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Tools and exercises

Design thinking tools and exercises with explanations and printable templates.

Finding focus

Finding focus

Use this template to find focus. Explore hopes and aspirations, what's holding you back, what you've got and what you can ask for.

Reverse assumptions

Reverse assumptions

Identify and overcome blindspots and embedded assumptions by identifying them and them reversing them.

20 Uses

20 Uses

A creativity and brainstorming exercise. This is a variation of the 30 circles exercise, and is specifically designed to engage stakeholders in appreciating the diverse and creative uses that can be made of local assets. Use this activity to generate ideas about pivots, new markets, and new uses that could be made of existing assets, products, services and experiences.

30 Circles

30 Circles

Originally developed by Professor Robert McKim, this exercise assists with two dimensions of creativity - fluency and flexibility. Use this exercise as an ice breaker that draws attention to the diverse creative talents in the room and that loosening up is important.

Divergent and convergent thinking

Divergent and convergent thinking

A good physical way of explaining divergent and convergent thinking is using physical movement. It's also a good opportunity to get everyone standing up and pump some oxygen into the brain, especially to ‘change up’ the dynamic in the room. Here is the script...

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