Conceptions of Design Thinking in the Design and Management Discourses: Open Questions and Possible Directions for Research

The concept of design thinking has received increasing attention during recent years – particularly from managers around the world. The ample attention given to design thinking has resulted in a need to understand its core essence. However, despite being the subject of a vast number of articles and books, a search for definitions of design thinking does not produce a concise portrayal or a clear-cut breakdown of what the concept encompasses. In addition to the vagueness of the concept, also the effectiveness of the approach is unclear, as the claims about the concept are not grounded on empirical studies or evaluations. This paper discusses the need for empirical research on design thinking, the relationship between two differing discourses on design thinking, as well as their focus and direction. We conclude by proposing directions for research that further explore design thinking as a management practice.