Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2024

Abstract

In an era where innovation is not just about solving problems but also about enhancing human experiences and fostering personal fulfillment, the convergence of Ikigai principles with Design Thinking methodology offers a promising avenue for holistic problem-solving and in-novation. This paper explores the intersection of Ikigai—a Japanese concept representing one's reason for being—and Design Thinking—a human-centered approach to innovation. We propose a conceptual framework, termed Ikigai-Driven Design (IDD), which integrates the principles of Ikigai with the stages of Design Thinking. IDD comprises five main stages: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test, each combining elements of Ikigai and Design Thinking to foster purposeful innovation. The Empathize stage emphasizes understanding what users love and what the world needs, drawing insights from human-centered research methods. In the Define stage, practitioners frame problems through the lens of Ikigai, aligning identified needs with their own passions and strengths. The Ideate stage encourages divergent thinking, leveraging practitioners' Ikigai to generate creative solutions. Prototypes created in the Prototype stage em-body practitioners' purpose and values, tested and refined based on user feedback in the Test stage. By integrating Ikigai principles with Design Thinking methodology, IDD offers a struc-tured yet flexible approach to innovation that resonates deeply with users and contributes to practitioners' sense of fulfillment and meaning.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.61356/SMIJ.2024.77101

Language (ISO)

English

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Download

Share

COinS