Quoting from OpenForum :

Design thinkers gather information that helps us understand customer experiences. Once we understand the people surrounding our business challenges—their needs, desires, problems and aspirations—we can identify relevant business opportunities. Then we experiment our way forward, prototyping new solutions and getting these solutions out in front of customers as early as possible. As we prototype, we learn from people by observing, gathering feedback, and refining our approach. This central iterative cycle of learning—trying out new business possibilities, gathering feedback and refining the ideas—is what makes design thinking unique.

If you consider yourself to be a design thinker, what tools do you use to gather information about your customer’s experiences.  Do you poll them, ask them to fill out survey, or do you do you call them in to research groups?.  Do you have a less interrupting way of observing your customers ? .

Check this mindmap to see how the simplistic process looks like.