The role of design models in design thinking

In this paper we identify the role of models in design thinking (DT) to bridge the gap between design and engineering. Models as artifacts help cross the boundaries from designers to other disciplines like engineering. We introduce our approach (mDT, multidisciplinary Design Thinking) by describing its methods including the steps showing how to carry out them in a design project. We show how the results of a DT process can be handed over to others. We focus on the characteristics of the artifacts DT induce. We introduce the notion of design models in this context consisting of use, systems and interaction models. We illustrate our mDT by giving some examples from a previous DT project before concluding the paper.