Unpacking experimentation in design thinking: Contributions to innovation performance and the moderating role of digital technologies
Stefano Magistretti, Claudio Dell’Era, Marina Candi, K. Scott Swan, Mattia Bianchi, Giulia Calabretta, Ileana Stigliani, Roberto Verganti
Abstract
Design thinking is an innovation approach that emphasizes developing and testing hypotheses about the desirability, feasibility, and viability of an idea through iterative experimentation. Although widely used, there is limited empirical evidence to support the effectiveness of experimentation practices in design thinking projects. Similarly, the impact of integrating digital technologies into experimentation processes remains underexplored. This study addresses these gaps by analyzing data from 246 design thinking projects to examine how early and frequent experimentation influences innovation performance, specifically in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. It also examines how the use of digital technologies moderates these relationships. The results show that both early and frequent experimentation positively influence innovation effectiveness, while only early experimentation significantly improves innovation efficiency. Moreover, the use of digital technologies strengthens the positive effects of early experimentation on both effectiveness and efficiency. This research provides valuable theoretical and practical insights by deepening our understanding of how experimentation and digital tools drive innovation performance in design thinking projects. • Experimentation practices and digital technologies are recognized as germane for design thinking projects. • Early and frequent experimentation practices are positively related to innovation effectiveness. • Early experimentation practices are positively related to project efficiency.