BACKGROUND:

As a technology provider for digital services and solutions for very different needs, my company is  aware of the challenge of being different and superior in the sector.

Understanding the theoratical potential of having a design thinking culture for a company, we as a  marketing team wanted to see it for ourselves if this approach can be applied to the needs of a big,  mass, technological  corporation like ours to be more innovative and have superior products and  services.

So we explored the opportunity to create  a design thinking culture, first and foremost among the  employees cause we believed that change for customers could only start if we as employees are fans  of our own products and services.

To build a culture among the employess we first explored the barriers and the strenghts we have as a  company. And we also decided that the iterative problem solving approach is the key to start up such  a culture in the company.

First step, we came up with the relevant questions and answers regarding this purpose.

How can we define the subject of iterative problem solving;

•  Never ending improvement.

•  Define>think>change>rethink until you feel it is ‘’the answer/solution’’ for the time being.

•  Embracing ‘what if’ thinking

How we perceive ‘iterative’;

•  Definable  Accepted by all levels/parties involved

•  Repetable  Flexible enough to apply in different problems

•  Measurable  Clear enough to define KPIs easily

•  Scalable  Ability to expand or narrow (like gas)

IDEATION:

We came up with a lot of ideas first and then boiled them down to a few which we felt had the most  wow effect and also easy and quick to be implemented. Some examples are:

•  An “Emoji” can be created just for the purpose of creating a design thinking culture which  will serve as a new asset, embedded in our screens to remind us daily

•  Categorization of problems w AI

•  Create a‘DIGITAL’ Workspace that provides digital post-it screens all around the company to  enable employees to define/ like/ dislike/ rate/ read. And also participation can be reported  and rewarded

•  A Pretest Platform that serves as a wide and early employee pretest environment can be  launched that turns employees to early adaptors by asking questions to the user to find the  suitable solution method and put the path. This will also serve as a new market research tool  as well.

•  ‘A BREAK UP’ Movement can be designed to abondon habits of our working culture that  stand as barriers of colloborate design thinking culture

•  New ‘HR’ Programs of Continous Imorovement can be introduced to make the employees  feel valuable and reflect this improvement culture to their own working life

•  ‘A DAY’ in C-Suite Shoes can be created for problem solving approaches of C-level to be  transferred to all employees by employees

•  A new BOD structure introduced that gives the employees that have potential product &  service ideas an opportunity of board membership / shareholder right for a specific period.

WHAT OUR PRIMARY FOCUS WAS:

To take a real step closer to making iterative thinking a mindset throughout the whole company, all  employees should have an equal chance of having the ownership of our products. Our assets.

WHAT WE CAME UP WITH:

Create a digital employee platform

•  that serves as an enabler and a gateway to create/ kill / cure a product/feature to qualify or  disqualify a launch.

•  that will secure the continuous participation of all Turkcell employees regardless of their  function/title.

How It Works;

▪ A new App, designed inhouse for the use of employees only

▪ Participation bring points, rated by a committee

▪ High scores will be rewarded

What Principles:

Whole process triggered by;

▪  User(employee) experience

▪  Data analytics

▪  A new feature/ product/ fix only be released when/if a certain amount of rating reached

▪  The Decider’’ works through gamification. The more u contribute, the more u are rewarded

▪  A dashboard will be used for future developments.

▪  Anonymous participation with leaderboards of nicknames.

HOW TO SUSTAIN SUCH A PLATFORM:

A rewarding system fort he platform can be created that :

•  Contribution and participation in this platform can feed performance scores of employees

•  Free prodyct and service subscriptions can be given away to employees

•  Quarterly board memberships, A day with the CEO can be given to employees

•  Even Revenue share models can be introduced for contribution

STAKEHOLDERS FEEDBACK:

The main stakeholders for such a solution are defined to be HR, C-Level, DSS department, Marketing  Department.

A quick research was made through a simple questionnaire and the idea was rated to have a real  positive impact:

▪  Is the idea Outside The Box

▪  Does the idea serve design thinking

▪  Does the idea serve to Iterative Problem Solving

▪  Is the idea applicable

▪  Is the idea feasible

▪  Does the idea contribute to Customer Satisfaction

▪  Do you support this idea?

After all the feedback and testing we believed that the idea was gonna work because it had all below  sanity check points for design led innovation:

•  Transparent&authentic

•  Colloborative

•  Human centric

•  Thinkers=Doers

•  Deep empathy

After this feedback step, we were confident that this is worth to implement and go for it.


