Andrew Valenzuela

Final Assignment Submission for Design Thinking for Innovation Course

My challenge relates to advancing education in Mexico. In short, there is a big gap currently in the  Mexican education market when it comes to development of soft skills for people aged 17-22.  Research has shown that companies are looking for a great level of soft skills in graduates when  hiring them out of university. Thinking more deeply about the problem, and from speaking with  business owners, students and academics, the “what is” of the problem is clearly that universities  are not developing these soft skills. Instead, most universities still focus on academic skills  development. The kind of soft skills lacking are problem solving, innovation, creativity, negotiation  and initiative, amongst others. Thus, a gap exists to solve this soft-skills shortage in Mexico. How this  gap will be filled requires a mode of thinking that is outside of the current paradigm. Personally, I  think this is necessary to break from the traditional mode of thinking that proliferates the  educational system here and in many other countries.

My choice of tool to look at this problem is Storytelling. For me, it is a valuable tool because it will  aid in helping create a vision that differs from the current reality. The lecture in week 2 mentioned  how every great brand has a story that links it to an emotion. Moreover, another Coursera course  from the University of Colombia, relating to the future of education, states that traditional ways of  thinking about the future of education very limited. In other words, people largely have one-track  minds and are decided that the future of all education is technology. The result is that people  become narrow minded and are unlikely to shift their thinking and develop innovative ideas. This  lack of vision has inspired my choice of Storytelling. To solve my problem related to Mexican  education, it is necessary to use Storytelling’s ability to create a cause. Inspiring people and leading  people towards the possibility of breaking from the traditional mould is something that can help  solve the problem that exists. Breaking the status quo will be difficult, because I feel that the kind of  audience that the story will be told to (e.g. academics, teachers, business owners, and university  deans) are going to be rather reticent to hear something different. Therefore, how it will be applied  will be very important.

The application of this tool to the problem will rely on really highlighting what the core of this  problem is. The reality is that universities are not providing what they either claim they are. On the  flip side, some simply do not even claim to do work on soft skills. This message is central to the story,  however, simply going and telling someone a story of how they are wrong is likely to be met with  hostility. I believe it is therefore necessary to tell the story in a way that gets buy-in from these  stakeholders. In other words, the story needs to make these people part of the solution and to  empower them as design thinkers themselves. Building on the suggestion of the lecture, this is a  process of getting them into a mind-set that makes the cause worth fighting for. To give an example,  in Mexico there is quite a rigid social hierarchy in which in business it can be risky to question ones  superiors. The academic system is not very flexible and titles can bring with them great power, even  if the titleholder does not possess the knowledge, ideas or expertise to tackle everyday problems.  The consequence of this for applying design thinking, a concept that many academics would  consider radical, is that the story told would need to be told in such a way that it empowers these  people, rather than alienates them.

Until now, I have not been able to enter and tell the story at the highest level, i.e. to the businesses  and the academics.  However, on a different level I have already started building a vision amongst  peers to create the need for change. My work brings me into contact will all range of academics and  professionals in education. Two close contacts of mine are social entrepreneurs and already have

businesses established that work on generating change in Mexico’s education system. Just last week,  I met with both to tell them my story about ‘what is’ the current situation in Mexico. At the same  time, I got the opportunity to take on board their feedback and use this to adjust any of my potential  misconceptions. Moreover, I got them to connect with the vision of change I had, and used this to  generate more ideas about potential ways in which to focus the solution more on the people it is  trying to help. The storytelling tool was important here, because it resonated with feelings that they  had, and I realised how it aligns with their own stories. Thus, I think one of the real benefits of  applying this tool was the ability to find consensus and a common cause. However, as mentioned in  the course, a common cause will not be enough to generate the change. The real proof of the story  telling tool’s power will be when we use it to go to a higher level.

The application of the tool has taught me valuable lessons about bringing people together. It has  shown me there is a good way in which to shape a vision and connect to a process that can generate  change. I have no doubt that this will help in inspiring people to focus on the needs of the  community and to help make the new product something that really will add value to Mexican  students and academics.

If I could do something different, I guess it would be to think more about the story before asking /  telling others. While input from others is important, I believe there could be value in really  developing my own story first. By doing this, I feel more capable of leading from the front. More  than anything, I think next time I would like to actually try using some of the other tools. Mind  mapping would be a great supplemental tool that would allow me to work with others to device a  people-centred solution. Later on, I can also see a good opportunity to have a learning launch. The  ideas I have are early ideas and need development, thus trying out things and seeing what could be  learnt will be useful.

To conclude, this was a valuable learning experience. The tool is extremely powerful, and this is  obvious in the number of people using this today. Only the other day I saw the head of Starbucks  selling the power of storytelling.


