Design Thinking with GenAI

Design Thinking

Applying Design Thinking for User-Centered Solutionswith Generative Artificial Intelligence

EDUC 6030: Advanced Learning Environments Design- Andrew Lawson

Start

14. References

Index

1. What is Design Thinking

2. The 5 Phases Overview

3. Phase 1: Empathize

4. Empathize in Action

5. Phase 2: Define

6. Define in Action

7. Phase 3: Ideate

8. Ideate in Action

9. Phase 4: Prototype

10. Prototype in Action

11. Phase 5: Test

12. Test in Action

13. Conclusion

What is design thinking & why it matters

Design Thinking is a human-centered, iterative approach that combines empathy, collaboration, and rapid experimentation to solve complex problems (Stanford d.school). It typically unfolds in five phases—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test—allowing teams to deeply understand users, pinpoint critical issues, generate creative ideas, build quick prototypes, and gather real feedback before fully committing resources (IDEO). By applying these methods in my Virtual Reality (VR) Lab, I can streamline problem-solving and reduce risk while delivering impactful solutions—for instance, improving employee onboarding, refining community engagement, or enhancing graduate program experiences—all by focusing on true user needs from the start.

Ideate

Empathize

Test

Prototype

Define

THE 5 Phases OVERVIEW

See it in Action ->

Phase 1: Empathize

Empathize, the first stage of Design Thinking, immerses you in users’ experiences to uncover genuine needs, behaviors, and motivations (Stanford d.school). By observing, interviewing, and mapping user experiences, you gather insights that challenge assumptions, reveal pain points, and foster empathy for more meaningful solutions (IDEO). Focusing on open-minded listening, asking “Why?” repeatedly, and documenting everything ensures a solid foundation for your subsequent design decisions.

Generative AI Prompt:I'm trying to understand fire fighters who don't use their radio during drills.What are 5 open-ended questions or observations that would help me empathize with their challenges? Focus on improving communication skill in the team.

Empathize in Action

The local Fire Chief suspects employees struggle with the new radio equipment and wants to create a VR training simulation to address the issue. We want to observe the firefighters and gather feedback to understand the true challenge to determine if a VR simulation is even needed.

Generative AI Prompt Template: I'm trying to understand [USER GROUP] who [ACTION OR CONTEXT]. What are 5 open-ended questions or observations that would help me empathize with their challenges? Focus on [PAIN POINT or SPECIFIC AREA].

Instruction to personalize your prompt:

• [USER GROUP] = Employees, customers, students, etc.
• [ACTION OR CONTEXT] = "use our new app," "navigate our enrollment process," "shop at our store," etc.
• [PAIN POINT or SPECIFIC AREA] = The main problem or improvement area you want to learn more about.

See it in Action ->

Phase 2: Define

Define focuses on synthesizing user insights from the Empathize phase to articulate a clear problem statement (Stanford d.school). By clustering pain points, identifying root causes, and pinpointing what truly matters to users, teams can sharpen their objectives and ensure everyone is aligned on the core challenge (IDEO), setting the foundation for meaningful ideation and prototyping.

Generative AI Prompt:Based on our observations that firefighters hesitate to use new radio equipment during drills, craft a concise problem statement that pinpoints the root causes and desired outcomes. Here is a list of some of our observations: ...

Define in Action

After observing firefighters struggling with the new radios, the team clustered their notes around unclear usage instructions, limited training time, and fear of “on-air mistakes,” concluding that the real issue might be confidence and skill-building rather than simply needing a VR simulation. By refining these insights into a single statement—“Firefighters lack a structured, low-pressure environment to practice communication skills, leading to underuse of the new radio equipment”— we can now work with the Fire Chief to align everyone on the core problem before exploring solutions.

Generative AI Prompt Template: Based on [OBSERVATION] that [USER GROUP] [BEHAVIOR OR CHALLENGE], craft a concise problem statement pinpointing root causes and desired outcomes. Here is a list of some of our observations: (insert your list here).

Instruction to personalize your prompt:

• [OBSERVATION] = The key insight from your Empathize stage (e.g., “difficulty operating new radios,” “confusion about onboarding,” etc.).
• [USER GROUP] = Employees, customers, students, etc.
• [BEHAVIOR OR CHALLENGE] = The main behavior or challenge observed (e.g., ignoring resources, struggling with sign-up).

See it in Action ->

Phase 3: ideate

Ideate is the third stage of Design Thinking, where you brainstorm a wide variety of solutions without judging feasibility (Stanford d.school). By encouraging uninhibited creativity, teams tap into fresh perspectives and combine ideas that might initially seem impossible (IDEO). This approach ensures you capture innovative possibilities before refining them in later stages.

