What is the difference between a fixed and growth mindset in design thinking?

Challenge stagnation. Embrace growth mindset. See failures as stepping stones, not setbacks. Embrace challenges, seek feedback, and celebrate others' success. In design, view constraints as catalysts for innovation, not limitations. Cultivate curiosity, experiment boldly, and iterate fearlessly. By challenging fixed notions, you'll unlock untapped potential, fostering a culture of resilience and continuous improvement.

Have you ever felt stuck in your ways, thinking you can't change or improve? That's the fixed mindset at play. It's like believing your abilities are set in stone – either you're good at something or you're not, with no room for growth. It limits you in your shortcomings leaving no scope for improvement.

La mentalidad fija se refiere a una forma de pensar en la que las personas creen que sus habilidades, talentos y características son estáticas y no pueden cambiar significativamente. Aquellos con mentalidad fija tienden a creer que sus capacidades son inherentemente limitadas y que no pueden mejorar mucho, independientemente del esfuerzo que realicen. De igual manera algunas personas considerar esta mentalidad puede servir para casos como evitar el fracaso, en personas que no les gusta asumir riesgos (de ninguna clase), o algo tan simple como el autoestima (al no exponerse a problemas). Es así como inclusive algo que se considera negativa por la mayoría, puede ser bueno en ciertas ocasiones y para algunas personas.

The key difference is the ability to classify your daily decision making - choosing sustainability. A lot of our bigger goals in life are directly dependant upon what we choose to work towards- in smaller steps, Wether it is a health goal, work milestone or a significant dream. Every day is a choice we are privileged to make, choosing to contribute to it regardless- regardless the hurdles is what counts. Sustainability of our actions & decisions makes the key impact.

In other words: "About to be disrupted". New technologies, products and solutions are created every day. These are the result of Growth Mindsets. Business development and growth is the result of "Strategic" work, not hard work. Being fixed to your old habits and limited understanding of your customers leads only to limited solutions, and therefore the imminent condition that your business will be disruptive by businesses thinking ahead, changing, improving, adapting.

In other words: "Adaptive" or "Continually Improving" It's not a secret, you need to work "Intelligently". Many people work hard. Hard work will not get you results unless you understand a few principles: - What is your business goal? - Who is your client? - How can you improve your quality to offer better services/products? Growth mindset starts by understanding these principles, and then working hard towards continual improvement and learning.

Think of a growth mindset like a plant—it thrives when nurtured. It's the belief that your abilities can develop with dedication and effort. Mistakes and challenges are growth opportunities. With a growth mindset, you're not fixed in your abilities; you're continuously evolving and growing. Growth Mindset is not about where you start, but how far you're willing to grow.

Simply urging individuals to adopt a growth mindset overlooks socio-economic disparities, institutional biases, and cultural constraints. True growth requires dismantling systemic injustices, providing inclusive education, and addressing societal inequities to ensure everyone can thrive, regardless of their starting point.

A growth mindset in design thinking refers to the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Individuals with a growth mindset embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as a path to mastery, learn from criticism, and find inspiration in the success of others.

Continuous improvement is a key factor in adopting a growth mindset. Rather than viewing challenges as setbacks, you see them as opportunities to learn and improve. Believing in your ability to develop and grow fosters a sense of self-assurance, empowering you to tackle new challenges head-on. By embracing growth, you unlock your full potential, discovering talents and abilities you may not have realized you possessed.

A growth mindset, grounded in resilience and a willingness to embrace failures and take calculated risks, is crucial for product innovation. It not only enables product managers and teams to think laterally and critically—both inside and outside the box—but also relies on organizational support to empower them. This empowerment fosters an environment conducive to exploring diverse options, ultimately setting the stage for breakthrough innovations. The organization's role is pivotal in nurturing this mindset, ensuring teams are poised for success and encouraged to navigate through challenges creatively. Providing them safety net

->Encourages resilience and persistence in overcoming challenges. ->Fosters a willingness to learn and adapt to new situations. ->Promotes a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. ->Enhances collaboration and openness to feedback. ->Inspires creativity and exploration of new ideas.

