Kelly Grigg, Design Thinking Process Engineer
We sat down with Kelly Grigg, Design Thinking Process Engineer to talk innovation and explain how Design Thinking (DT) is applied on Cognosante programs and her current work on the COMS project in support of the VA.
1. Design Thinking, also known as human-centered design, is a hot topic these days, can you distill down what it means for Cognosante?
Embracing Design Thinking means that Cognosante has committed to a culture that encourages an open, end-user focused strategy where program teams feel safe to truly get to the heart of customer challenges. This allows us to create radical, innovative solutions that aren’t just technologically sound, but also user-friendly and effective!
2. How are we currently leveraging Design Thinking in support of projects?
When utilizing DT on a project, instead of relying on our own assumptions of the existing challenges, we research and engage those who actually “live” within the problem space to ensure that we accurately understand the pain points before providing a full-scale solution. This ensures that our customers receive solutions that meet their needs, both from a technological and user experience standpoint.
3. Which project is your favorite, and why?
That’s a tough question! All of our projects aim to make some part of the healthcare experience better for those using our solutions, so it’s difficult to say which one I favor. That said, I personally enjoy our work with the VA because it enhances the care that Veterans receive (and deserve).
4. Have there been any significant project findings as a result of Design Thinking?
We’ve come across many significant findings through our research. What’s important about these insights is that they not only help us understand where to focus our solution, but it highlights the issues for all stakeholders so that they see and understand the logic behind our solutions. Here are just a few examples that come to mind:
5. Are there Design Thinking resources you could share with employees interested in learning more on the topic?
One of my favorites is IDEO, which offers free Design Thinking materials! Medium and Harvard Business Review also frequently post great Design Thinking articles, such as The Design Thinking Playbook and Why Design Thinking Works.
Game-changing. Relentless. Passionate. Cognosante produces powerful results for our customers and the communities they serve.