

{{top_concepts}}

---

## 🛠️ PROTOTYPE: Make Ideas Tangible

### Prototype Approach

{{prototype_approach}}

### Prototype Description

{{prototype_description}}

### Key Features to Test

{{features_to_test}}

---

## ✅ TEST: Validate with Users

### Testing Plan

{{testing_plan}}

### User Feedback

{{user_feedback}}

### Key Learnings

{{key_learnings}}

---

## 🚀 Next Steps

### Refinements Needed

{{refinements}}

### Action Items

{{action_items}}

### Success Metrics

{{success_metrics}}

---

_Generated using BMAD Creative Intelligence Suite - Design Thinking Workflow_

