Combining multi-criteria decision analysis and design thinking

Design thinking (DT) has attracted much attention in management practice as a novel problem-solving methodology. It supports and encourages collaborative creativity to solve problems in a holistically and user-centred way. Although there are similarities between DT and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), such as the process orientation and stakeholder participation, there are also differences. Whereas DT mainly focuses on the innovative creation of a prototype, MCDA concentrates instead on the ranking of alternatives. In this paper, we analyse the similarities and differences of DT and MCDA. Based on this analysis, we then develop an approach to integrate elements from DT into MCDA. The stepwise procedure of the adjusted decision process from MCDA is presented in detail. Here, the approach of rapid prototyping from DT is of particular interest. Finally, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of combining multi-criteria decision analysis and design thinking.