Define Mindsets
The Define phase of human-centered design is about making sense of what we’ve learned and focusing our energy on the right problem to solve.
It’s where insight becomes direction. To move forward with purpose, we need to bring both hope and courage to this stage. Two key mindsets help guide us: leading with optimism and building creative confidence.
Leading with Optimism
Leading with optimism fuels the belief that things can improve—even when the path forward is uncertain. In human- centered design, it means approaching complex challenges with a sense of possibility and trust in people’s ability to drive meaningful change. Optimism isn’t naive; it’s a deliberate choice to see potential and focus on what’s possible.
- Believe in Better: Trust that improvement is achievable, even when problems feel
- Focus on Potential: Look beyond what’s broken to what could
- Inspire Others: Use optimism to energize your team, stakeholders, and
- See Strengths: Honor the resilience and wisdom already present in the people you
Optimism helps teams stay motivated, collaborative, and solution-focused—especially when the problems are big and messy. It keeps us moving forward with purpose.
Building Creative Confidence
Building creative confidence is the belief that everyone has the capacity to contribute ideas, test solutions, and shape outcomes. In the Define phase, this mindset encourages teams to make bold choices, explore ideas without fear, and believe that good design comes from learning, not perfection.
- Try, Learn, Repeat: Don’t wait for perfect answers—start small and
- Invite Everyone In: Great ideas can come from anywhere; every voice adds
- Take Risks Without Fear: Mistakes are part of the process—they lead to better
- Share Early and Often: Rough ideas spark collaboration and deeper
When teams have creative confidence, they move from analysis paralysis to action. They’re more willing to synthesize messy insights, identify opportunities, and frame challenges as design possibilities.