If there’s any industry that needs creative problem-solving and design thinking in 2019, it’s financial services. The entire industry has been upended, due in large part to technology. One key crisis point is the bank branch. The whole concept of the branch needs to transform, and that’s going to require the out-of-the-box, creative ideation that design thinking strategies can provide.

Virtual project teams may never meet in person, but that doesn’t mean they can’t collaborate and innovate as effectively as on-site ones. They just need tools that create a seamless collaborative experience.

Global organizations are creating dedicated innovation centers to disrupt everything from fintech to snack foods.

Innovation hubs are the latest trend for public and private organizations looking to gain a competitive edge in the quest to disrupt their industries. These hubs provide dedicated spaces, where internal teams can work collaboratively with clients and industry start-ups to drive disruption and bring the creative process directly to customers and end users.

When I work with executives in large companies, the most common feedback I hear is that they don’t have time for design thinking. Going through the process of observing customers, brainstorming ideas, building prototypes, then going back to customers to see how they respond initially sounds like an unreasonable request when teams face short deadlines and pressure to be first to market.