Change by Design

Tim Brown argues that most innovation comes not from flashes of genius but from a rigorous process of examining and developing ideas. The chief executive of the design firm IDEO introduces design thinking: a collaborative, human-centered way of solving problems that uses a designer's methods to match what people need with what is technically feasible and commercially viable, turning need into demand. He makes the case for fast, cheap prototypes as a way of thinking by building and failing early. His examples reach beyond the creative industries: Kaiser Permanente re-examining how nurses handle shift changes to improve patient care and Kraft rethinking supply chain management. Brown writes for creative leaders rather than designers.

Walmart chief executive Doug McMillon included it among his top six inspiring reads of 2016.