Design thinking approach for cultural change from value addition to value creation

Challenge

I work for organization which works on product development. We have internal customer who request  for design and development task for different product. Our core responsibility is to complete the task on  time with best quality. This work is continuing from long time and now the stage has reached where first  time quality and on time delivery became an unsaid need of the customer. To satisfy the customer each  team needs to provide extra information for the task (e.g. additional concepts, additional change, and  product manufacturing analysis) then what is asked. So, we all figured that there is requirement to  change the culture from value addition to value creation.

Tool Selection

Our department formed a team to figure out the ways to change the teammate’s mindset. So, we  decided to study different design thinking tools / activities to achieve the goal and mind mapping tool  was finalized. Basically the intent was to shift the orbit from usual way of working to value creation,  where the stakeholder will understand the technical capabilities of this department. To change the  culture, first we need to understand the current situation and why this shift is not happening easily. Also  to figure how much effort will be required to reach the desired stage.

Application

Before changing the mindset assigned team wants to understand the reason and different area where  department is supporting. Potential areas where the changes and shift is must.

To start we call for one representative from each team in our department and he/she to collect the data  related to current work element and domain being handled by their team. In an auditorium we  displayed all work elements for our department and invited leadership/stakeholder to visit and suggest  the expectation for these topics. Certainly after that we created the pictorial description for all points,  considering the expectation from stakeholder.

Later we invited all team members to come and visit the auditorium with sticky notes and paste it over  work stream which has scope for improvement with the reasons as per their thoughts. Sequentially we  separated the improvement areas and invited all the participants for further discussion.  Participants  made some observations and discussing over their point provided the hidden insight and intent behind  the idea. Finally connecting all the points, we came across the actual requirement from teams which  required modification to shift their mindset.

Insight

By using the mind mapping tool, our function identified it not always employee who needs to change  but organization needs to change their process to motivate team mates to accept the culture. Our  derived solution for cultural was different from what was expected. Also this mind- mapping changed  the conventional mindset of stakeholders. Achieving goal is important aspect for any project but

deciding the path for achieving that is critical. This tool clarified the changes required from process and  peoples both.

Approach

The scenario in my department was at what is stage and needed to deep dive into data available with  different team. Also everyone consent needs  to be known for keeping everyone onboard for shift.  Instead of making the change top-down approach, we wanted to engage everyone to co-create the shift  and give everyone the feeling of ownership. Therefore, mind mapping tool completely justified the  purpose and in not more than three month people started suggesting alternate best solution rather than  delivery the output needed.