Privileging individual effort obscures institutional biases and socio-economic disparities in access to resources and opportunities. Embrace a nuanced approach that combines personal development with advocacy for inclusive practices. Advocate for systemic changes that address structural inequalities, ensuring all voices are heard and valued in the innovation process. Strive for a growth mindset that extends beyond personal achievement to collective empowerment, fostering a more equitable and collaborative innovation ecosystem.

In design thinking, a fixed mindset hinders creativity and problem-solving by viewing abilities as fixed, while a growth mindset fosters resilience and innovation, seeing challenges as opportunities to learn and improve. Embracing a growth mindset in design thinking promotes adaptability, fosters creativity, and encourages continuous improvement, leading to more effective problem-solving and innovation.

->Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. ->View failures as valuable learning experiences and opportunities for improvement. ->Cultivate a passion for learning and self-improvement. ->Seek out constructive feedback and use it as a tool for growth. ->Surround yourself with individuals who have a growth mindset and learn from their experiences.

In design thinking, a fixed mindset limits innovation and problem-solving by believing abilities are fixed, while a growth mindset thrives on challenges and sees failure as an opportunity to learn and improve. To develop a growth mindset, embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, view setbacks as valuable learning experiences, and persist in the face of obstacles with resilience and determination. This fosters a mindset conducive to creativity, adaptability, and continuous improvement in the design thinking process.

This is how you develop a growth mindset: - Accept that nothing is fixed. - If we didn't grow, we would all still be wearing loincloths. Look for evidence that growth supports us. - Ask yourself, what if what I think is impossible could be made possible.

->Journaling: Reflect on challenges, setbacks, and lessons learned to foster a growth mindset. ->Mindfulness and meditation: Practice mindfulness techniques to develop resilience and focus on the present moment. ->Goal setting: Set specific, achievable goals and track progress over time to cultivate a growth mindset. ->Self-affirmations: Use positive affirmations to reinforce a belief in your ability to learn and grow.

In design thinking, a fixed mindset limits exploration and innovation, while a growth mindset embraces challenges and sees failures as opportunities to learn. Tools for fostering a growth mindset include reflective journaling, seeking feedback, and practicing self-compassion, empowering individuals to approach design challenges with resilience and curiosity.

An interdisciplinary team of design, engineering, and product collaborating at every stage is the first reflection of a growth mindset. In a fixed mindset scenario, you occasionally find engineering does not have a seat on the table during problem definition and ideation, it is a handover to engineering for the implementation of the defined solutions. Another example of a fixed mindset is identifying only one solution. It reflects a belief that there's a single correct answer. A growth mindset would encourage the generation of a variety of solutions for better outcomes. By considering a range of possibilities, we can analyze each solution for viability, feasibility, and desirability, ultimately leading to a well-informed final decision.

There are few questions that I founded very useful for fostering growth mindset, like: when cross-disciplinary teams are facing a dead end, questions like: “What else is possible”? “What would take to get to a desired outcome”?helps to open new possibilities. Identifying edge cases and extreme user persona, also helps to get multiple solutions instead of only one. Last but not least, testing high level prototypes with different groups, learn from feedback and re-iterate, helps to develop a growth mindset.

->Instead of avoiding difficult design problems, embrace them as opportunities to learn and innovate. ->Instead of giving up after initial setbacks, persist in iterating and refining design solutions. ->Instead of viewing feedback as criticism, see it as valuable input for improving designs.

In design thinking, a fixed mindset stifles creativity, while a growth mindset fuels innovation. Examples of a growth mindset include embracing failure as a learning opportunity, seeking feedback for improvement, and persisting through challenges with resilience and determination. This mindset fosters a culture of continuous improvement and transformative problem-solving in design thinking

->The importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment that encourages and rewards a growth mindset. ->The role of leadership in modeling and promoting a growth mindset culture within design teams and organizations.

Growth mindset Vs Fixed mindset is your inner choice between abundance vs constraint. To embrace Growth mindset, you need to cultivate grit, celebrate growth over outcome, reframe challenges as opportunities. Let me explain it you with example of a smart phone. Fixed Mindset: You believe the current model is already excellent and customers love it. Think "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" so keep largely the same design and just upgrade a few technical specs. Growth mindset: Even though the current model sells well, you radically rethink the design. You are in the thirst of simplifying experiences for the customer, exploring features which can future proof the product.