Design Thinking Research

An increasing number of individuals and institutions have come to recognize the innovative power of design thinking. However, its success story has also meant that the term has evolved into something of an overused, or even misused, buzzword. The demand for an in-depth, evidence-based understanding of the way design thinking works has grown accordingly. This challenge is addressed by the Hasso Plattner Design Thinking Research Program. Summarizing the outcomes of the research program’s 13th year, this book presents a broad range of scientific insights gained by researchers at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany and Stanford University in California, in the course of their investigations, experiments and studies.


Special focus is placed on the impact, accessibility and measurability of design thinking. The contributing authors seek to establish common ground, conduct modelling, and develop essential toolkits. The expanding field of neurodesign is also addressed in contributions that explore the neural basis for creativity and nonverbal actions. The results of this rigorous academic research are not meant to be discussed exclusively within the scientific community: they will hopefully find their way to those who seek to promote innovation through collaboration, be it at businesses or in society.