IDEA IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM

by Mike Rodriguez

CHALLENGE & SELECTION

In order to design the solution, first we have to build a good understanding of the  problem that we are trying to solve. I use this approach with my main costumer, an  insurance company working on organizational-type innovation focusing on ideas  improvement. Vizualization tool helps me build connections between different findings  and understand the bigger picture. The visual aspect of the wall triggers idea generation  and enables project members to better understand that  the origin of the creativity in the  company emanates from the superior levels of the company. From the levels of  maximum responsibility of the insurance company it is established as necessary to  incorporate, in its global culture, a component of promotion of the creativity as a  necessary element to improve the competitive position of the company, in the  environment where it develops its activity, in turn will develop more concrete creative  instruments, which will allow it to adapt successfully to the demands of its environment.

APPLICATION

I have created a drawing wall as a great way to display insights, photos, and artifacts –  all the relevant research outputs in one place. This drawing wall sparked idea  generation. Seeing what other people are drawing, adding elements to their drawing or  simply discussing the sketches helps to build on top of each others ideas. Also i make a  Brainstorming session can be also enhanced by the use of visual props such as nudge  cards to stimulate idea creation. For the activity, i devide project members into groups of  different oranization areas of nterest. Each group receives a A0 poster-size paper and  sticky notes to make comments. I gave them 20 minutes to draw an ideas improvement  approach and deliverd a process constantly evaluated and imporved in the light of their  efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility.  After this time they started to mark up that the missing key element was the absence of  improvement culture, anf figuring out to start innovating in a company, it is necessary to  create a culture of improvement processes, systems and strategies. This can begin to  do it through the continuous training of company personnel, having courses that focus  on solving the areas of opportunity of the employees. On the other hand, the  establishment of objectives and the measurement of the same ones, will cause that the  insurance company yields the resistance to change and have the necessary iterations  to innovate internally.

INSIGHT & APPROACH

What i learned from conducting this excersice whit this insurance company was that  sketching helps the designer to think and elaborate ideas, manifestation of concepts  and the transformation of an idea in a testable model. In other words, the use of  prototyping transforms ideas from drawings on a paper to tangible solutions. This shift  help me to explore different possibilities, compare how my customers perceive  solutions, and improve it without investing a lot of money. Visualization tend to be  “cheap and dirty”, which means that they are not a polished solution but instead a  working version of a service that is good enough to be understood by the customer. For  this reason, development of vizualization doesn’t require a lot of time and money.     Finally, to implement a program of continiuous improvement and achieve these  objectives means having a correct design and development of it. Then, a series of  recommendations were listed in order to make the improvement system, once the  management has shown its "will" to implement it:   1. Promote the generation of ideas (It is not enough to put colored boxes with the title  "Ideas box" and wait for the program to start)   2. Motivate employees effectively (No monetary reward but a public recognition)   3. Bidirectional communication (People expect some response, even if it is a rejection)   4. Appropriate selection system (Objective and competent evaluation system)  5. Avoid negativity to partners ideas (balance between a calm and encouraging attitude  and the ability to reject ideas that do not get acceptability criteria)   6. Results Communication

