A case study in Design Thinking applied through Aviation Mission Support Tactical Advancements for the Next Generation (TANG)

Abstract

In November of 2016, over 40 Naval Aviators from various platforms in the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps converged on Defense Innovation Unit Experimental in Mountain View, California, to participate in Aviation Mission Support Tactical Advancements for the Next Generation. For the next four days, participants and facilitators engaged in a design sprint utilizing Design Thinking methods to generate the maximum number of innovative concepts in the area of Aviation Mission Support. By the end of the fourth day, 28 robust concepts had been prototyped and prepared focused on pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight support. As innovation becomes a higher priority for the Department of Defense, effective tools and processes are needed that allow the organization to innovate from within. This is an examination of the research, execution, and follow-on developments supporting the Design Thinking event explored through Case Study methods. Additionally, the lenses of change theory, design attitudes, and the design mindset are applied to the case to identify unique processes and outputs resulting in otherwise unexplained phenomena. This case study is intended to serve as an examination for Department of Defense leadership to better understand applications of Design Thinking as a means to spur innovation.