Andrew Valenzuela Final Assignment Submission for Design Thinking for Innovation Course My challenge relates to advancing education in Mexico . In short , there is a big gap currently in the Mexican education market when it comes to development of soft skills for people aged 17 - 22 . Research has shown that companies are looking for a great level of soft skills in graduates when hiring them out of university . Thinking more deeply about the problem , and from speaking with business owners , students and academics , the “ what is ” of the problem is clearly that universities are not developing these soft skills . Instead , most universities still focus on academic skills development . The kind of soft skills lacking are problem solving , innovation , creativity , negotiation and initiative , amongst others . Thus , a gap exists to solve this soft - skills shortage in Mexico . How this gap will be filled requires a mode of thinking that is outside of the current paradigm . Personally , I think this is necessary to break from the traditional mode of thinking that proliferates the educational system here and in many other countries . My choice of tool to look at this problem is Storytelling . For me , it is a valuable tool because it will aid in helping create a vision that differs from the current reality . The lecture in week 2 mentioned how every great brand has a story that links it to an emotion . Moreover , another Coursera course from the University of Colombia , relating to the future of education , states that traditional ways of thinking about the future of education very limited . In other words , people largely have one - track minds and are decided that the future of all education is technology . The result is that people become narrow minded and are unlikely to shift their thinking and develop innovative ideas . This lack of vision has inspired my choice of Storytelling . To solve my problem related to Mexican education , it is necessary to use Storytelling ’s ability to create a cause . Inspiring people and leading people towards the possibility of breaking from the traditional mould is something that can help solve the problem that exists . Breaking the status quo will be difficult , because I feel that the kind of audience that the story will be told to ( e.g. academics , teachers , business owners , and university deans ) are going to be rather reticent to hear something different . Therefore , how it will be applied will be very important . The application of this tool to the problem will rely on really highlighting what the core of this problem is . The reality is that universities are not providing what they either claim they are . On the flip side , some simply do not even claim to do work on soft skills . This message is central to the story , however , simply going and telling someone a story of how they are wrong is likely to be met with hostility . I believe it is therefore necessary to tell the story in a way that gets buy - in from these stakeholders . In other words , the story needs to make these people part of the solution and to empower them as design thinkers themselves . Building on the suggestion of the lecture , this is a process of getting them into a mind - set that makes the cause worth fighting for . To give an example , in Mexico there is quite a rigid social hierarchy in which in business it can be risky to question ones superiors . The academic system is not very flexible and titles can bring with them great power , even if the titleholder does not possess the knowledge , ideas or expertise to tackle everyday problems . The consequence of this for applying design thinking , a concept that many academics would consider radical , is that the story told would need to be told in such a way that it empowers these people , rather than alienates them . Until now , I have not been able to enter and tell the story at the highest level , i.e. to the businesses and the academics . However , on a different level I have already started building a vision amongst peers to create the need for change . My work brings me into contact will all range of academics and professionals in education . Two close contacts of mine are social entrepreneurs and already have businesses established that work on generating change in Mexico ’s education system . Just last week , I met with both to tell them my story about ‘ what is ’ the current situation in Mexico . At the same time , I got the opportunity to take on board their feedback and use this to adjust any of my potential misconceptions . Moreover , I got them to connect with the vision of change I had , and used this to generate more ideas about potential ways in which to focus the solution more on the people it is trying to help . The storytelling tool was important here , because it resonated with feelings that they had , and I realised how it aligns with their own stories . Thus , I think one of the real benefits of applying this tool was the ability to find consensus and a common cause . However , as mentioned in the course , a common cause will not be enough to generate the change . The real proof of the story telling tool ’s power will be when we use it to go to a higher level . The application of the tool has taught me valuable lessons about bringing people together . It has shown me there is a good way in which to shape a vision and connect to a process that can generate change . I have no doubt that this will help in inspiring people to focus on the needs of the community and to help make the new product something that really will add value to Mexican students and academics . If I could do something different , I guess it would be to think more about the story before asking / telling others . While input from others is important , I believe there could be value in really developing my own story first . By doing this , I feel more capable of leading from the front . More than anything , I think next time I would like to actually try using some of the other tools . Mind mapping would be a great supplemental tool that would allow me to work with others to device a people - centred solution . Later on , I can also see a good opportunity to have a learning launch . The ideas I have are early ideas and need development , thus trying out things and seeing what could be learnt will be useful . To conclude , this was a valuable learning experience . The tool is extremely powerful , and this is obvious in the number of people using this today . Only the other day I saw the head of Starbucks selling the power of storytelling .