In 2017, I noticed something troubling.
Innovation leaders at some large global organisations were selling ‘design thinking-led’ services to other companies. They ran workshops. Facilitated sessions. Bagged long-term projects. And charged good money.
But when interacting with them, I realised many of them didn’t truly understand what design thinking was.
They knew the buzzwords. They could draw the five hexagons. They had certifications. They dropped ‘empathy’ and ‘prototype’. But the depth? The rigour? The why behind each step? And the most important foundations. They were missing.
And something as powerful as design thinking was reduced to a trending fad that served as a funnel for what they were already offering clients.
And they weren’t alone. Students at business schools were graduating with ‘design thinking’ on their CVs but couldn’t apply it to a real challenge. Corporate teams were running ‘innovation sprints’ that produced big Post-it graveyards.
This wasn’t their fault. The resources available were either too academic or too superficial. There was nothing in between. Nothing that explained the philosophy AND gave you a more relatable framework.
I felt compelled to write, ‘Design the Future’. And amusingly, conceptualized my 9-step model only when repeatedly re-visiting the creative journey with the mind of a beginner.
I developed a 9-step process that simplifies Stanford’s 5-step model without losing its essence. Three obvious but often ignored foundations before you even begin attempting to solve a challenge. Without the right mindset, the right understanding, and the right challenge definition, all the creative techniques in the world couldn’t help.
The book is filled with examples from around the world. Some recognizable from the media coverage they’ve received. Some, from my favourite projects and general observations. Others, brilliant solutions seemingly hiding in plain sight. Real cases. Tangible applications.
Was it theoretical? Yes, deliberately so. Because before you can do design thinking, you need to understand design thinking.
You need to know why each step matters.
You need the conceptual foundation. After which, I myself encourage you to throw the model and steps away and simply dive into the challenge and solve it for those whose lives deserve a better solution.
But theory alone isn’t enough. And so, seven years later, I wrote ‘Think Like an Innovator’, the practical companion that will help turn understanding into action.
Every book I write serves a specific need. ‘Design the Future’ was for those who needed clarity before capability.
If that’s you, or someone you know, the book will be available at the World Book Fair 2026 with a special discount.
Because everyone deserves to understand innovation properly. Before they try to sell it.