Making sense of design thinking: A primer for medical teachers

Abstract

An increasing number of medical teachers have taken an interest in design thinking, which has been used for years in business, law, and technology sectors. Yet, what does design thinking mean, and how has it been applied in medical education? This commentary discusses design thinking from multiple perspectives. First, it overviews, briefly, the historical development of design thinking, which medical education literature has seldom addressed in detail. Second, it synthesizes three current understandings of design thinking across disciplines: design thinking as a cognitive style, as a process of creativity and innovation, and as an organizational attribute. Third, it presents a ‘roundup’ of design thinking initiatives that have been applied at preclinical and clinical levels, including programs, courses, workshops, and hackathons. To conclude, the commentary suggests future directions for medical teachers interested in design thinking. Although design thinking is showing promise in medical education, there is substantial work to be done theoretically and practically.

Keywords:

• Creativity
• design thinking
• innovation
• medical education
• problem-solving

Disclosure statement

The author has no declarations of interest to report.

Glossary

Hackathon: An event that challenges teams, which usually include computer programmers, to produce a deliverable under tight deadlines.

Wicked problem: A problem that resists clear definitions, missions, and stopping points. In medical education, wicked problems may include the high rates of physician burnout, growing rates of obesity and diabetes, disparities in social determinants of health, and the rising cost of care, to name a few.

Notes

1 Numerous authors have explored the intersections between abductive reasoning and clinical reasoning. See, e.g., Patel et al. (2012).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael J. Madson

Michael J. Madson, PhD, is an assistant professor in the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts at Arizona State University. His scholarship focuses on healthcare communications and design, wayfinding in hospitals, and the training of health professionals.