Roger Martin starts this book by introducing the 'knowledge funnel' (Martin, 2009, p. 8) - a concept that he developed to explain how new and 'different kind of knowledge' can be created. He explains what analytical thinking (which is based on either deductive or inductive thinking) and intuitive thinking (which is knowing without reasoning) is, how they work and what are their benefits. He goes further and says that there is a third way of doing things, and it is 'design thinking', which is based on abductive reasoning/logic (Martin, 2009, p. 5).
He argues that the first two types of thinking form two different business models. An organization that uses analytical thinking is an organization that exploits its resources over and over again and looks for reliability in its processes and decision-making. It is an organization that is concerned with bettering its administration.
On the other hand, an organization that uses design thinking is an organization that is constantly exploring new options and looks for validity in its processes and decision-making. It is an organization that is concerned with the invention of business, or as I understand, with innovation.
In my future work as a designer, I should be striving to combine the two modes of thinking. I understand that numbers (reliable information) speak for themselves and often times it is the only language that businessmen (such as accountants, bosses, CEOs) speak. And the language that I will speak (as a designer) and my ideas will be foreign to them. And the example of Procter&Gamble that Roger Martin gives, teaches us to work together, interdepartmentally. Thus, I need to be able to navigate between the two business models, combining them if needed, to create room for design thinking and exploration.
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