BACKGROUND : As a technology provider for digital services and solutions for very different needs , my company is aware of the challenge of being different and superior in the sector . Understanding the theoratical potential of having a design thinking culture for a company , we as a marketing team wanted to see it for ourselves if this approach can be applied to the needs of a big , mass , technological corporation like ours to be more innovative and have superior products and services . So we explored the opportunity to create a design thinking culture , first and foremost among the employees cause we believed that change for customers could only start if we as employees are fans of our own products and services . To build a culture among the employess we first explored the barriers and the strenghts we have as a company . And we also decided that the iterative problem solving approach is the key to start up such a culture in the company . First step , we came up with the relevant questions and answers regarding this purpose . How can we define the subject of iterative problem solving ; • Never ending improvement . • Define > think > change > rethink until you feel it is ‘ ’ the answer / solution ’’ for the time being . • Embracing ‘ what if ’ thinking How we perceive ‘ iterative ’ ; • Definable Accepted by all levels / parties involved • Repetable Flexible enough to apply in different problems • Measurable Clear enough to define KPIs easily • Scalable Ability to expand or narrow ( like gas ) IDEATION : We came up with a lot of ideas first and then boiled them down to a few which we felt had the most wow effect and also easy and quick to be implemented . Some examples are : • An “ Emoji ” can be created just for the purpose of creating a design thinking culture which will serve as a new asset , embedded in our screens to remind us daily • Categorization of problems w AI • Create a‘DIGITAL ’ Workspace that provides digital post - it screens all around the company to enable employees to define/ like/ dislike/ rate/ read . And also participation can be reported and rewarded • A Pretest Platform that serves as a wide and early employee pretest environment can be launched that turns employees to early adaptors by asking questions to the user to find the suitable solution method and put the path . This will also serve as a new market research tool as well . • ‘ A BREAK UP ’ Movement can be designed to abondon habits of our working culture that stand as barriers of colloborate design thinking culture • New ‘ HR ’ Programs of Continous Imorovement can be introduced to make the employees feel valuable and reflect this improvement culture to their own working life • ‘ A DAY ’ in C - Suite Shoes can be created for problem solving approaches of C - level to be transferred to all employees by employees • A new BOD structure introduced that gives the employees that have potential product & service ideas an opportunity of board membership / shareholder right for a specific period . WHAT OUR PRIMARY FOCUS WAS : To take a real step closer to making iterative thinking a mindset throughout the whole company , all employees should have an equal chance of having the ownership of our products . Our assets . WHAT WE CAME UP WITH : Create a digital employee platform • that serves as an enabler and a gateway to create/ kill / cure a product / feature to qualify or disqualify a launch . • that will secure the continuous participation of all Turkcell employees regardless of their function / title . How It Works ; ▪ A new App , designed inhouse for the use of employees only ▪ Participation bring points , rated by a committee ▪ High scores will be rewarded What Principles : Whole process triggered by ; ▪ User(employee ) experience ▪ Data analytics ▪ A new feature/ product/ fix only be released when / if a certain amount of rating reached ▪ The Decider ’’ works through gamification . The more u contribute , the more u are rewarded ▪ A dashboard will be used for future developments . ▪ Anonymous participation with leaderboards of nicknames . HOW TO SUSTAIN SUCH A PLATFORM : A rewarding system fort he platform can be created that : • Contribution and participation in this platform can feed performance scores of employees • Free prodyct and service subscriptions can be given away to employees • Quarterly board memberships , A day with the CEO can be given to employees • Even Revenue share models can be introduced for contribution STAKEHOLDERS FEEDBACK : The main stakeholders for such a solution are defined to be HR , C - Level , DSS department , Marketing Department . A quick research was made through a simple questionnaire and the idea was rated to have a real positive impact : ▪ Is the idea Outside The Box ▪ Does the idea serve design thinking ▪ Does the idea serve to Iterative Problem Solving ▪ Is the idea applicable ▪ Is the idea feasible ▪ Does the idea contribute to Customer Satisfaction ▪ Do you support this idea ? After all the feedback and testing we believed that the idea was gon na work because it had all below sanity check points for design led innovation : • Transparent&authentic • Colloborative • Human centric • Thinkers = Doers • Deep empathy After this feedback step , we were confident that this is worth to implement and go for it .