Companies that follow design thinking have greater revenues and returns from shareholders. They also outperform the S&P 500 Index year after year.

The biggest businesses in the world - from Google and Airbnb to Nike and IBM - use this practice.

But what exactly is design thinking? And more importantly, how can you use it? The design thinking process has gained momentum in the business world and is critical to personal and business success.

In this article, we walk you through what this transformational principle is, how it works, and why it's important.

What Is Design Thinking?

Design thinking is primarily a framework that approaches problems creatively. According to to IDEO, the organization that pioneered this strategy, the official design thinking definition includes business, creativity, and solutions.

Thus, design thinking is a way to solve problems by putting yourself in the customer's shoes. The process requires observation and empathy. This is then...