DesignThought
Design thought is a term used to describe the cognitive and reflective aspects of design practice. It refers to the mindset, reasoning, and intellectual strategies designers employ to understand problems, interpret user needs, and generate viable solutions. In practice, design thought combines empathy, synthesis, experimentation, and critique to guide decisions across the design process.
While design thinking describes a set of methods and stages for solving problems, design thought emphasizes
Origins of the term are informal, and usage varies by school and discipline. It has roots in
Applications include product, service, and interface design, urban planning, and policy design, where teams seek to
Criticism centers on concerns that the term can blur into a generic buzzword or that emphasis on
See also: design thinking, human-centered design, user experience design, creative problem solving.