A Beginner's Guide to Design Thinking: Harness The Power Of Design

 A Beginner's Guide to Design Thinking is the perfect podcast for curious souls eager to harness the power of design thinking to level up their business and personal life.

Your hosts, Lucy Patterson and Tracy Sharp are two Northern lasses (U.K.) passionate about helping people disrupt the status quo. 

The hosts insist: "We’re here to boost your business performance while reigniting your zest for life. No 'but we've always done it that way' excuses allowed!"

Lucy Patterson and Tracy Sharp explain: "We'll guide you through the process of figuring out what you want, experimenting with how to get it, and embracing failure as a stepping stone to success. You’ll learn how to apply those lessons, tweak your approach, and keep evolving - all while keeping it fun, and scientifically backed. It might get a little messy - but not crayon-on-your-sweater messy!"

 Lucy Patterson is an accomplished Design Thinking Practitioner, Facilitator and Trainer, with over 25 years experience. Following a career in senior management and coaching roles, she founded Flourish Unlimited in 2017.  Awarded Institute of Enterprise & Entrepreneurs Approved Academy status, Flourish Unlimited supported 100s of businesses to implement and embed the design thinking process into their everyday activities for maximum profit and impact.

Since selling up, Lucy has returned to freelance work. She now focuses on supporting people to design the lives and businesses they wanted to build before compromise and other people’s opinions crept in.

She also supports women 50+ entering the growing longevity economy as active profiteers and impact-makers, rather than passive consumers, runs design thinking workshops for several enterprise training providers and is a guest lecturer for FE students.

As a postgraduate of Durham University Business School, a graduate of Babson College’s Inspiration USA Business Growth program, a judge and advisor for the University of Sussex’s Big Ideas program, she’s had the pleasure of working within a variety of sectors, and with organizations ranging from kitchen table start-ups to internationally renowned brands.

Tracy Sharp is your go-to expert for all things product design, development, and engineering. 

 With an impressive 20-year career that has taken her around the world, Tracy has led innovative projects for big names such as SharkNinja, Google, KitchenAid, and the Royal College of Art. She’s got the inside scoop on design for manufacture and assembly, plastics design, and all the latest manufacturing techniques.

Noticing a serious lack of female mentors in her own journey, Tracy decided to change the game. In 2022, she founded SharpMinds, a passion project dedicated to empowering women in design and engineering. Tracy champions diversity, equity, and inclusion, sharing real-world tips on tackling imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and burnout. Her mission is to inspire and support others, fostering a community where everyone can thrive together.

Design Thinking is Tracy’s secret sauce, and she loves weaving it into her mentoring approach. In 2022, a simple hashtag on her LinkedIn profile led to an amazing connection with Lucy Patterson. They quickly realized they shared a passion: spreading the word about the incredible value of Design Thinking. And just like that, Beginner’s Guide to Design Thinking was born, making these powerful principles fun and accessible for everyone.

In one of my favorite episodes from November 2025, Lucy and Tracy discuss communications styles to generate better outcomes for design thinking. In this episode, Lucy and Tracy explore the critical role of communication in design thinking and collaboration. They discuss various communication styles, the impact of neurodiversity, and the importance of creating inclusive spaces for effective communication. The conversation emphasizes the need for empathy, avoiding jargon, and fostering curiosity to enhance understanding. They also provide practical tips for facilitating brainstorming sessions and ensuring clarity in communication, ultimately highlighting that effective communication is essential for innovation and teamwork.

Lucy observes, "I think one of the key takeaways is that it's critical to create safe spaces for questions that enhance inclusivity in communication. I've been in brainstorming sessions where the facilitator claims that 'there are no stupid questions' then attacks people who share still-forming or unconventional ideas."  

After three years, Lucy and Tracy have developed a solid routine, supporting each other's points and creating a coherent narrative.

 To be clear, the show doesn't get into the buts and bolts of design, but guides you in using design thinking "to break the mold, enhance your business performance, and rekindle your zest for life."

Think Steve Jobs from Apple. Jobs incorporated design thinking in every facet of the business, from the product design to the box that held that product. 

I admire the mentoring quality of the co-hosts, who say: "From our own experiences and expertise - failures included - we’ll make sure you never feel alone on this creative journey. So let us hold your hand as you empower yourself with design thinking, getting closer to your goals without the frustration."

 Design is baked into every aspect of business and life. A Beginner's Guide to Design Thinking can help listeners to develop the mental processes necessary to create and oversee design processes.