Design  Thinking  Reflection  Fabio Mendez

Challenge

A few months ago while attending a design seminar, a

challenge was given to all the present attendees: “Try to

define a new service or product about the already

saturated coffee industry, that could generate new value

to the customers or the producers”. Then the attendees

were organized into diverse multidisciplinary teams and

the discussions began.

Design Tool Selection & Application

After a brief discussion that took place to organize the

creative process, we decided to initiate with a simple

exercise. Each team member wrote down in sticky “Post

It” papers, any idea that landed in our heads when we

think about coffee, the post its were sticked to the wall.

After only 10 minutes, we had a wall full of different

thoughts, ideas and keywords related to coffee. With all

that information, we decided to generate a ​“Mind Map”​,

and the team began to arrange the notes that naturally fit

together in categories. A very nice mind map was

created, with around 4 different categories covering

insights that ranged from coffee crops and production

process to the consumption practices and even cultural

behaviors around coffee preparation.

Insights

The team reviewed, analyzed and discussed the

resulting mind map. After a few minutes, there was

consensus in one insight: “Little to no recognition is

given to the real hands that gather the coffee from the

plants and that actually enable the rest of the world to

have access to this amazing drink”, then we immediately

decided to work around this idea, and generate a

proposal that returns something back to these people

that have an important role within the coffee industry.

Approach

A new coffee brand was proposed to be released to the

market; this coffee brand will work around an

“ecosystem” concept, considering the fact that those

hands working at the crops are as important as the

coffee itself. The brand will represent an extension of

those hands, serving coffee straight to your homes.

Pictures of real coffee pickers will be displayed at the

packages with positive messages underneath. Also, all

the organic waste generated during the coffee bean

processing will be handled to a “coffee pickers

association” which will be organized to manage it and

process it to generate paper made of organic fibers. This

paper will be used to make the coffee packaging bags.

The association will be paid for this bag supplies and the

profit distributed between all the collaborators,

generating additional profit and more diverse working

opportunities to these people working in the crops.

Additionally a stamp in the coffee bag will make the

consumers aware of this sustainable and social-friendly

practice, which will result in the final acknowledgment of

the coffee pickers as important contributors of the coffee

supply process.

Final Reflection

The ​“mind mapping” tool, quickly enabled the team to

think about new ideas derived from already available

and common knowledge about the coffee industry. What

could be a chaotic brainstorming process where hardly

people converge into the same agreements and

disconnected ideas are thrown, was naturally handled

and organized into categories by the “mind map”; once

there all topics were ready for discussion and analysis in

a better, organized and constructive way. I personally

found this approach extremely enlightening and

constructive, and in order to enhance the experience, a

little bit of research previous the idea generation process

will definitely enable the teams to construct even better

ideas full of innovation.


Design Thinking Reflection Fabio Mendez Challenge A few months ago while attending a design seminar , a challenge was given to all the present attendees : “ Try to define a new service or product about the already saturated coffee industry , that could generate new value to the customers or the producers ” . Then the attendees were organized into diverse multidisciplinary teams and the discussions began . Design Tool Selection & Application After a brief discussion that took place to organize the creative process , we decided to initiate with a simple exercise . Each team member wrote down in sticky “ Post It ” papers , any idea that landed in our heads when we think about coffee , the post its were sticked to the wall . After only 10 minutes , we had a wall full of different thoughts , ideas and keywords related to coffee . With all that information , we decided to generate a ​“Mind Map”​ , and the team began to arrange the notes that naturally fit together in categories . A very nice mind map was created , with around 4 different categories covering insights that ranged from coffee crops and production process to the consumption practices and even cultural behaviors around coffee preparation . Insights The team reviewed , analyzed and discussed the resulting mind map . After a few minutes , there was consensus in one insight : “ Little to no recognition is given to the real hands that gather the coffee from the plants and that actually enable the rest of the world to have access to this amazing drink ” , then we immediately decided to work around this idea , and generate a proposal that returns something back to these people that have an important role within the coffee industry . Approach A new coffee brand was proposed to be released to the market ; this coffee brand will work around an “ ecosystem ” concept , considering the fact that those hands working at the crops are as important as the coffee itself . The brand will represent an extension of those hands , serving coffee straight to your homes . Pictures of real coffee pickers will be displayed at the packages with positive messages underneath . Also , all the organic waste generated during the coffee bean processing will be handled to a “ coffee pickers association ” which will be organized to manage it and process it to generate paper made of organic fibers . This paper will be used to make the coffee packaging bags . The association will be paid for this bag supplies and the profit distributed between all the collaborators , generating additional profit and more diverse working opportunities to these people working in the crops . Additionally a stamp in the coffee bag will make the consumers aware of this sustainable and social - friendly practice , which will result in the final acknowledgment of the coffee pickers as important contributors of the coffee supply process . Final Reflection The ​“mind mapping ” tool , quickly enabled the team to think about new ideas derived from already available and common knowledge about the coffee industry . What could be a chaotic brainstorming process where hardly people converge into the same agreements and disconnected ideas are thrown , was naturally handled and organized into categories by the “ mind map ” ; once there all topics were ready for discussion and analysis in a better , organized and constructive way . I personally found this approach extremely enlightening and constructive , and in order to enhance the experience , a little bit of research previous the idea generation process will definitely enable the teams to construct even better ideas full of innovation .