Design Thinking Technique
The Challenge Tree: A Must-Have Tool in Design Thinking Training
If you’re diving into design thinking training, one of the best early tools to use is the Challenge Tree. It’s a simple yet powerful way to unpack a business challenge by looking at its causes and consequences — and it helps teams avoid rushing into solutions before truly understanding the problem.
What is the Challenge Tree?
In design thinking, the Challenge Tree sits within the empathise phase. It encourages a team to explore:
- What’s causing the challenge?
- What are the consequences if it continues?
It’s a crucial step before moving toward ideation and prototyping.
How It Works
- Solo Thinking First
Each participant quietly writes down what they believe are the causes and consequences — no group pressure, no loud voices taking over. - Collaborative Sharing
Post-its go up on a shared board (physical or digital via tools like Mural). The team then discusses patterns and insights. - Cross-Team Collaboration
Include people from both the design side and those who are directly facing the issue. This creates empathy and opens up better understanding across departments. - Facilitated Discussion
A trained facilitator keeps the session focused and ensures all voices are heard.
Why It’s Great for Design Thinking Training
- Builds shared understanding
- Uncovers root causes
- Encourages empathy between roles
- Creates a foundation for better solutions
At Althris, we use the Challenge Tree in our Design Thinking workshops to help participants slow down, think deeper, and collaborate better — whether in-person or online.
