Design Thinking Worksheet Questions

Front

Which of the following is a scenario where design thinking is most appropriate? Updating a state statute to meet federal compliance requirements, Redesigning the resident experience of navigating disability benefits, Debugging a malfunctioning power-grid transformer, Drafting a budget amendment with fixed spending rules

Back

Redesigning the resident experience of navigating disability benefits

Front

Which characteristic best signals that design thinking should not be used? Options: Multiple stakeholder groups with conflicting needs, A need to surface unspoken user frustrations, Fixed technical requirements that cannot be altered, A need to explore multiple prototypes

Back

Fixed technical requirements that cannot be altered

Front

A public hospital wants to redesign the physical layout of its emergency department to reduce trauma triggers for patients. Where does design thinking fit?

Back

In co-designing the patient experience and environment

Front

Which scenario most clearly represents an inappropriate use of design thinking? Improving a city’s online housing assistance portal, Redesigning a mandatory cybersecurity upgrade, Reimagining the intake experience at a community mental health clinic, Supporting residents in co-creating a neighborhood public safety project

Back

Redesigning a mandatory cybersecurity upgrade

Front

Why does design thinking struggle with problems that have predetermined technical or legal specifications?

Back

It thrives on ambiguity and multiple solution paths; predetermined specs leave no room for exploration, co-design, or prototyping.

Front

Which is the best example of a government problem that is too technical for design thinking? Options: Rewriting tax code language to match federal IRS definitions, Co-developing community climate adaptation strategies, Improving the experience of applying for SNAP or Medicaid, Supporting residents in co-designing a neighborhood safety initiative

Back

Rewriting tax code language to match federal IRS definitions

Front

Which is the best example of a policy or social services problem where design thinking is a good fit? Options: Redesigning crisis response services to better meet community needs, Updating dam engineering controls to meet safety codes, Implementing state cybersecurity standards, Drafting statutory language for compliance alignment

Back

Redesigning crisis response services to better meet community needs

Front

A social enterprise designed a technically excellent cookstove but adoption is low among rural women. Which explanation best reflects how design thinking helps uncover the real failure point?

Back

It surfaces cultural, household, and gender dynamics through empathy research and co-design, revealing mismatches between the product and daily practices and guiding modifications aligned with lived realities.