Design Thinking in the System: Emerging Features, Contributions, and Practices

Design Thinking (DT) has become a widely adopted approach for innovation in business and organizational contexts, yet it is increasingly applied to socially and environmentally oriented challenges characterized by systemic complexity. While exist- ing literature has discussed DT features and methods exten- sively, less attention has been paid to how these features evolve when DT operates within complex socio-technical systems. This paper investigates how core DT features and contribu- tions are reinterpreted in systemic contexts. Drawing on three research projects applying DT to address complex challenges, the study compares DT practices in business innovation with those applied to systemic challenges. The analysis reveals a shift from human-centredness toward stakeholder ecosystem engagement; from solution generation to systemic reconfigu- ration and alternative pathways; from rapid prototyping of ideas to long-term experimentation and visualization of complexity; from future thinking to shaping the shared futures; and from generating innovation outcomes toward activating processes of transformation. By articulating these evolutions, the paper contributes empirical evidence to ongoing debates on the evo- lution of DT and clarifies how DT practices can support navi- gating complexity, sense-making, coordination, and long-term change in complex systems. The findings offer insights for both researchers and practitioners seeking to apply DT beyond busi- ness innovation toward systemic transformation.