Hussain Mohammed (ITALY)

January 5rd 2019

Design Thinking for Process review

Challenge

I work in an aerospace company, in particular inside customer support and training department and my  responsibility is the exploration and development of new service solutions to generate new business as full  service provider. In the last two years the company has focused its attention on the digital services for  which me and my colleagues has started a dedicated project. After reinforcing the digital foundations and  current available digital tools (to deliver new digital services), we have focused on the change management  and training stream in order to create the correct mindset in the company and proceed with an extensive  review of the internal processes. The population of the training has involved six hundred colleagues, on top  of which we have selected twenty-five change agents, so called evangelists, to create a community that,  leveraging on the sponsorship of senior executives, can disseminate a digital transformation. In 2014, we  did six sessions for our evangelists starting from a preliminary understanding of the major digital streams  that our top management is investing on (digital roadmap), and then the creation of subgroups, whose  focus is the change of a subprocess, related to the digital roadmap, that can benefit from digital solutions.  We tried to expand what our evangelists feel important, as well as top management consider to be  inefficient or problematic and be improved adopting digital solutions. The project included the possibility to  interview customers of different product segments and different geographies and have dedicated  workshop with other companies from similar businesses and close markets. The tool we applied is learning  launch in workshop five in December 2020.

Selection

In the first workshop we provided the overall digital roadmap and framework on which company wants to  commit on; a brief illustration of the major achievements of the last year have been provided. Between the  two workshops, evangelists had the possibility to discuss through a sharing web platform the pain points,  opportunities, potential constraints and enablers (available or not) to identify the sub-processes to attack.  They reviewed outcomes with their own managers in order to start disseminating a new digital mindset and  concepts (and to understand if there were blocking points inside the organization). We followed a kind of  approach similar to the four questions to select the projects: what-is, what-if, what-wows, what-works.  Every single step was done to reach the learning launch: evangelists had the possibility to test the ideas  with stakeholders: few customers and senior managers.

Application

During the second workshop we focused on brain storming in sub groups. Questionnaire and post-it had  been the main tools required for the session. We were able to structure the tasks, grouping the projects  into five of them, and sub-processes in an effort to become feasible for part-time resources, which on top  of their company role spent effort for their evangelist journey. This tested both the current situation in  terms of preparation of the evangelists, and their managers to support such change mindset required,  which we consider to be the main cause of our workflow inefficiencies, rather than lack of digital  technologies (already available inside the company). The first two sessions were held in July and  September, while the total journey is expected to last 6 months timeframe. After the first two workshops,  we had preliminary subgroups defined, project cards drafted, including benefits, KPIs to monitor the  success rate of the single project and a draft schedule.

The third workshop has been dedicated to understand much more from other markets (data quantity and  quality), and similar businesses, in order to motivate the evangelists and to challenge them in following  different approaches taken by other companies which could inspire their own project. The sessions were  the opportunity to illustrate progress and achievements of the projects, issues and priorities for which an  internal escalation was required (top management delegated digital champions to lead the digital  roadmap). Third workshop was dedicated to review the approach, discuss with other colleagues the pain  points and submit questionnaires, complemented by an anonymous survey to be conducted inside their  own department. The surveys included questions about as-is process, new proposed process, prioritization  of tasks, and feelings about the change mindset, to be conducted within a two-week timeframe. Between  the workshops the evangelists had to define private sessions in group, work on the projects, supported by  the external consultancy for the mapping of the as-is and to-be process.

Workshop four has been dedicated to learning launch. Evangelists had the possibility to interview external  customers (invited in video call) for those projects involving digital services for external customers, while  for internal processes internal stakeholders (executives and top managers) has been invited to test the as-is  process and to-be process. Cheap mock-ups were more than welcome in order to test if the project  benefits were the ones expected, if the major burning need of the customers were satisfied. The purpose  was not to prove to the community who were the best evangelists, but to get the truth about idea and  assumptions, at the cost of cancelling the project if not feasible or in scope. Therefore, confirmation bias, as  well as group-think and self-serving bias, were limited leaving short time to review the projects if required.

Workshop five and six will be dedicated in 2017 to refine the project and to have a mock-up ready, with the  support of the consultancy. In workshop six the evangelists will illustrate their own project to top  management (managing director included) to get the right and final sponsorship to enter into the execution  and deployment phase. After the final presentation our HR department will have a comprehensive view of  the single evangelists in order to improve their own career development plan and reorganize some  departments depending on the results of the projects, leveraging on the skills of the evangelists.

Insight & conclusion

Our hope was that the evangelists identified pain points (identify the need with a lot of questions),  brainstorm on potential ideas and solutions (search for truth and not for winning), discover obstacles and  blocking points inside the organization and test these assumptions (put not in scope ideas on the shelf).  Our major concern was related to the capability of the management to sustain these projects and embody  the real digital transformation: while evangelists are currently open to the process review, the key  stakeholders in the larger departments could raise some concerns or further constraints. Digital roadmap  therefore will have to take into account theses insights and incorporate it into future initiatives.

Evangelists had not attended any design thinking activities/tools relevant to the digital transformation yet,  so preliminary results are not astonishing. However we are confident that after the first sessions, a new  learning launch tool before end of the training journey will be a useful and effective this time (considering  also a new perception for all the managers about the digital transformation). Evangelists will need to  review the insight gained from the first session and be responsible to collaborate with management in  order to remove obstacles and deploy solutions/new processes, ready for full rollout.

