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DesignThinkers Group

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Nederland
Amsterdam
DesignThinkers Group

Global representation in +25 countries, Design Thinking & Agile Expert Coaches. Empowering Teams Through (Online) Tailored Design Sprints.

Enabling Digital Transformation. Enhancing Human-Centered Mindset. Our mission is to empower teams & professionals to be inspired and challenged, to ‘learn-by-doing’ and strengthen their ability for creative problem solving to kick-start bold innovation and drive positive change. Let's connect on www.designthinkersgroup.com

02/11/2026

AI experimentation at work needs these 4 conditions

A team wants to explore how AI could help compare proposals or prepare customer interviews. But with back-to-back meetings and the same delivery targets, testing a new approach keeps slipping to next week.

According to Forbes, meaningful AI experimentation depends on four conditions: safety, suitable tools and support, a repeatable method, and time. In practice, that means knowing which tools are approved, feeling comfortable asking for help, and having time to test an idea, review the results and share what was learned.

Where could a small experiment fit into your team’s week? Testing AI on one task and discussing the outcome with colleagues can reveal what helps, what needs checking and what is worth trying next. Those lessons become valuable when teams have the support to apply them in their everyday work.

Read the full article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/niritcohen/2026/10/21/ai-experimentation-at-work-needs-these-four-conditions/

01/11/2026

This week’s book recommendation is ‘Global by Design: How to Create Innovations That Scale, Travel, and Transform’ by Amos Winter and Vijay Govindarajan.

How can a solution to a local challenge become relevant around the world? Bringing together design thinking, engineering and business strategy, this book explores how understanding people’s needs in emerging markets can lead to affordable, high-performing innovations with much wider potential.

In this book, the authors argue that creating value starts with understanding the conditions people actually live and work in. Limited resources, infrastructure and budgets can inspire fresh approaches that also benefit customers in wealthier markets. For anyone working in design and innovation, it offers a thoughtful reminder to stay curious about whose needs shape our solutions, and whose experiences we might still be overlooking.

Happy reading!

26/10/2026

AI Is new, but Learning something new is not

With AI changing how we work, feeling unsure about where to start is understandable. But across our careers, we have all developed skills that once felt unfamiliar. What could that experience teach us about approaching AI?

According to Forbes, remembering how we have learned before can help us approach new technology with greater confidence. Curiosity, practical experimentation and reflection all play a role. Working with one familiar task gives us a manageable starting point and helps us judge where AI adds value and where it falls short.

The good news is that you do not need to have every answer before you begin. Making room to ask questions, learn together and build on small experiences can help turn uncertainty into progress.

Read the full article here: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2026/10/19/ai-is-new-but-learning-something-new-is-not/

25/10/2026

This week’s book recommendation is ‘No One Wins Alone: Structured Networking - The Hidden Key to Success’ by Carsten Sudhoff.

Great things rarely happen alone. Behind every new idea, opportunity, or breakthrough, there's often someone who helped make it possible. In this book, the author explores how meaningful connections can help us tackle challenges, discover new perspectives, and achieve more together. Drawing on insights from over 10,000 consultations, the book introduces Structured Networking as a way to build relationships with purpose and turn connections into meaningful collaboration.

Sudhoff argues that successful networking isn't about knowing everyone, but about connecting with the right people and finding ways to support one another. A thoughtful introduction, a shared idea, or an unexpected conversation can open doors we might never have found on our own. The central message is simple: progress happens when we share knowledge, build trust, and work together. Sometimes, the most valuable step forward is simply reaching out to someone new.

Happy reading!

19/10/2026

You think you’re a good collaborator. Do people agree?

Good collaboration is essential for effective leadership, but are leaders always aware of how their behaviours affect their teams? While many senior leaders consider themselves supportive and empowering, their colleagues may experience something different. Unintentionally dominating conversations or micromanaging can limit diverse perspectives, weaken trust, and prevent teams from working effectively together.

According to Harvard Business Review, research involving more than 10,000 professionals reveals that senior leaders often underestimate these behaviours. The article highlights the importance of seeking honest feedback, remaining open to criticism, and replacing unhelpful habits with intentional actions. Asking questions instead of providing immediate answers, creating space for others to contribute, and trusting teams with greater ownership can help foster a more collaborative working environment.

Ultimately, effective collaboration is not simply about having good intentions, but about understanding how our actions are experienced by others. By recognising our blind spots and making small, meaningful changes, we can create environments where people feel heard, trusted, and empowered to contribute their best ideas.

Read the full article here: https://hbr.org/2026/09/you-think-youre-a-good-collaborator-do-the-people-you-manage-agree?ab=HP-topics-text-20

18/10/2026

This week’s book recommendation is ‘80,000 Hours: How to Have a Fulfilling Career That Does Good’ by Benjamin Todd.

