IBM Design Thinking Handbook

The IBM Design Thinking Handbook is a practical guide to IBM’s human-centered framework for innovation and problem solving. It explains how to align multidisciplinary teams around user outcomes through iterative practices such as Hills, Playbacks, and Sponsor Users. Designed for designers, engineers, and business leaders, the handbook provides actionable methods, examples, and collaboration principles for applying design thinking at scale across enterprise environments.

IBM Corporation — IBM Design Program Office and IBM Studios

1. Introduction
• What Is IBM Design Thinking
• Origins and Purpose
• Applying Design Thinking at Enterprise Scale

2. The Principles
• Focus on User Outcomes
• Restless Reinvention
• Diverse Empowered Teams

3. The Keys
• Hills: Defining Clear Goals and Intent
• Playbacks: Sharing Work to Align Teams
• Sponsor Users: Partnering with Real Users

4. The Loop
• Observe: Understand Users and Contexts
• Reflect: Synthesize Insights and Patterns
• Make: Prototype and Test Ideas

5. Collaboration and Team Practices
• Building Multidisciplinary Teams
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Facilitating Design Thinking Workshops

6. Scaling Design Thinking
• Integrating with Agile and DevOps
• Governance and Measurement
• Adapting Across Geographies and Domains

7. Case Studies and Examples
• Product Design Success Stories
• Service Transformation Examples
• Organizational Change Through Design

8. Resources and Tools
• IBM Design Language and Assets
• Enterprise Design Thinking Toolkit
• Training and Certification Programs

9. Appendices
• Glossary of Terms
• Templates and Worksheets
• References and Further Reading