Design Thinking for Aviation Safety Continued from page 23 identify what might happen when those resources or pro- cesses are not readily available. ■ ■ Interactively improve the nor- mal operations investigation to identify and track metrics that help determine success in operations, and incorporate those into our management tools as well as into training. Benjamin J. Goodheart, Ph.D. Five steps to designing safety These examples are far from the only applications of design thinking, but they represent some basic chal- lenges that most of us in the aviation industry face, and give some con- crete examples of what incorporat- ing design thinking might look like. Even though designer-like thinking is a paradigm shift, it doesn’t have to be applied to every situation. The best way to approach changing your thinking is to start by realizing that you can tightly control operational Aviation Business Journal | 4th Benjamin Goodheart is an aviation professional with nearly 20 years of experience in the field. His diverse career began in aviation line service and has expanded to roles in aviation safety and loss control, training, and professional flying. He has worked in and with a variety of aviation organizations, including flight training organizations, business and general aviation operators, and major airlines, and his varied experience affords him a wide variety of opportunities to practice within his passion. Benjamin is an active author and researcher focused on novel applications within aviation s and organizational climate and culture. He holds an undergraduate degr Science, a Master of Science in Safety Science, and a Ph.D. from Embry- University with a specialization in applied aviation safety. Dr. Goodheart professional aviation certifications, as well as Airline Transport Pilot an certificates. Benjamin manages aviation claims and safety programs fo variations, or you can provide op- portunities for innovation, but you cannot do both. Choose those ac- tivities or operations where you can afford a little latitude and you might find the approach increases the ef- fectiveness of those areas. Here are some things you can do right now to help incorporate design thinking ■■ Follow up with front-line employees to evaluate how effective the investigations are at identifying and communicat- ing the things that are working well, and return to the ideation phase or modify prototypes as necessary to address user needs. strategy into your organization: ■■ ■■ Identify “wicked problems.” Remove strict control—even if just temporarily—to allow more freedom for innovation. ■■ Be purposeful about seek- ing an empathetic perspec- tive. Ask users, “why” and listen to their emotional responses to the question. ■■ Iterate. Safety relies on continuous improvement, and design thinking can be a great incubator. Look at design thinking as a fundamental shift, one that drives better alignment of employees, allows us to think predictively, and creates op- portunities for creativity. With these practical tools, design- ing for safety is something all of us can use to infuse safety manage- ment with a user-centered focus and ■■ a spirit for innovation. Most of all, thinking like a designer can help to remind us that systems, whether for managing safety or otherwise, are reliant on humans for design and purpose. Keeping humans at the center of systems design ensures that we work and communicate more effectively, with greater employee engagement, and with a better under- standing of what creates safety. Dr. Benjamin Goodheart manages aviation claims and safety strategies for AirSure Limited, the country’s largest general aviation insurance broker, with offices in Golden, CO and Plano, TX. Benjamin has extensive experience in aviation safety management, planning, and accident investigation. He is an ATP-rated pilot and flight instructor, and he holds a Ph.D. with a research focus on general aviation safety. To learn more about how AirSure can help you manage risk, call 303-526-5300 or visit AirSure Limited on the web at airsure.com. Quarter 2016 25
