University of Virginia

Design Thinking for Innovation

Instructor: Nickie Ahmed

Prepared by: Nickie Ahmed

EMPOWERING ICT CONSUMERS DURING THE COVID-19

PANDEMIC:

REFLECTION LEARNING LAUNCH

Challenge    The consumers of communication services have rights and responsibilities when purchasing  and using regulated communication products and services in a market. The manager in charge  of consumer protection at the ICT regulator with a team of six staff are responsible for  safeguarding consumer rights and developing mechanisms to protect consumers in this sector.     The regulator has in place an effective consumer education and outreach program that seeks to  empower consumers with information that will enable them make informed purchase decisions  in the market. In addition, consumer protection mechanisms and regulatory interventions are  developed based on data and information from annual consumer behavior and trends surveys,  customer satisfaction surveys and quarterly customer complaints reports.    Following the Covid-19 pandemic and a sharp reduction in operation costs at the regulatory  office, the division has no funds to continue executing it’s mandate and furthermore, the  Government measures to mitigate the pandemic has also affected ability of the division to  execute consumer education and outreach activities. In addition, during this period, there has  been an exponential increase in the number of consumers leveraging technology as they work  from home or access e-learning for their children.     During this period it is noted that there has been an increase in consumer complaints that have  been escalated to the regulatory office seeing that the licensed communication service  providers have not been able address consumers concerns.    It is therefore crucial that the regulatory office develop a new initiative that will provide  consumers with information that they require to exercise their rights in the market.     Selection    Following a brainstorming session with the team, and in view of the need to develop a platform  that will enable consumers engagement at a low/minimal costs and will allow for great  improvements going forward, the manager leveraged the learning launch tool to progress the

implementation of a new idea. The learning launch tool being an experiment based tool will  enable the manger establish the truth about the assumption made on increased consumer  complaints viz consumer information (The University of Virginia, 2020a). The manager, while  using this tool, will further execute quick engagement with consumers and facilitate testing  the  assumption that increase consumer complaints is as a result of lack of consumer information  (The University of Virginia, 2020).    The learning launch tool was selected seeing that it shall involve quick engagement with  consumers and testing of assumptions (The University of Virginia, 2020a).     The teams idea to host a live interactive podcast session with consumers will enable the  regulator interact with consumers and disseminate consumer information. This tool has never  been used before by the regulator and neither has the regulator held podcasts to engage  consumers.     Application    The consumer protection team hypothesized that increased escalation of consumer complaints   to the regulator was occasioned by the lack of consumer information who are consequently not  able to exercise their rights.    The consumer protection team  prioritized the consumer concerns that were to be addressed  and further develop a methodology and mechanisms to engage consumers and establish the  extent to which free podcast application can be exploited in order to achieve this. The team  also undertook research on how to set up a live podcast.    The team shall further determine and plan the implementation of online publicity by leveraging  inhouse social media management team so as to maintain costs at minimum. The team shall  also facilitate the participation of consumers whose complaints were escalated to the regulator.  All staff members of the regulator shall also be in attendance so as to participate and give  insights after the end of the podcast session.    For the execution of a live podcast with consumers to be deemed to be great idea/true, it is  anticipated that the main reason why consumers of ICT must have been having trouble making  purchase decisions in the ICT market is due to lack of information.    Insight    Following the execution of the interactive live podcast with consumers, the consumer  protection department analyzed the data on the number of consumers who attended, actively  participated, and positive feedback indicating that the podcast is insightful. This data enabled  us conclude that the idea to have a live podcast with consumers was valid. Data on the rate of  decrease in the number of consumer complaints escalated to the regulator will further validated  the hypothesis that information gaps are the main source of pain point for consumers.

Analysis of data on attendance and feedback information from consumer who declined the  invitation to attend the podcast session provided insights on areas that require improvements  in the dissemination of information via the podcast sessions. The analyzed data further  endorsed the idea to hold a live podcast was not a good idea.    Further still the positive feedback from the executive management and staff members at the  regulatory office went a long way in securing funds to execute programmes and further  endorse  the podcast idea.     Approach    An alternative approach would seek to leverage the mind mapping tool. The tool will enable  the consumer protection team highlight the patterns and insights from large quantities of data  drawn from annual consumer behavior and trends surveys, customer satisfaction surveys,  quarterly customer complaints reports and reports of previous consumer education outreach  activities (The University of Virginia, 2020).    The consumer  protection teams hall gather all the relevant data and information and avail it a  large hall to show case it to relevant stakeholders (consumers, licensees, staff et.c.). Due to the  government measures on social distancing, they shall schedule the various stakeholder groups  and request them to note all the important staff and notable information. The team shall then  engage the stakeholder through an online collaboration board so as enable stakeholders share  there insights and collaborate to identify trends and linkages.    Through the use of this tool, the relationship between the regulator and stakeholders will be  strengthened as it shall also serve as a platform to collaborate and resolve a common problem  The University of Virginia (2020).

