Development of the Tsai Design Thinking Scale

Abstract

Design thinking is a human-centered creative problem-solving approach in the service of innovation. Design thinking involves both analytical and creative thinking; reasoning and imaging are both necessary to face design challenges of different degrees. Although a number of theories have been proposed, a lack of empirical validation of design thinking framework needs to be addressed in order to move forward. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to create an assessment instrument that can measure the degree to which an individual can use design thinking abilities. The Tsai Design Thinking Scale (TDTS) was initially developed with the initial item pool including 36 items. Based on the results of exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, the 16-Item TDTS with four factors shows a reliable and valid measure.  Overall, the TDTS indicates that it is suitable for assessing stable design thinking based on the perceptions of college students and that it is in line with theoretical expectations

Keywords: Design thinking, Taiwanese college students, measure development, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis