Product development using Design thinking approach

Abstract

Design thinking is a relatively recent, very efficient, team-based approach to innovations. This methodology motivates entrepreneurs to focus on costumer's needs, resulting in inventive ideas. It is divided into five stages. Innovators engage with consumers, collect various ideas to meet their needs, then choose only one or two successful ideas to test in the final step of Design thinking.

The subject of this study is the application of Design thinking methodology to the problem of excessive amounts of wood residues in the lumber industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Wood processing or lumber industry encounters the problem of large amounts of wood residues remaining after production. Through five steps of Design thinking, this study examines the development of numerous concepts suitable for solving the problem of sawdust residues that in large quantities remain unused in companies within the wood industry. The idea of mycelium eco-packaging as a substitute for Styrofoam in transportation matters is one that has stuck to the end of the research. Besides the environmental benefits of mycelium eco-packaging over Styrofoam the cost-benefit analysis demonstrated the financial benefits.