Learning launch

Project

I am a part of my company process transformation department, and my project is to improve the

process within the procurement department to increase procurement sourcing lead time. The

project scope includes the procurement department composed of 5 staff and the design

department, making the bulk of procurement requests. The project scope is limited to internal

resources. The project should not exceed 60 business days, and the solution should include an

even arrangement of working hours amongst the team members. We will focus on trying to

ascertain what our team members and key stakeholders within the more extensive procurement

and design department consider ineffective or problematic about the process.

Selection

We have already gone through several design thinking initiatives, so we are ready to try the

learning launch tool. The learning launch is an experiment meant to test a concept and model

quickly.

Application

First,  we focused on the formation of our procurement tasks. Mainly, we wanted to see if we could

structure our assignments, projects, and processes to adapt agile project management methods

for our work to become leaner. This matter tested our assumption that the structure and

execution were the leading causes of our process issues. Our team went through a two-day lean

training. Then, we went through 10 workshops to structure our processes in a more agile way.

These two sessions occurred 5-week period.

We are required to produce a document with a clear description of our new, more agile processes.

For our second learning launch, we focused on gaining clarity about our assignments. This

approach tested our hypothesis that our prioritization of tasks was the leading cause of our

process. Our team completed an anonymous survey. Moreover, two key stakeholders from the

group procurement and design department also completed the study. The surveys included

questions about our new, To-Be process, understanding the process and prioritizing tasks, and

opinions about the change, and were conducted within a one-week timeframe.

Insight

Using the learning launch tool, our team identified our assumptions and designed launches to test

these assumptions.

Then, we thought of anticipated results, expecting to find that a more agile approach would

improve our workflow. Our team and the key stakeholders would be reasonably open to the new

prioritization of tasks and processes. Our initial results were slightly different from what we

anticipated. At the same time, our team was available to prioritizing the process, the key

stakeholders in the procurement & design department showed some concerns. Later, our team

will review this insight and include it in future launch designs. The ongoing incorporation of

understanding is essential at this stage, as launches come before a complete rollout in the design

thinking timeline.

Approach

Now that our team has already gone through many design thinking exercises, the learning launch

is the proper instrument. As earlier stated, our team needs to review the insight obtained from our

first two launches and incorporate this insight into future launch designs. Future launch designs

should show understanding achieved, a development made, and come closer to a compelling

resolution ready for a full rollout.

