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@PHDTHESIS{Minet:1010348,
author = {Minet, Alice Désirée},
othercontributors = {Wentzel, Daniel and Piller, Frank Thomas},
title = {{D}esign thinking in the digital era : conceptual,
qualitative, and experimental analysis},
school = {Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen},
type = {Dissertation},
address = {Aachen},
publisher = {RWTH Aachen University},
reportid = {RWTH-2025-04034},
pages = {1 Online-Ressource : Illustrationen},
year = {2025},
note = {Veröffentlicht auf dem Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen
University; Dissertation, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische
Hochschule Aachen, 2025},
abstract = {In recent years, digitization and globalized markets have
led to a rapid change in consumer preferences. This is
forcing organizations to continuously develop innovations in
order to remain competitive. For this reason, many
organizations are increasingly turning to agile methods such
as design thinking to structure the often complex innovation
process. This approach is characterized in particular by its
practical, experience-based, and human-centric way of
solving problems. At the same time, digital transformation
is bringing about far-reaching changes in working methods
and processes. Organizations are faced with the challenge of
adapting their working conditions and redesigning the tools,
routines, and processes they use. This also influences the
way in which design thinking methodology is implemented in
practice. While traditionally applied in physical spaces and
through face-to-face workshops, the collaboration and
interaction of participants are now increasingly moving to
virtual environments. However, this shift towards digital
design thinking brings with it particular challenges. For
example, theories from cognitive science and social
psychology propose that mental processes emerge from the
social and physical interactions of the body with the
environment, suggesting a bidirectional entanglement between
sensorimotor and cognitive processes. While previous
research has highlighted the benefits of digital tools in
innovation management, such as increasing efficiency and
overcoming geographical boundaries, there are still research
gaps regarding potential barriers to the application of
design thinking. In particular, there is a lack of
understanding of the trade-offs associated with the
digitization of design thinking, which affect both the
process and the outcomes. In addition, scholars have called
for strengthening the theoretical foundations of design
thinking by examining the behavioral principles that
underlie this practice. This dissertation addresses these
gaps by examining the cognitive mechanisms and strategic
implications that occur when conducting design thinking in
digital environments. A total of four essays discuss
different aspects of the interface between design thinking
and digitization: Design thinking as a process, as a
creative mindset, and as a strategic tool for organizational
transformation. The essays Ia and Ib take a process-oriented
perspective, focusing on how digitization influences the
implementation and outcomes of each phase of design thinking
workshops. Using conceptual and qualitative research
methods, the articles analyze the comparison of virtual and
physical formats and show that both offer different
advantages in different phases of the design thinking
process. This provides a nuanced understanding of how
companies can strategically integrate both formats to drive
innovation. Essay II shifts the focus to design thinking as
a creative mindset, examining how digitization affects
creativity in the early stage ideation phase. Drawing on
embodied cognition theory, this article argues that physical
interactions with objects and materials are critical to the
development of creative ideas. Through a series of
laboratory experiments, it is shown that digital ideation
settings limit sensorimotor experience and thus inhibit
creativity, especially when developing new and innovative
solutions. The results highlight the importance of
considering the fit between tools and tasks in the ideation
phase to foster creativity effectively. Essay III examines
design thinking as a strategic approach to organizational
change through a case study of the Ford Motor Company. While
design thinking has helped Ford identify and address
essential customer needs with innovative solutions, the
study also highlights organizational barriers to scaling
design thinking across the organization. It emphasizes the
need for design thinking to align with broader corporate
strategies to ensure sustainable innovation in the digital
era successfully. This dissertation has important
theoretical and practical implications. On the one hand, it
extends the understanding of how digital environments change
the cognitive mechanisms that underpin design thinking as a
process, mindset, and strategy. On the other hand, it
provides practical insights for organizations on how to
apply design thinking, considering the limitations and
benefits of digital tools. Through this holistic approach,
the dissertation enables a deeper understanding of how
innovation can be fostered in a digitized world.},
cin = {812310},
ddc = {330},
cid = {$I:(DE-82)812310_20140620$},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)11},
doi = {10.18154/RWTH-2025-04034},
url = {https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/1010348},
}
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