QRCA Views Magazine, Spring 2016

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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATION 43
n TOOLBOX n
Design Thinking Mindset Is a
Natural Fit with Qualitative Research
Essentially, Design Thinking is dedicat-
ed to a core principal referred to as
“Stretch.” Successful facilitation of
“stretching” reaches deep beneath the sur-
face with participants, encourages each of
us to become an observer, and challenges
the thinking of client-observers. Ela
describes a number of powerful benefits
to the kind of stretching the Design
Thinking mindset creates:
• Helping to support and foster
creative potential within each person,
honoring the leader and the learner in
each individual.
• Bringing disparate voices and teams
together, trying out all perspectives
and viewpoints.
• Remaining curious and empathic
about stories.
• Embracing inspiration and
“gut feelings” as an equal partner to
analytical thinking.
• Opening doors to creatively imagin-
ing ideas, then pulling out all the stops in
the search for new views, drawing on
limitless possibilities.
• Not being afraid to fail, and, with
this in mind, constantly experimenting
in courageous, resourceful, and optimis-
tic ways.
The Intersection of Insight & Empathy
“Insight and empathy are lingo for
what happens when people are inspired
to create meaningful, relevant, impactful
solutions for people’s lives. Empathy is
more about the heart, and is difficult to
express in a recognizable form. Insight,
even if it comes through an emotion or
unarticulated thought, comes through
verbally, can be intellectualized, and usu-
ally has a clear foothold into designing or
strategic planning.” Ela Ben-Ur
Insight and empathy are critical elements
of qualitative research and DT. The inten-
tion of both is to integrate visceral or
empathic connections into the process of
observing, exploring, coming up with new
views, and then taking the next step into
designing solutions. This requires tapping
into three main modes of expression:
Visual, Verbal, and Physical (see exhibit 1).
Using a multi-modal approach to
explore ideas, prototype them, and try
them out brings all of our faculties to
the table. The result is both higher
quantity and quality solutions and
insights as well as more internalization
and engagement on the part of our cli-
ents. The goal is to trigger the imagina-
tions of all involved. The challenge
through all of this is to tap into all the
ways we explore and express ideas.
Qualitative Research Consultants (QRCs) are experts at
delivering customer experience-based insight. A sister
discipline, Design Thinking (DT), grapples with the
conundrum of how to inspire design, stirring the pot
enough to generate fresh new approaches. When QRCs integrate DT
processes into qualitative research, we reach whole new levels of
insight. As QRCs, we brought a creative thinking-based moderating
mindset to a thought-provoking conversation with prominent Design
Thinking expert and former IDEO Team Leader, Ela Ben-Ur, to
explain how DT tools can be included in the QRC arsenal.
By Ellen Koronet
n Principal
n LNK Creative
n Mount Airy, MD
n
By Marta Villanueva
n Chief Insights Officer
n NuThinking, Inc.
n San Antonio, TX
n
“Empathy experiments involve immersion in another person’s
experience, eliciting an inquisitive and curious perspective.”
Design Thinking
Tools for Qualitative Researchers