As I continue facilitating Design Thinking workshops, I’m constantly reminded of how vital it is to keep things simple. Design Thinking workshops can be one of the most exciting and impactful ways to bring out innovative ideas within a team. Early in my career, I felt compelled to overcomplicate activities. In some ways, I felt that complexity gave me credibility as a designer. But over time, I realized that simplicity isn’t just easier — it’s more effective.
If your participants spend more time trying to figure out what to do instead of doing it, the magic is lost. Simplicity is essential for success and here’s why.
Simplicity…
Opens the Door to Deeper Insights
When you strip away complexity, participants can focus on the task at hand without overwhelming instructions or confusing processes tripping them up. It’s easy to assume that complex activities will lead to more sophisticated solutions. But the opposite is often true. Simplicity creates space for deeper exploration.
Simple activities create space for participants to reflect, probe, and dig into the underlying causes of product pain points and user frustrations. If participants are tangled up in trying to understand complex tasks, they miss the opportunity to think critically about the challenge in front of them. When instructions are clear and easy to follow, they spend less time trying to understand what they’re supposed to be doing and more time to focus on why they’re doing it.
Gets Everyone Engaged Quickly
Remember how you felt during your first group project? If the instructions were vague or overly complicated, it probably took a while to get into the swing of things. The same thing happens in workshops. Complex activities can stall the group’s momentum before it even begins as they try to understand what they need to do.
In workshops, time is always a limited resource. When activities are intuitive and easy to understand, participants can engage immediately. There’s no wasted time clarifying instructions or second-guessing what’s next. Instead, they’re diving into the work and getting their hands dirty right from the start. And when people jump in early, they’re more likely to feel invested in the process, which leads to better outcomes.
Prevents Isolation and Fear of Asking Questions
We’ve all been in situations where we didn’t understand something but felt too intimidated to ask. It’s awkward and uncomfortable and can make you feel isolated from the rest of the group. In a Design Thinking workshop, that feeling can derail the collaborative energy in the room. Participants who don’t fully grasp the task might feel too embarrassed or intimidated to ask clarifying questions. When individuals don’t understand what’s happening, they can become disengaged.
When activities are too complex, participants who don’t understand may feel left behind. Keeping things simple ensures that no one feels out of the loop. Everyone can participate confidently, knowing they’re on the same page as the rest of the team. Simplicity fosters inclusivity, allowing everyone to contribute their ideas without fear of judgment or confusion.
Encourages More Ideas
One of the biggest goals of any Design Thinking workshop is to generate as many ideas as possible. “Quantity over quality” is the phrase we use often in our workshops. The more ideas you have, the better your chances of finding that one breakthrough solution. When your activities are simple, participants can focus their energy on producing ideas rather than figuring out how to complete the exercise. This freedom allows them to think outside the box and generate ideas they might not have otherwise considered.
Keeps the Energy High
Workshops are meant to be creative, collaborative experiences. But when activities are too complicated, they can drain the room’s energy. The more participants struggle to understand what they’re supposed to do, the more exhausted they become, and that energy drop is contagious.
Simple activities, on the other hand, keep the room buzzing. When tasks are easy to understand, participants stay engaged and motivated. They’re more likely to contribute actively and enthusiastically, which leads to a more energized and productive workshop. Simplicity creates a flow that keeps momentum going from start to finish.
Over time, I’ve learned that keeping things simple doesn’t mean sacrificing quality or creativity. In fact, it often leads to richer conversations and more innovative solutions. So the next time you’re planning a workshop, remember: less really is more. When your activities are straightforward, you empower your participants to dive in, get creative, and truly collaborate. And that’s where the magic happens.