Understanding Creativity in a More Structured Way

During the Enterprise Innovation course, I was introduced to the Design Thinking model. Although it wasn’t the most significant learning of the term, it was interesting to see how creativity can be approached in a more structured way, with clearly defined stages such as empathy, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

Before this, I used to see creativity as something more spontaneous and intuitive. Learning that it can also follow a logical process and be applied practically made me rethink how I approach problem-solving. In the group assignment where we developed the “Freshness First” proposal for Starbucks, this framework helped us better understand customer needs, identify a real issue, and propose realistic solutions tailored to the local context.

Although I wouldn’t use this method in every situation, I believe it adds value, especially for professionals involved in product development. Since I am aiming to work as a Product Manager, this more organised way of exploring ideas and validating assumptions may help me better understand user needs and develop solutions that make sense for both the customer and the business.

Overall, being introduced to Design Thinking expanded my toolkit. Now, when I think about innovation or bringing something new to the table, I see that structuring creative thinking can be a strength, particularly when working in teams or when decisions need to be justified through data and concrete observations.