In the Design Thinking Process, what is the first stage?

The first stage of the Design Thinking Process is empathize. This stage focuses on understanding the users, their needs, and their challenges by engaging with them and observing their behaviors. By gathering insights into their experiences and emotions, designers can form a deep empathy for the users and establish a solid foundation for addressing the problems they face.

Empathizing allows for the identification of key issues and perspectives that will guide the subsequent stages of the process. It highlights the importance of user-centric design, ensuring that solutions are tailored to meet the actual needs of the users rather than assumptions. By immersing oneself in the users' environment, designers can uncover valuable insights that might not be obvious through traditional research methods, making this stage crucial for effective problem-solving in design.