1. Challenge: Describe your challenge, including all relevant information.

2. Selection: In your own words, briefly describe the tool you selected (e.g., what it is and why  you selected it for your challenge -- including any appropriate video lecture references).

3. Application: Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge (e.g., what  you did and how the tool was applied effectively or ineffectively).

4. Insight: Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your  challenge (e.g., how an insight affected your thinking about the challenge and about design  thinking more broadly).

5. Approach: Describe what you might do differently next time -- applying the same tool you  selected or a different one -- and the reason(s) why.

Challenge  As a facilitator of Design Thinking, one of my directives is to work with groups of employees to  accomplish two primary goals:   1) Identify any pain points the employees are experiencing. What are the obstacles they  encounter in their day-to-day work? What is hindering their ability to serve customers?   2) Develop innovative solutions for those pain points. Once we identify the pain points, we then  come up with ideas and solutions to resolve them. What will make the employee experience  better? What will make their work day smoother?    Recently, I worked with a group of employees who work for a large insurance company. We had  successfully identified their pain points (for example, they had to use 3 different types of  software to accomplish one of their most frequent tasks). Next, we needed to start coming up  with ideas to resolve the pain points. The challenge was to actively engage employees in  co-creating their own solutions (as opposed to having the company dictate the solutions to  them).    Selection  I selected a component of Visualization, Storyboarding, as a tool to use for an ideation session.  Visualization was defined in our class as ‘Anything that takes us beyond using language alone’  to express ideas or explain thoughts. Visualization can include anything from drawing a diagram  on a piece of paper to using color or graphic elements in a presentation. Because it accesses a  different part of the human brain, Visualization is often an effective technique to unlock  creativity. Creativity is exactly what I was looking for, as I wanted the group to come up with new  solutions to old problems.     Storyboarding, just one of many Visualization tools, seemed like the right tool for my group. It  involves individuals or groups drawing a cartoon-like sequence to explain their idea for a  solution. The emphasis is not on displaying terrific drawing skills, but rather developing a  ‘solution story.’ What would the solution look like? Who would it affect?    Application

I asked the group of employees to find a partner to work with. I then provided each set of  partners a sheet of drawing paper and some Sharpie pens. Next, I explained the exercise: From  our list of pain points, choose one to work on. For that pain point, sketch out a potential solution.  Don’t worry about drawing well, just sketch out a basic sense of your idea. Feel free to use  some words too, if that helps explain the idea (just like in a cartoon). You’ll have 10 minutes to  complete the storyboard with your partner. After 10 minutes, we’ll go around the room and share  our storyboards. Each group will have 3 minutes to share their storyboard. The end result is a  collection of employee driven solutions that address real needs of the group.    Insight  To be honest, I wasn’t sure what the results would be. However, once I saw the partners in  action, I realized that this exercise has its merits. One benefit is that it allows more introverted  members of the group to really participate, without having to do a lot of talking in front of the  group. Another is that it encourages collaboration. Lastly, the range of solutions was delightfully  varied - the group came up with a great range of solutions to their identified problems.    Approach  One thing I made sure to do when giving instructions was to emphasize that I was NOT looking  for artistic, or ‘good’, drawings. I even did a quick sketch on my own so the group could see that  I am no great artist. I also made sure to explain that this exercise is designed to access a part of  our creative brains, and that the act of sketching can open the door to Visual Thinking.     However, the group was still a bit reluctant to participate. This group of employees worked in a  conservative environment, and I think they thought the exercise was a bit childish for them. The  next time I use this exercise I am going to say up front,  ‘You may think this is a bit silly, drawing  stick figures and cartoons here in a boardroom. You may even find it a bit uncomfortable.  However, I think you will find that the results from this exercise are valuable potential solutions  to your business problems.’

