ETHIKAS – DESIGN THINKING
1. Basic Information
Method Title: Design Thinking in ETHIKAS
Author / Organisation: ETHIKAS project consortium
Country: European / transnational
Theme / Topic: Entrepreneurship; digital and innovative teaching approaches; inclusion of disadvantaged groups
Keywords / Tags: design thinking, entrepreneurship, innovation, empathy, prototyping, user-centred learning, migrant women, social entrepreneurship
2. Overview
Short Description
Design Thinking in ETHIKAS is a human-centred, visual and iterative method used to develop entrepreneurial ideas, test solutions, and support learning and mentoring. It helps learners and trainers identify real needs, generate ideas, prototype solutions, and refine them through feedback.
Purpose of the Method
To support learners in developing entrepreneurial and innovative solutions through an empathetic, user-oriented and practical process that can also be used in training, mentoring and business development.
Learning Outcomes (Skills / Knowledge / Attitudes)
Participants understand the principles and phases of Design Thinking; improve empathy, creativity, problem-solving and collaboration skills; learn to investigate needs, generate and test ideas, and refine concepts; and develop an open, iterative and solution-focused mindset.
3. Target Group
Target Group: Young adults and adults, especially aspiring entrepreneurs, learners in entrepreneurship education, trainers and mentors, with relevance for disadvantaged groups such as migrant women.
Age Range: 16+
Group Size: Small or medium groups (approximately 5–20 participants), but adaptable for individual work.
Required Prior Knowledge: No advanced prior knowledge required. Basic communication and willingness to reflect, collaborate and test ideas are sufficient.
4. Practical Details
Duration: 60–120 minutes for an introductory workshop; longer if the full process is developed in depth. For shorter workshops, the number of Design Thinking phases can be reduced.
Setting (online / offline / hybrid): Offline, online or hybrid
Group Work / Individual: Mainly group work, with individual reflection tasks
Materials / Tools Needed
Whiteboard or flipchart, sticky notes, markers, large paper, templates, digital collaboration tools if online, and optional Design Thinking toolkits (e.g. persona, customer journey map, brainstorming, service safari, opportunity mind map).
5. Method Description (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Identify the Challenge or Opportunity
Explore the context, emerging needs and the real problem by observing, listening and gathering information from users or stakeholders.
Where possible, participants can work with a challenge from their local community.
Step 2: Deepen Empathy and Investigate
Use interviews, stories, visual tools or mapping methods to understand users’ experiences, motivations and barriers.
Step 3: Generate and Develop Ideas
Brainstorm possible solutions, organise insights visually, create concepts and select the most promising directions.
Step 4: Test, Refine and Finalise
Prototype ideas in a simple way, gather feedback, iterate if needed, and move towards a viable solution, business idea or service concept.
Complete Example of a Design Thinking Process
Local Challenge: Older people in the community find it difficult to access information about local activities and services.
- Identify the Challenge
Participants explore the problem and identify that information about local activities is available through different channels but may be difficult for some older residents to find.
- Deepen Empathy and Investigate
Participants talk to older community members and ask about their experiences. They identify needs and barriers, such as difficulty finding information or using digital platforms.
- Generate and Develop Ideas
Participants brainstorm possible solutions. Ideas could include a simple community information board, an easy-to-use information service, or a combination of printed and digital information.
The group selects one idea that best responds to the identified needs.
- Test, Refine and Finalise
Participants create a simple prototype of their solution, for example a draft of a community information board. They show it to potential users, collect feedback and adapt the idea based on their responses.
Possible Outcome:
A user-informed concept that makes information about local activities and services easier to access.
Short Workshop Adaptation
If less time is available, the number of Design Thinking phases can be reduced by combining:
- identifying the challenge and understanding users;
- generating ideas and selecting a solution;
- creating a simple prototype and collecting brief feedback.
6. Pedagogical Approach
Methods used
Design Thinking process, empathy-based investigation, brainstorming, visual mapping, ideation, prototyping, feedback collection, iterative testing and reflection.
Why this approach is effective
This approach is effective because it is human-centred, practical and visual. It helps participants identify the real problem, include multiple perspectives, co-create solutions, and adapt ideas based on feedback. It is especially useful in entrepreneurship and innovation because it reduces uncertainty and focuses on actual user needs.
7. Inclusion & Accessibility
How inclusion is ensured
The method values multiple perspectives, collaboration and user participation. Its visual and practical tools support communication across different linguistic, educational and cultural backgrounds.
Adaptations for disadvantaged groups
- Use simple language, visual supports, role play and collaborative tasks.
- Allow more time for reflection.
- Provide examples from real life.
- Adapt tasks to the experiences of migrant learners, low-skilled adults or participants with limited confidence in formal learning contexts.
- Use challenges from the local community.
- Reduce the number of Design Thinking phases for shorter workshops.
8. Sustainability Aspect
Relevance to sustainability:
The method promotes sustainable problem-solving by encouraging participants to investigate real social needs, avoid wasteful solutions, test ideas before scaling, and develop responsible, user-oriented products, services or social-enterprise concepts.
9. Evaluation & Feedback
Evaluation methods
Observation of participation, review of visual outputs and concepts, feedback discussions, prototype testing results, and reflective questions on learning and improvement.
Tools used (self/peer/teacher):
Self-reflection, peer feedback, trainer observation and user/stakeholder feedback.
10. Output / Result
Final outcome
A clarified problem statement, a user-informed concept or business idea, and a tested prototype or action direction that can be further developed.
11. Transferability
How can this method be adapted:
It can be adapted for entrepreneurship education, civic participation projects, social innovation, community problem-solving, digital learning, service development, and training with diverse adult learners. The depth, tools and examples can be adjusted to age, group size and context.
Local community challenges can be used as the starting point. For shorter workshops, the number of Design Thinking phases can be reduced or combined.
12. Additional Resources
Links / files / tools:
ETHIKAS “Design Thinking in ETHIKAS”; ETHIKAS toolkit and eBook; ServiceDigiCulture toolkit; IBM Enterprise Design Toolkit; IDEO Design Kit.