Design thinking in talent acquisition: a practitioner’s perspective

The purpose of this article is to examine the applicability of design thinking to the strategic role of talent acquisition in organizations. While design thinking has become part of popular lexicon in contemporary design and engineering practice, as well as business and management, its principles can be seamlessly applied across multiple disciplines and industries. The premise is that by knowing about the process and the methods that designers use to ideate, and by understanding how designers approach problem solving, individuals and businesses will be better able to connect with and invigorate their ideation processes to take innovation to a higher level.

The methodology used was based on empirical research drawn from the authors > 20 years of experience in the industry as also secondary research, which has been appropriately referenced in the attached article.

The process of developing talent relationships forces managers to develop a more outward-looking view, staying on top of cutting-edge trends, building their company’s image and staying in sync with customer expectations. This is but the essence of the design thinking methodology – taking insights from people at the various stages, touch points of the process and build from the outside-in rather than from the inside-out.

The article is an attempt to articulate the challenges that confront organizations today as they compete for talent in the changing talent marketplace. Hopefully, the document will elevate some awareness and discourse on the subject and finally concretize on a roadmap that turns its talent acquisition into a strategic advantage with visible impact on the bottom-line. In essence, the article is about creating innovative efficiencies within the recruiting function.