Study 7: An agile C2 method: Adapting design thinking for military contexts.

This study outlines the systematic three-step design process of an innovative military design thinking method aimed at organizational innovation in general and officer training programs in particular, both within the military context. Military design thinking thus far mainly concentrated on the planning and strategy of operations in combat zones. However, military design thinking may also be applicable to the military context in order to foster organizational innovation in general and officer training programs in particular.

We developed this military design thinking method in three steps: 1) we used civilian design thinking principles as a format for military design thinking, 2) we provided additional guidance, derived from recent research on military design thinking, for the use of design thinking in a military setting, and 3) we fine-tuned design thinking for military use in consultation with the staff of a military exercise. This three-step design process resulted in a novel military design thinking method, aimed at stakeholder supported and feasible organizational innovation within the military context in general and innovative officer training programs in particular.

Future research could focus on an actual implementation of this innovative military design thinking method to promote organizational innovation in the military setting, and to provide recommendations on the future use of this military design thinking method. For example, the military design thinking method could be applied to create officer training programs to address contemporary challenges in the field of, among others, civil-military interaction and multi-domain operations.

Methods

Conceptual analysis.