Design Thinking Interventions in Student Creative Performance: A Thematic Review

Abstract

In recent years, there has been growing emphasis on students' creativity and problem-solving abilities. Academic development and societal demands have demonstrated increasing requirements for students' innovative capabilities. Design thinking, often regarded as a user-centered iterative innovation methodology, holds significant potential for enhancing students' creative performance. This paper systematically reviews 35 publications from 2020 to 2025, employing thematic analysis to examine the current state and developmental trends of design thinking's impact on student creative performance. It focuses on four core themes: the educational application of design thinking, the visualization of creative processes, interdisciplinary and multi-group collaboration, and the institutionalization of creative literacy. Findings indicate that design thinking not only stimulates students' innovative thinking and collaborative abilities through structured processes, driving the institutionalization of creative literacy within educational systems, but also integrates multidisciplinary knowledge and diverse group resources. By leveraging visualization tools, it enhances the integrity of the creative process. This research aims to provide a systematic theoretical framework for applying design thinking in educational settings, offering significant reference value for teaching practices and policy development while laying the groundwork for future in-depth studies on design thinking and creative performance.