Applying Design Thinking To Gain Quantum Advantage

Quantum advantage is the next stepping stone in the post pandemic business world. 

Source: IBM

Quantum computing is already part of the digital portfolio for companies with a state of the art digital transformation strategy and that wish to be leaders in a future quantum computing global ecosystem.

It should also be on the agenda for those that wish to remain competitive in the digital era.

Some of the major challenges for a faster adoption and implementation of quantum technology could be addressed by having a design thinking approach.

The key challenges identified by experts fall within these 3 domains: material science, engineering and quality control. The scientific community is actively working on addressing each of these and advances are being steadily reported.

However, in addition to optimising the technology it would be valuable to also have a highly proactive design thinking approach for the business of quantum. As outlined by the first stage of design thinking we need to empathise with all stakeholders in the quantum ecosystem and carefully define their potential needs or challenges to adoption in order to create a sustainable quantum business model.

By using a cross- and interdisciplinary approach during the ideation phase we could prevent silos and ensure adoption in multiple industries such as engineering, life sciences, travel, finances, logistics etc. Given the massive engineering and operational challenges it would also be more cost efficient and effective to deploy an agile prototyping methodology as per the foundational principles of design thinking. This would allow us to experiment with new materials, improve qubit quality, continuously improve the error correction and reduce interference, as well as optimise the modelling and scaling capabilities. 

In addition to addressing the challenges of quantum computing, the design thinking approach could also lead to an accelerated adoption of quantum computing by leveraging all its benefits. Businesses that use design thinking for their business processes can safely test the exponential computing power for specific use cases and gain competitive advantage. By transitioning their innovation projects to using superposition and entanglement they can significantly shorten the time required for their specific business problems.

So what are key elements of success in an optimal quantum strategy? 

Source: Nature

First, it is imperative to plan 2-4 years in advance as the learning curve is steep for quantum technology. Having the right human capital from a quantum and design thinking skills perspective, as well as a sustainable long term training and talent management program is crucial. 

Second, the team has to select the adequate quantum computer for the problem to be solved as there is a major variability in models like we have experienced with classical computers.

Third, the organisation has to identify the business use cases that best align with their overall enterprise strategy.

So what are some of the potential use cases in various industries? Here are a few of my favourites:

• Optimization of simulation capabilities for life sciences R&D

• Optimization of efficiency in air travel, financial services, and supply chain management

• Optimization or augmentation of AI tools

In closing, the quantum revolution is at our door steps and organisations with strong innovative cultures are already actively engaged in planning for a quantum future. Design thinking can be a highly useful tool in the portfolio of those forward looking companies.