A career is more than a sequence of roles or achievements. It is one of the biggest ways we spend our energy, develop our abilities, and contribute to the world. This book takes this idea seriously, offering an evidence-based guide to making career decisions with greater purpose and clarity. Instead of relying on familiar advice such as “follow your passion,” the book invites readers to consider what makes work genuinely fulfilling, which global problems are most urgent, and how their skills could be used in ways that remain meaningful in an age of AI.

In ‘80,000 hours’, Todd argues that choosing a career well means looking beyond personal interest alone and considering where one can be useful, adaptable, and impactful over time. The book introduces practical tools for identifying promising paths, assessing risks such as automation, and building a plan that balances personal satisfaction with the potential to help others. At its heart, the book reminds us that our working lives hold enormous possibility. One valuable takeaway is to treat career planning not as a fixed decision, but as an ongoing process of learning, testing, and aligning your abilities with problems worth solving.

Happy reading!

12/10/2026

How to Set Strategy When the Path Is Unclear

When markets shift quickly and familiar assumptions no longer hold, setting a clear direction can feel increasingly difficult. Harvard Business Review explores how leaders can navigate uncertainty by grounding strategy in what matters most, staying open to new signals, and creating enough flexibility to adapt as conditions change.

According to Harvard Business Review, strong strategy in uncertain environments starts with clarity around your organization’s core: whether that is its mission, customers, capabilities, or the problems it is uniquely positioned to solve. Leaders can strengthen that direction by challenging assumptions, making priorities explicit, watching for meaningful signals, and turning strategy into continuous action rather than a fixed annual plan. The goal is to create enough focus to guide decisions, while keeping enough flexibility to respond when the path changes.

Read the full article here: https://hbr.org/2026/07/our-favorite-management-tips-on-setting-strategy-when-the-path-is-unclear

11/10/2026

This week’s book recommendation is ‘Resilient Optimism’ by Michelle Gielan.

Staying positive can feel natural when things are going well, but what happens when uncertainty, pressure, and setbacks persist? ‘Resilient Optimism’ explores how optimism can be strengthened and sustained during challenging moments. Drawing on research in positive psychology and neuroscience, the book looks at practical ways to recalibrate our mindset, manage our response to stress, protect our time and energy, and recover more effectively. At its heart is an encouraging idea: optimism is a skill we can all develop.

In this book, Gielan argues that resilient optimism comes from repeatable behaviours that help us remain grounded, hopeful, and effective under pressure. By learning to notice evidence of progress, focus our attention more intentionally, and recognise how our actions can make a difference, we can build resilience not only for ourselves but for the people around us. One idea worth carrying forward is to look for small signs of progress when challenges persist and consider what is still within your influence.

Happy reading!

05/10/2026

Dare to be bad at something

What if being great at something requires accepting that you’ll be bad at something else?
This HBR podcast focuses on why meaningful progress often depends on intentional trade-offs. Trying to excel at everything can spread attention and resources too thin. Instead, making deliberate choices about where to focus (and where not to) can create the capacity to excel at what matters most.

According to Harvard Business Review, the key is to understand what matters most to customers and prioritize accordingly. This means identifying where there is potential to excel, while intentionally giving less attention to areas that matter less. It also requires the courage to say a strategic “no”. Not because something has no value, but because protecting time, resources, and attention makes it possible to deliver greater value elsewhere.

Ultimately, prioritization is as much about what not to pursue as what to pursue. Being intentional about these trade-offs can create the space to focus on what matters most and turn limited resources into meaningful impact.

Listen to the podcast here: https://hbr.org/podcast/2026/09/dare-to-be-bad-at-something-from-fixable

04/10/2026

This week’s book recommendation is ‘Our Best Work’ by Nilofer Merchant.

What if the biggest barriers to innovation and better work are the ones we no longer notice? This book explores a number of invisible workplace norms shaped by hierarchy, control, and outdated ideas of success. The author challenges familiar practices like performance reviews, personal branding, speaking up, and “move fast and break things,” showing how they can limit trust, creativity, and contribution.

In this book, the author argues that better work does not come from fixing individuals, but from changing the systems around them. By replacing competition with trust, making space for new ideas, and questioning routines we take for granted, teams can create stronger conditions for meaningful progress. A useful takeaway is to look closely at the norms your team follows every day and ask whether they still serve the work you want to do.

Happy reading!

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Openingstijden

Maandag	09:00 - 17:30
Dinsdag	09:00 - 17:30
Woensdag	09:00 - 17:30
Donderdag	09:00 - 17:30
Vrijdag	09:00 - 17:30

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http://www.designthinkersgroup.com/

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