Design Thinking in Action: SoftServe’s Five-step Framework

Traditional problem-solving methods often can’t keep up with rapidly changing technology and growing user expectations. As a result, they fall short for organizations facing complex challenges, such as building AI-driven solutions or modernizing enterprise IT systems.

Design Thinking offers a different approach. Rooted in architecture and industrial design, it has grown into a flexible methodology that helps teams tackle problems creatively, collaboratively, and with a focus on real human needs.

Team members progress through these modes of working over the course of a project, sometimes shifting back and forth nonlinearly depending on the immediate needs. The framework is primarily a guideline to aid teams to structure their own approach based on best practices. To make the steps more memorable, we symbolize each one using a simple shape.

What is Design Thinking?

Design Thinking is a human-centered methodology for solving complex problems. It emphasizes understanding people’s needs, encouraging collaboration across disciplines, and testing ideas quickly through prototyping.

The core principles are:

• Empathy for end users
• Collaboration across functions
• Iteration through testing and refining
• Focus on creating practical solutions

SoftServe’s Five-step Framework

We’ve distilled Design Thinking into five modes of working: Learn, Interpret, Ideate, Experiment, and Evolve. These steps are not always linear. Teams may move back and forth depending on project needs. Each step is symbolized by a simple shape to make it easy to remember.

1. Learn (Triangle – exploration)

The Learn mode is about gathering knowledge. Symbolized by an expanding triangle, like a beam of light, it represents searching broadly for information.

• Purpose: Understand the problem space and its context.
• Activities: Research, interviews, observation, and exploration from different perspectives (design, solutions, engineering).
• Outcome: A collection of raw data and insights that will later guide decision-making.

2. Interpret (Square – structure)

The Interpret mode turns raw information into understanding. Represented by a square, this step draws boundaries and decides what matters most.

• Purpose: Synthesize research findings and define the challenge clearly.
• Activities: Reviewing transcripts, analyzing photos or notes, clustering patterns, highlighting themes.
• Outcome: A well-defined point of view that frames the problem and sets direction for ideation.

3. Ideate (Arrow – creativity in motion)

Ideation is where creativity takes center stage. Symbolized by a forward-facing arrow, it represents momentum toward solutions.

• Purpose: Generate innovative ideas that address the defined problem.
• Activities: Brainstorming, brainwriting, sketching solutions, mapping future journeys.
• Outcome: A range of possible solutions that are ready to be tested.

At SoftServe, we actively involve stakeholders and end users during ideation. Their input grounds creativity in real-world needs and ensures ideas remain relevant.

4. Experiment (Circle – iterative cycle)

Experimentation is about testing ideas quickly. The circle symbolizes the ongoing cycle of prototyping and validation.

• Purpose: Reduce risk early by validating assumptions.
• Activities: Building simple prototypes, running user tests, gathering feedback, and refining designs.
• Outcome: Lessons learned and a clearer direction for development, while avoiding wasted time and resources.

By testing early and often, teams uncover flaws before investing heavily, turning mistakes into learning opportunities.

5. Evolve (Hexagon – maturity)

The Evolve mode moves concepts into real-world solutions. Represented by a hexagon, it suggests complexity and strength built from earlier cycles.

• Purpose: Scale validated ideas into working solutions.
• Activities: Eliciting requirements, integrating design artifacts into agile development, and continuing to test while building.
• Outcome: A user-centered solution that delivers tangible value to both users and the organization.

Why this framework works

Our framework balances creativity with structure. It helps teams:

• Stay focused on real user needs
• Collaborate across disciplines effectively
• Reduce project risk through early validation
• Adapt flexibly by moving between steps as needed

Conclusion

Design Thinking celebrates ingenuity and progress. At SoftServe, we’ve adapted its guiding principles into a framework that supports complex, high-stakes software development. The five modes — Learn, Interpret, Ideate, Experiment, and Evolve — offer a practical structure for navigating challenges and creating solutions that matter.

With experience in software engineering, user experience, and enterprise systems, we help organizations apply Design Thinking in a way that works. If you want to see how it can work for your project, get in touch with us.