V Skill HF-D1.5-004 cross-sector 9 skills

Design thinking

Designs solutions by first researching the user need and then sketching, testing and improving, an approach known as design thinking.

How hrmforce measures this

The candidate performs a representative work sample under standardised conditions.

Level	Behaviour at this level
N1 Guided	Puts a sketch or trial version to a user and processes the remarks into a next version. works under supervision and follows instruction · routine, one variable at a time · own task
N3 Proficient	Goes through the steps of need research, prototype and test with the team and adjusts the design on user responses. sets own approach and seeks input proactively · several variables, some ambiguity · own team or process
N5 Leading	Introduces the design approach as the standard within the organisation, trains others in it and decides on the design principles. sets the standard and the policy · strategic, under high uncertainty · organisation, value chain or profession

N2 and N4 are deliberately not anchored. Raters place them between the anchors, following the O*NET convention.

These skills inherit the assessment route and the behavioural anchors of this construct.

T	Skill	Definition	Demand outlook 2026 to 2030
V	Conducting user research User research · Discovery research	Researches through interviews and observation what users really need before a solution is devised.	rising
V	Creating personas Personas · User profiles	Describes typical users with their goals, context and obstacles as a guide for the design.	stable
V	Mapping the customer journey Customer journey mapping · Service blueprint	Records per step in contact with an organisation what the user does, feels and misses.	rising
V	Building a prototype Prototyping · Rapid prototype	Makes a quick and cheap version of a solution that works well enough to be tested.	rising
V	Sketching wireframes Wireframing · Low fidelity mockup	Sketches layout and order of screens without colour or imagery to test the structure.	rising
V	Running a usability test Usability testing · User testing	Has users perform tasks with a design, observes where they get stuck and turns that into improvements.	rising
V	Working through the double diamond Double diamond · Design process	Works through discover, define, develop and deliver and separates divergence from convergence.	stable
V	Facilitating a design sprint Design sprint · Sprint facilitation	Leads a team from problem to tested prototype in a few days along a fixed daily programme.	rising
T	Designing in Figma Figma · UI design tool	Creates screen designs and clickable walkthroughs in Figma and shares them with team and client.	rising