The basic difference between Design and Design Thinking is that the latter tends to be micro and product-focussed, in the traditional sense of the word. Moving into the realm of the latter, Design Thinking, we open ourselves to a totally new level of macro thinking and systemic consideration.

This significant difference is well captured in Change By Design by Tim Brown. The book describes well the Shimano project where IDEO, the organization Tim Brown heads went beyond the design of a new bike to reconceptualising the essence of biking and its current limitations to arrive at the successful Coasting bikes.

Organisations tend to be too siloed in the majority of situations. Having Design Thinking to align such diverse views cannot be a bad thing, especially from a holistic and touchy feely perspective of Design Thinking.