Generative AI Prompt:We're brainstorming ways to help firefighters gain confidence using new radio equipment. List 5 imaginative solutions, even if they seem unconventional or require new resources.

ideate in Action

After defining the core challenge—“Firefighters need a safe, structured environment to build confidence using new radio equipment”—the team decides to generate as many ideas as possible. Alongside a VR simulation, they propose “buddy system” drills, mobile refresher apps, monthly radio challenges, and more. No idea is too big or too small at this stage; the goal is to spark creative solutions that address the identified problem.

Generative AI Prompt Template: We’re brainstorming ways to help [USER GROUP] overcome [CHALLENGE OR GOAL]. List 5 imaginative solutions, regardless of feasibility.

Instruction to personalize your prompt:

• [USER GROUP] = Employees, customers, students, etc.
• [CHALLENGE OR GOAL] = The specific issue or outcome you defined in the previous phase (e.g., building confidence, improving onboarding, etc.).

See it in Action ->

Phase 4: Prototype

Prototype is where you turn your best ideas into tangible, low-fidelity models—often quick sketches, paper mockups, or functional demos (Stanford d.school). By rapidly creating and refining these “testable” versions (IDEO), you gather early feedback without heavy investment, allowing teams to learn what works and pivot quickly if needed.

Generative AI Prompt:We have two prototype ideas for boosting radio confidence: a VR scenario and a scripted mock drill. Suggest quick, low-cost ways to simulate or storyboard each prototype for immediate feedback.

prototype in Action

After ideating multiple training concepts, the Fire Chief’s team narrows down to two potential prototypes:

• A simple virtual reality demo simulating a staged fire-rescue scenario.
• A low-tech “mock drill” where firefighters practice scripted radio calls in a makeshift training area.

They create paper storyboards for both options before spending money on actual VR development, and they gather quick feedback from a small group of firefighters to see if the proposed layouts and interaction flows make sense.

Generative AI Prompt Template: We have [NUMBER OR LIST] prototype ideas to address [CHALLENGE]. Suggest quick, low-cost ways to visualize or simulate each prototype for early feedback.

Instruction to personalize your prompt:

• [NUMBER OR LIST] = The top ideas chosen from the Ideate phase.
• [CHALLENGE] = The problem statement or user need you’re addressing.

See it in Action ->

Phase 5: test

Test is the fifth stage of Design Thinking, where you gather feedback on prototypes from real users in realistic conditions (Stanford d.school). By observing how users interact with these prototypes (IDEO), you can identify what works, uncover hidden issues, and refine or pivot your solution based on direct input—all before fully investing in final implementation.

Generative AI Prompt:We're testing two firefighter training prototypes (VR and scripted drills).Suggest five user-testing questions or tasks that can reveal how confident participants feel when using the new radio equipment.

test in Action

After developing quick VR and scripted-drill prototypes, the Fire Chief’s team schedules small-group sessions to watch firefighters in action. They look for confusion, frustration, or other indicators that the prototypes may need improvement. Feedback reveals that the scripted drill builds confidence quickly, while the VR simulation needs more realistic audio cues. Armed with these insights, the team refines each prototype, ensuring the final solution truly addresses the firefighters’ needs.

Generative AI Prompt Template: We're testing our [TYPE OF PROTOTYPE] to address [CHALLENGE]. Suggest five user-testing questions or tasks that can reveal how effectively our solution meets users' needs and identifies improvement areas.

Instruction to personalize your prompt:

• [TYPE OF PROTOTYPE] = VR simulation, paper mockup, scripted drill, etc.
• [CHALLENGE] = The problem you defined (e.g., building confidence, improving communication).

Conclusion

Design Thinking brings together empathy, creativity, and practicality to tackle challenges head-on, enabling you to craft solutions that truly resonate with users. By following the five phases—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test—you ensure each decision is grounded in real needs and continuous feedback. This iterative, user-focused approach cultivates alignment across teams and reduces costly missteps later on. Whether improving organizational processes or creating community impact, Design Thinking provides a flexible framework that delivers meaningful, human-centered results.

References

• IDEO. (n.d.). Design Thinking. https://designthinking.ideo.com/

• Stanford d.school. (n.d.). Getting started with design thinking. https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources/getting-started-with-design-thinking
• OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT L𝑎rge Learning Model. https://chat.openai.com/

iDEATE:

Generate a broad range of creative solutions, suspending immediate judgment to encourage diverse, innovative ideas.

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pROTOTYPE:

Create scaled-down or low-fidelity versions of the solution to identify the best possible approach and gather early feedback.

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Define:

Synthesize findings from the Empathize stage to articulate a clear, actionable problem statement or challenge.

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tEST:

Use real users’ feedback on prototypes to evaluate solutions, refine assumptions, and iterate toward improvement.

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Empathize:

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Gain an empathetic understanding of users’ needs, challenges, and motivations by observing and engaging with them in their context.