The use of the “design-thinking” and “seven hats” methods at the project initiation and planning stage

Abstract

The article is devoted to the comparison of tools for analyzing innovative ideas, such as “design thinking” and the modified “seven hats” method. Both methods are actively used in project management at the initiation and planning stages. The technology of generation, analysis and selection of creative ideas of projects based on the combination of these two approaches when working in a team is considered. The article is a continuation of the authors' research in the field of creative thinking problems, both in the field of education, and in the field of professional project and program management. The results can be used to develop a theoretical framework for project management at the stage of generating ideas and initiating projects.

The logic of the process approach of the design-thinking method echoes the logic of using the modified seven hats method. Therefore, the authors propose to use in the work of project teams at the stage of project initiation a modified “seven hats” method together with the “design-thinking” method. At the stage of consideration of the project idea, it is proposed to approach the development of the idea step by step, since this is required by the “design-thinking” method, and at each stage all team members wear the same “hats”. The paper presents the methodology obtained by directly transferring the methods and tools proposed for the “seven hats” method in the logic of their consistent use in conjunction with the “design thinking” technique. A table has been developed for the correspondence of the stages of creating a project idea using the “design thinking” and “seven hats” approaches, for example, the “green hat” is assigned to the “generating ideas” stage, and the “blue”, “white” and “black” hats to the “prototype testing” phase. Developing the ideas of Edward de Bono, it becomes possible not only to effectively generate ideas at the stage of project initiation, but also to develop prototypes that have the value the customer needs. Namely, this is the result of a successful project activity.