Best Regards,

Hussain Mohammed


Hussain Mohammed ( ITALY ) January 5rd 2019 Design Thinking for Process review Challenge I work in an aerospace company , in particular inside customer support and training department and my responsibility is the exploration and development of new service solutions to generate new business as full service provider . In the last two years the company has focused its attention on the digital services for which me and my colleagues has started a dedicated project . After reinforcing the digital foundations and current available digital tools ( to deliver new digital services ) , we have focused on the change management and training stream in order to create the correct mindset in the company and proceed with an extensive review of the internal processes . The population of the training has involved six hundred colleagues , on top of which we have selected twenty - five change agents , so called evangelists , to create a community that , leveraging on the sponsorship of senior executives , can disseminate a digital transformation . In 2014 , we did six sessions for our evangelists starting from a preliminary understanding of the major digital streams that our top management is investing on ( digital roadmap ) , and then the creation of subgroups , whose focus is the change of a subprocess , related to the digital roadmap , that can benefit from digital solutions . We tried to expand what our evangelists feel important , as well as top management consider to be inefficient or problematic and be improved adopting digital solutions . The project included the possibility to interview customers of different product segments and different geographies and have dedicated workshop with other companies from similar businesses and close markets . The tool we applied is learning launch in workshop five in December 2020 . Selection In the first workshop we provided the overall digital roadmap and framework on which company wants to commit on ; a brief illustration of the major achievements of the last year have been provided . Between the two workshops , evangelists had the possibility to discuss through a sharing web platform the pain points , opportunities , potential constraints and enablers ( available or not ) to identify the sub - processes to attack . They reviewed outcomes with their own managers in order to start disseminating a new digital mindset and concepts ( and to understand if there were blocking points inside the organization ) . We followed a kind of approach similar to the four questions to select the projects : what - is , what - if , what - wows , what - works . Every single step was done to reach the learning launch : evangelists had the possibility to test the ideas with stakeholders : few customers and senior managers . Application During the second workshop we focused on brain storming in sub groups . Questionnaire and post - it had been the main tools required for the session . We were able to structure the tasks , grouping the projects into five of them , and sub - processes in an effort to become feasible for part - time resources , which on top of their company role spent effort for their evangelist journey . This tested both the current situation in terms of preparation of the evangelists , and their managers to support such change mindset required , which we consider to be the main cause of our workflow inefficiencies , rather than lack of digital technologies ( already available inside the company ) . The first two sessions were held in July and September , while the total journey is expected to last 6 months timeframe . After the first two workshops , we had preliminary subgroups defined , project cards drafted , including benefits , KPIs to monitor the success rate of the single project and a draft schedule . The third workshop has been dedicated to understand much more from other markets ( data quantity and quality ) , and similar businesses , in order to motivate the evangelists and to challenge them in following different approaches taken by other companies which could inspire their own project . The sessions were the opportunity to illustrate progress and achievements of the projects , issues and priorities for which an internal escalation was required ( top management delegated digital champions to lead the digital roadmap ) . Third workshop was dedicated to review the approach , discuss with other colleagues the pain points and submit questionnaires , complemented by an anonymous survey to be conducted inside their own department . The surveys included questions about as - is process , new proposed process , prioritization of tasks , and feelings about the change mindset , to be conducted within a two - week timeframe . Between the workshops the evangelists had to define private sessions in group , work on the projects , supported by the external consultancy for the mapping of the as - is and to - be process . Workshop four has been dedicated to learning launch . Evangelists had the possibility to interview external customers ( invited in video call ) for those projects involving digital services for external customers , while for internal processes internal stakeholders ( executives and top managers ) has been invited to test the as - is process and to - be process . Cheap mock - ups were more than welcome in order to test if the project benefits were the ones expected , if the major burning need of the customers were satisfied . The purpose was not to prove to the community who were the best evangelists , but to get the truth about idea and assumptions , at the cost of cancelling the project if not feasible or in scope . Therefore , confirmation bias , as well as group - think and self - serving bias , were limited leaving short time to review the projects if required . Workshop five and six will be dedicated in 2017 to refine the project and to have a mock - up ready , with the support of the consultancy . In workshop six the evangelists will illustrate their own project to top management ( managing director included ) to get the right and final sponsorship to enter into the execution and deployment phase . After the final presentation our HR department will have a comprehensive view of the single evangelists in order to improve their own career development plan and reorganize some departments depending on the results of the projects , leveraging on the skills of the evangelists . Insight & conclusion Our hope was that the evangelists identified pain points ( identify the need with a lot of questions ) , brainstorm on potential ideas and solutions ( search for truth and not for winning ) , discover obstacles and blocking points inside the organization and test these assumptions ( put not in scope ideas on the shelf ) . Our major concern was related to the capability of the management to sustain these projects and embody the real digital transformation : while evangelists are currently open to the process review , the key stakeholders in the larger departments could raise some concerns or further constraints . Digital roadmap therefore will have to take into account theses insights and incorporate it into future initiatives . Evangelists had not attended any design thinking activities / tools relevant to the digital transformation yet , so preliminary results are not astonishing . However we are confident that after the first sessions , a new learning launch tool before end of the training journey will be a useful and effective this time ( considering also a new perception for all the managers about the digital transformation ) . Evangelists will need to review the insight gained from the first session and be responsible to collaborate with management in order to remove obstacles and deploy solutions / new processes , ready for full rollout . Best Regards , Hussain Mohammed