References

The University of Virginia (2020a). Darden School of Business Coursera course: Design

Thinking for Innovation. Available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design-

thinking-innovation/lecture/F04r6/learning-launch-tool (Accessed: 15 October 2015)

The University of Virginia (2020). Darden School of Business Coursera course: Design

Thinking for Innovation. Available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design-

thinking-innovation/lecture/lsFRa/mind-mapping-tool (Accessed: 15 October 2015)


University of Virginia Design Thinking for Innovation Instructor : Nickie Ahmed Prepared by : Nickie Ahmed EMPOWERING ICT CONSUMERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC : REFLECTION LEARNING LAUNCH Challenge The consumers of communication services have rights and responsibilities when purchasing and using regulated communication products and services in a market . The manager in charge of consumer protection at the ICT regulator with a team of six staff are responsible for safeguarding consumer rights and developing mechanisms to protect consumers in this sector . The regulator has in place an effective consumer education and outreach program that seeks to empower consumers with information that will enable them make informed purchase decisions in the market . In addition , consumer protection mechanisms and regulatory interventions are developed based on data and information from annual consumer behavior and trends surveys , customer satisfaction surveys and quarterly customer complaints reports . Following the Covid-19 pandemic and a sharp reduction in operation costs at the regulatory office , the division has no funds to continue executing it ’s mandate and furthermore , the Government measures to mitigate the pandemic has also affected ability of the division to execute consumer education and outreach activities . In addition , during this period , there has been an exponential increase in the number of consumers leveraging technology as they work from home or access e - learning for their children . During this period it is noted that there has been an increase in consumer complaints that have been escalated to the regulatory office seeing that the licensed communication service providers have not been able address consumers concerns . It is therefore crucial that the regulatory office develop a new initiative that will provide consumers with information that they require to exercise their rights in the market . Selection Following a brainstorming session with the team , and in view of the need to develop a platform that will enable consumers engagement at a low / minimal costs and will allow for great improvements going forward , the manager leveraged the learning launch tool to progress the implementation of a new idea . The learning launch tool being an experiment based tool will enable the manger establish the truth about the assumption made on increased consumer complaints viz consumer information ( The University of Virginia , 2020a ) . The manager , while using this tool , will further execute quick engagement with consumers and facilitate testing the assumption that increase consumer complaints is as a result of lack of consumer information ( The University of Virginia , 2020 ) . The learning launch tool was selected seeing that it shall involve quick engagement with consumers and testing of assumptions ( The University of Virginia , 2020a ) . The teams idea to host a live interactive podcast session with consumers will enable the regulator interact with consumers and disseminate consumer information . This tool has never been used before by the regulator and neither has the regulator held podcasts to engage consumers . Application The consumer protection team hypothesized that increased escalation of consumer complaints to the regulator was occasioned by the lack of consumer information who are consequently not able to exercise their rights . The consumer protection team prioritized the consumer concerns that were to be addressed and further develop a methodology and mechanisms to engage consumers and establish the extent to which free podcast application can be exploited in order to achieve this . The team also undertook research on how to set up a live podcast . The team shall further determine and plan the implementation of online publicity by leveraging inhouse social media management team so as to maintain costs at minimum . The team shall also facilitate the participation of consumers whose complaints were escalated to the regulator . All staff members of the regulator shall also be in attendance so as to participate and give insights after the end of the podcast session . For the execution of a live podcast with consumers to be deemed to be great idea / true , it is anticipated that the main reason why consumers of ICT must have been having trouble making purchase decisions in the ICT market is due to lack of information . Insight Following the execution of the interactive live podcast with consumers , the consumer protection department analyzed the data on the number of consumers who attended , actively participated , and positive feedback indicating that the podcast is insightful . This data enabled us conclude that the idea to have a live podcast with consumers was valid . Data on the rate of decrease in the number of consumer complaints escalated to the regulator will further validated the hypothesis that information gaps are the main source of pain point for consumers . Analysis of data on attendance and feedback information from consumer who declined the invitation to attend the podcast session provided insights on areas that require improvements in the dissemination of information via the podcast sessions . The analyzed data further endorsed the idea to hold a live podcast was not a good idea . Further still the positive feedback from the executive management and staff members at the regulatory office went a long way in securing funds to execute programmes and further endorse the podcast idea . Approach An alternative approach would seek to leverage the mind mapping tool . The tool will enable the consumer protection team highlight the patterns and insights from large quantities of data drawn from annual consumer behavior and trends surveys , customer satisfaction surveys , quarterly customer complaints reports and reports of previous consumer education outreach activities ( The University of Virginia , 2020 ) . The consumer protection teams hall gather all the relevant data and information and avail it a large hall to show case it to relevant stakeholders ( consumers , licensees , staff et.c . ) . Due to the government measures on social distancing , they shall schedule the various stakeholder groups and request them to note all the important staff and notable information . The team shall then engage the stakeholder through an online collaboration board so as enable stakeholders share there insights and collaborate to identify trends and linkages . Through the use of this tool , the relationship between the regulator and stakeholders will be strengthened as it shall also serve as a platform to collaborate and resolve a common problem The University of Virginia ( 2020 ) . References The University of Virginia ( 2020a ) . Darden School of Business Coursera course : Design Thinking for Innovation . Available at : https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design- thinking - innovation / lecture / F04r6 / learning - launch - tool ( Accessed : 15 October 2015 ) The University of Virginia ( 2020 ) . Darden School of Business Coursera course : Design Thinking for Innovation . Available at : https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design- thinking - innovation / lecture / lsFRa / mind - mapping - tool ( Accessed : 15 October 2015 )