What is one of the tools associated with Design Thinking?

Empathy maps are a key tool used in the Design Thinking process to gain a deeper, shared understanding of user needs and their environment. The practice involves creating a collaborative visualization of what a user says, thinks, does, and feels. This tool helps teams step into the user's shoes, fostering empathy and uncovering insights that might be missed through other research methods. It is fundamental to the "Discover" phase of the Design Thinking double diamond, where the primary goal is to understand the problem from the customer's perspective.

A. Behavior-driven development: A development practice that uses examples to define requirements; it is part of Built-In Quality, not a Design Thinking tool.
B. Portfolio canvas: A strategic tool used in Lean Portfolio Management to define and align a SAFe portfolio, operating at a much higher level than user-focused design.
D. Set-based design: A technical practice from Lean product development that explores multiple design options simultaneously to increase flexibility, not a tool for understanding users.

1. Scaled Agile, Inc. (2023). Design Thinking. Scaled Agile Framework. Retrieved from https://www.scaledagileframework.com/design-thinking/ (See the section "Discover," which explicitly lists "Empathy maps" as a tool).

2. Gray, D., Brown, S., & Macanufo, J. (2010). Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers. O'Reilly Media. (Chapter on Empathy Mapping provides the foundational practice that SAFe incorporates).