Bootcamp Thoughts

Skepticism colored my initial impression of the design thinking bootcamp. All I could think was “cell phones? Why cell phones? How can I create a new product in a category defined by cutting-edge technology?” I was also wary of having to delve into the psychological motivations of a stranger, an uncomfortable task under any circumstances, more so with a time limit. After a few minutes passed and I had a better sense of the process unfolding before me, I opened up and felt more at ease. Even though it was fast-paced, the bootcamp offered many opportunities to revisit the same problems over and over again, each time with a better sense of where to go next. The iterative nature of design thinking helped me feel a little more comfortable with each successive round of interviews and insights. Even if I had to go back and revise previous thoughts, I knew there would always be a chance to learn and move forward (even if forward felt like backward).