Interest gaps exist between the university and the small firms when running a business assistance program, leading to the importance of practical guidance that could accommodate both partners’ interests. However, there is relatively little literature about how the university team should implement business assistance to a small partnering firm. Accordingly, this research used three stages and a mixed-method approach to solve the problem, involving qualitative and quantitative techniques and action research. This study introduced PROSEM, an acronym for problem rooting, solution treatment, and measurement, to guide university business assistance to small firms by adopting the design thinking paradigm. The results revealed a significant impact on the SME’s business performance. The PROSEM process further proved that a measurable and well-planned treatment based on the root causes could increase revenue and production volume and reduce the returned product rate. At the same time, this study enriches researchers’ knowledge and skills in developing the concept and guidelines of a systematic problem-solving method using unique, real cases in the small business community. As such, the PROSEM affirms that design thinking is an open and adjustable concept which can be embedded and modified in various problem-solving procedures.

在开展商业援助计划时，大学和小公司之间存在利益差距，这导致了能够兼顾双方利益的实际指导的重要性。然而，关于大学团队应如何对小型合作公司实施业务援助的文献相对较少。因此，本研究采用三个阶段和混合方法来解决问题，涉及定性和定量技术以及行动研究。该研究引入了 PROSEM，即问题根源、解决方案处理和测量的首字母缩写词，以通过采用设计思维范式来指导大学对小企业的商业援助。结果显示，对中小企业的经营业绩产生了重大影响。PROSEM 流程进一步证明，基于根本原因的可衡量和精心策划的处理可以增加收入和产量并降低退货率。同时，这项研究丰富了研究人员的知识和技能，利用小型企业社区中独特的真实案例来开发系统解决问题方法的概念和指导方针。因此，PROSEM 确认设计思维是一个开放且可调整的概念，可以嵌入和修改在各种问题解决程序中。小企业界的真实案例。因此，PROSEM 确认设计思维是一个开放且可调整的概念，可以嵌入和修改在各种问题解决程序中。小企业界的真实案例。因此，PROSEM 确认设计思维是一个开放且可调整的概念，可以嵌入和修改在各种问题解决程序中。