Understanding the behaviour of design thinking in complex environments

The objective of this dissertation is to contribute empirical evidence on the behavior and effectiveness of design thinking for tackling problems in complex environments. This thesis aims to make three contributions: first, it seeks to identify and explore the history and evolution of design thinking to date, synthesizing common definitions. Second, it seeks to contribute empirical evidence on the behavior of design thinking in highly complex environments. Third, the investigation aims to explain the underlying mechanisms that enable emergent behaviors to occur in the design process, contributing knowledge and understanding on how to apply design thinking in complex environments. This research will explore the behavior of design thinking as it tackles complex problems and examine how design thinking shapes, and is being shaped by, complex environments.