Who Are Design Thinkers?
- Dani Chesson
- Jul 13
- 7 min read
After defining what Design Thinking is, the natural question becomes: who are the people who excel at this approach? Through years of research across 20+ industries with over 1,000 participants, I discovered that Design Thinkers aren't just people who know the process; they're individuals who possess and actively use specific capabilities.
More importantly, I found that these capabilities are innate human abilities that everyone possesses, but not everyone has an opportunity to develop and use them. In this way, Design Thinker capabilities are like muscles. We all have the same muscles, but their definition and their strength are determined by how much we train and use them.
Design Thinkers Defined
Design Thinkers are problem-solvers who understand their innate capabilities for designing solutions and know how and when to apply them. Design Thinkers confidently lean into problems, bring together people with diverse perspectives to explore situations with empathy, freely imagine possibilities, use visuals to communicate ideas, and curiously test out options to find desirable, viable, and feasible solutions.
The Research Behind Design Thinker Capabilities
As I pursued my research on Design Thinking, I noticed a gap; the research covered the what, the why, and the how, but there was little research to answer the question, Who are design thinkers. More specifically, I was curious to understand the capabilities of Design Thinkers. So, this became the focus of my PhD research: Who are Design Thinkers? What are their capabilities? And how might their capabilities help organizations get unstuck?
Through a large-scale mixed-methods research study that involved observational data, a literature review, a quantitative survey, and qualitative interviews, and statistical validation using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, I identified six core capabilities of Design Thinkers.
The study revealed three critical insights:
These capabilities are innate human abilities that everyone possesses
Awareness and application vary significantly among individuals
Environmental factors influence how well people can express these capabilities
The Six Core Capabilities of Design Thinkers
Collectively, the six core capabilities of Design Thinkers are called the Design Thinker Profile©. The statistically validated capabilities are:
1. Situation Optimizers
What they do: View problems as indicators that better solutions are possible. Rather than getting bogged down in limitations, they focus on opportunities within constraints.
How they think: "This isn't an easy problem to solve, we need a solution quickly and there's no budget, but I know we can make things better, so I keep pushing, even though some days, I want to just throw in the towel."
Key characteristics:
Believe that if you want to solve a problem, you have to believe a solution is possible
Use optimism as the superpower that keeps them going when situations seem impossible
Embrace constraints and limitations, aiming to balance possibility with practicality
2. Empathetic Explorers
What they do: Make genuine attempts to walk in others' shoes and see the world from different perspectives. They find ways to observe people in their natural environments and engage meaningfully.
How they think: "When I see how our customers use our products, it gives me a deeper understanding of the features that are important. This perspective helped me remember what's important when we have to make tough decisions."
Key characteristics:
Believe creating meaningful solutions requires empathy for those who will use them
Feel the pain points and joys of others without having to experience them firsthand
Take active interest in others' perspectives and try to understand viewpoints that differ from their own
3. Idea Generators
What they do: Imagine freely, setting aside assumptions and suspending judgment to think beyond what is and consider what might be possible. They generate abundant ideas, knowing that ideas build on ideas.
How they think: "Ideas don't arrive fully formed, so it's hard to know if an idea is good or bad until you explore it further. Everything sounds impossible until someone does it. So you really need to suspend judgment and give those crazy ideas a chance."
Key characteristics:
Understand there's a time for judging and a time for imagining—you can't do both simultaneously
Feel comfortable temporarily disconnecting from reality to consider what might be possible
Make time to daydream and think up crazy, wild, bold ideas
4. Visual Communicators
What they do: Bring abstract ideas to life by giving them physical form using sketches and simple drawings. They use visuals to enable both internal reflection and external collaboration.
How they think: "Sometimes it's hard to put an idea in my head into words. I'm also terrible at drawing, but I can use simple shapes and lines to communicate what I'm thinking."
Key characteristics:
Recognize that ideas are messy, and sketching provides a way to work with that mess
Feel comfortable with their lack of artistic talents
Sketch, draw, and diagram as ways of communicating ideas visually
5. Curious Experimenters
What they do: Learn by doing, running experiments to test ideas and discover information about unknowns. They understand that experimentation provides opportunities to learn and grow.
How they think: "We won't know if we don't try, and if we don't try, then we will just keep doing what we are doing and getting the same results. Experimenting is a cheap and fast way to see what might work."
Key characteristics:
View failure as an opportunity to learn—the risk of trying is worth it
Feel curious about trying new things and excited to see what happens
Create experiments to test ideas and learn rather than seeking perfection
6. Collective Collaborators
What they do: Understand that good solutions don't happen in isolation. They actively bring people together and invite them to participate in co-creating solutions.
How they think: "You cannot create solutions in a vacuum. We are all so different, and that diversity is needed if we are going to create solutions."
Key characteristics:
Believe no one person can have all the answers
Feel empowered and motivated by working with others
Actively invite people to join them and ask for feedback and input
Design Thinker Capabilities Work Like Muscles
One of the most important discoveries from my research is that Design Thinker capabilities function exactly like physical muscles:
Everyone Has These Muscles
Just as every human has abdominal muscles, every person possesses these six Design Thinker capabilities. They are innate human abilities, not special talents reserved for a chosen few.
Strength Depends on Exercise
Like physical muscles, the strength of these capabilities depends on how often they're used. If you don't exercise them regularly, strong capabilities can become weak. Conversely, weak capabilities can be strengthened through intentional practice.
Environment Influences Expression
The degree to which people can use their Design Thinker capabilities is influenced by factors outside their control:
The people they're around: Supportive colleagues vs. skeptical teams
The environment they work in: Innovation-encouraging vs. risk-averse cultures
The type of work they're doing: Complex challenges vs. routine tasks
This has profound implications for organizations. It means that in every organization lies the potential for exceptional problem-solving waiting to be untapped.
Capability States: Developing, Emerging, Advancing
Through the research, I discovered that Design Thinker capabilities exist in different states:
Developing State
Low awareness and minimal use of the capability
May not recognize they possess this strength
Needs support and encouragement to express the capability
Emerging State
Moderate awareness and occasional use
Beginning to recognize and apply the capability
Benefits from coaching and skill development
Advancing State
High awareness and frequent use
Confident in applying the capability
Can mentor others in developing this strength
The goal isn't for everyone to be advancing in all six capabilities, but rather to understand each person's unique profile and create conditions where their strengths can flourish while developing areas of opportunity.
Who Are Design Thinkers? Everyone and No One
Here's the paradox my research revealed: everyone has Design Thinker capabilities, but not everyone is currently a Design Thinker.
Everyone Has the Potential
Because these capabilities are innate human abilities, every person in your organization has the potential to contribute to Design Thinking efforts. The question isn't whether someone can be a Design Thinker—it's whether their capabilities are recognized, developed, and supported.
Context Determines Expression
Whether someone functions as a Design Thinker depends heavily on:
Self-awareness: Do they recognize their capabilities?
Environmental support: Does their context encourage these behaviors?
Skill development: Have they learned to apply these capabilities effectively?
Opportunity: Are they given chances to use these strengths?
Design Thinkers vs. Trained Designers
It's important to distinguish between Design Thinkers and professionally trained designers. Being a Design Thinker doesn't make someone a graphic designer, architect, or product designer. These are specialized professions requiring specific training and expertise.
Design Thinking capabilities enable effective problem-solving across any domain, while design professions require mastery of specific tools, techniques, and industry knowledge.
Implications for Organizations
Understanding who Design Thinkers are has significant implications for how organizations approach problem-solving and innovation:
Talent is Already Present
Rather than hiring external "creative types," organizations can identify and develop existing talent. The Design Thinkers you need may already be on your team.
Diversity of Thought Matters
Different people excel in different capabilities. Building effective Design Thinking teams requires combining various capability strengths rather than seeking identical skill sets.
Environment is Critical
Creating conditions where Design Thinker capabilities can flourish is as important as developing the capabilities themselves. Culture, leadership support, and organizational practices all influence expression.
Development is Possible
Because capabilities work like muscles, they can be strengthened through intentional practice and supportive environments.
Identifying Design Thinkers in Your Organization
Look for people who:
Remain optimistic when facing complex challenges
Seek to understand different perspectives before jumping to solutions
Generate multiple options rather than settling for the first idea
Use visual aids to explain complex concepts
Propose small tests before committing to major changes
Actively seek input from diverse stakeholders
These behaviors indicate someone with developing or emerging Design Thinker capabilities who could flourish with proper support and development.
Key Takeaways
Design Thinkers are made, not born—everyone has the underlying capabilities, but they require development and support
Six core capabilities distinguish effective Design Thinkers from those who simply know the process
Environment matters as much as individual ability—organizational culture can enable or hinder capability expression
Diversity of capability strengths creates more effective teams than seeking identical skill sets
Assessment and development are possible—these capabilities can be measured and strengthened like any other skill
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