Firoz Khan Pandey Reflection – Learning Launch Challenge

I am a member of my organization’s supply chain project management department and my/our challenge  is to improve the workflow (activities and projects) within the department in order to reduce COGS in the  manufacturing processes and to cut lead times for active new project launches. The project scope included  the project management department composed of six employees, as well as the marketing department  and sales department, with whom we work closely. The project is limited to internal resources (i.e., budget  and employee time). The project should not exceed 90 business days and the solution should include an  even distribution of working hours amongst the team members. We will focus on trying to uncover what  our team members, as well as key stakeholders within the marketing department and sales department,  consider to be ineffective or problematic about the workflow.

Selection

Our team has already gone through several design thinking activities/tools, so we are ready to try the  learning launch tool. Broadly speaking, the learning launch is an experiment meant to quickly test an idea  and prototype.

Application

For our first learning launch, we focused on the structure/execution of our day to day project  management tasks. In particular, we wanted to see if we could structure our tasks, projects, and processes  to adapt the methods of Scrum project management for our work (e.g., time boxed, daily, specific  meetings, reviews, etc.) in an effort to become more agile. This tested our assumption that the structure  and execution were the main causes of our workflow challenge. Our team went through a two-day training  with a Scrum project management coach. Next, we went through five workshops to structure our tasks  and processes in a more agile way. These two sessions occurred within in a three-week timeframe. We  expected to produce a document with a clear description of our new, more agile processes/workflow. For  our second learning launch, we focused on gaining clarity about our tasks and priorities. This tested our  assumption that our prioritization of tasks was the main cause of our workflow challenge. Our team  completed an anonymous survey. Additionally, five key stakeholders from the marketing department and  sales department also completed an anonymous survey. The surveys included questions about our new,  proposed process, understanding the process and the prioritization of tasks, and feelings about the  change, and were conducted within a one-week timeframe.

Insight

By applying the learning launch tool, our team identified our assumptions and designed launches to test  these assumptions. Additionally, we thought through anticipated results, expecting to find that a more  agile approach would improve our workflow, and that both our team and the key stakeholders would be  fairly open to the new prioritization of tasks and process. Our actual results were slightly different from  what we anticipated: while our team was open to the prioritization of tasks and process, the key  stakeholders in the marketing department and sales department expressed some concerns around  meeting targeted cost goals and lead times on NPDs. Moving forward, our team will review this insight  and incorporate it into future launch designs. The ongoing incorporation of insight is particularly  important at this stage, as launches come before a full rollout in the design thinking timeline.

Approach

Given that our team has already gone through several design thinking activities/tools and are at this stage  in the timeline, the learning launch is the appropriate tool. As previously mentioned, our team needs to  review the insight gained from our first two launches and incorporate this insight into future launch  designs. Future launch designs should reflect insight gained, progress made, and come closer to a  compelling solution ready for full rollout.


Firoz Khan Pandey Reflection – Learning Launch Challenge I am a member of my organization ’s supply chain project management department and my / our challenge is to improve the workflow ( activities and projects ) within the department in order to reduce COGS in the manufacturing processes and to cut lead times for active new project launches . The project scope included the project management department composed of six employees , as well as the marketing department and sales department , with whom we work closely . The project is limited to internal resources ( i.e. , budget and employee time ) . The project should not exceed 90 business days and the solution should include an even distribution of working hours amongst the team members . We will focus on trying to uncover what our team members , as well as key stakeholders within the marketing department and sales department , consider to be ineffective or problematic about the workflow . Selection Our team has already gone through several design thinking activities / tools , so we are ready to try the learning launch tool . Broadly speaking , the learning launch is an experiment meant to quickly test an idea and prototype . Application For our first learning launch , we focused on the structure / execution of our day to day project management tasks . In particular , we wanted to see if we could structure our tasks , projects , and processes to adapt the methods of Scrum project management for our work ( e.g. , time boxed , daily , specific meetings , reviews , etc . ) in an effort to become more agile . This tested our assumption that the structure and execution were the main causes of our workflow challenge . Our team went through a two - day training with a Scrum project management coach . Next , we went through five workshops to structure our tasks and processes in a more agile way . These two sessions occurred within in a three - week timeframe . We expected to produce a document with a clear description of our new , more agile processes / workflow . For our second learning launch , we focused on gaining clarity about our tasks and priorities . This tested our assumption that our prioritization of tasks was the main cause of our workflow challenge . Our team completed an anonymous survey . Additionally , five key stakeholders from the marketing department and sales department also completed an anonymous survey . The surveys included questions about our new , proposed process , understanding the process and the prioritization of tasks , and feelings about the change , and were conducted within a one - week timeframe . Insight By applying the learning launch tool , our team identified our assumptions and designed launches to test these assumptions . Additionally , we thought through anticipated results , expecting to find that a more agile approach would improve our workflow , and that both our team and the key stakeholders would be fairly open to the new prioritization of tasks and process . Our actual results were slightly different from what we anticipated : while our team was open to the prioritization of tasks and process , the key stakeholders in the marketing department and sales department expressed some concerns around meeting targeted cost goals and lead times on NPDs . Moving forward , our team will review this insight and incorporate it into future launch designs . The ongoing incorporation of insight is particularly important at this stage , as launches come before a full rollout in the design thinking timeline . Approach Given that our team has already gone through several design thinking activities / tools and are at this stage in the timeline , the learning launch is the appropriate tool . As previously mentioned , our team needs to review the insight gained from our first two launches and incorporate this insight into future launch designs . Future launch designs should reflect insight gained , progress made , and come closer to a compelling solution ready for full rollout .