When you have an idea what do you do? Where do you start? Why do you stop?
Bias toward action is a key principle of design thinking. You need to DO not THINK to be a design thinker.
Step 1: For instance – this blog. I decided to write it and then opened up Drafts on my ipad and started typing. I have enough blogging experience to know that it’s the posts, not the theme that makes a blog a blog.
Step 2: Once I had two of them written – I needed a place to post them. But I was just heading out on another trip. Good thing I had my phone in my car. I created the blog in the cab on the way to the airport.
Step 3: Drafts has a great feature of being able to do “actions” on what you type. So in about 30 seconds I had an action “Send to Design Thinking Life” which sends email to my blog as a post.
Step 4: Post. They were already written – all I had to do was send them while sitting in the lounge eating yogurt peanuts and individually wrapped cheese.
Step 5: Write another post. Realizing how much I use design thinking every day gives an endless set of topics for posting. So while I drink a complementary champagne from my upgrade to business seat – I will reflect on my bias toward action.
As my friend Bernie says – “all reasons are bullshit”, and once you know that – there is no reason not to start. Now!
What is your idea waiting for action?
GO DO IT!
Design Thinking Life 