Design Thinking for Innovation - Asignement

Challenge  I have been leading a digital accelerator project for NGO's working with youth entrepreneurship. Those  NGO's are part of a global network were wondering, where digital could create the most significant  impact for their young entrepreneurs. With a holistic approach, we are tackling external aspects, like  marketing and digital services, as also internal aspects, as such related to their business model and their  operating models. There was a considerable concern on the NGO's side that digital would distant them  from their entrepreneurs, and through that doubted that there could be a positive impact with digital. In  our "What is?" phase we conducted open interviews and shadowing with employees and with  entrepreneurs, through journaling and inspirational workshops we drew up personas and user journeys.  We wondered what to do with all the collected information.

Selection  We decided to do a massive mind map on a large wall, which we called "the mural". On a high level, we  followed similar steps like the ones presented in this course in week 3 ("Mind Mapping Steps"). Steps 1- 3 were the work described above in the challenge section.

Application  As a team, we did make some preliminary clustering mapping all findings within eight strategic themes  and a high-level grouping within the themes. We then performed a series of workshops together with  the different stakeholders from the NGO in order to review and adjust the clustering (step 4), and  worked in groups to set strategic priorities on which problems to solve and make sure that the right  problem and the right abstraction level of the problem is the one that we would be looking at (similar to  step 5). Those were then shared in the plenum and connections were identified (step 6). Separate  ideation sessions, internal and external, were performed bringing solution options for the key prioritized  problems to life (step 7 and on).

Insights   Using mind mapping technique at this step was crucial, as it helps to break down and simplify a vast  amount of information gathered limiting the level of overwhelming of the employees of the NGO. For  them, it was very insightful, as for them it was the first time they see all views in one view, and that with  a holistic perspective, their personal "large problem" might not be the biggest issue, or could be easily  solved in collaboration with the other team. An additional result was that the NGO's now understood,  that digital could help them to be closer to their Entrepreneurs and also by automating internal tasks  free up more time to add more value to them.

Approach  In my perspective, the mind mapping tool was beneficial to break down all that information and post it  in the plenum. I concluded that this exposure, even if pretty overwhelming for the employees, is the  right type of exposure for them to understand the change and transformation they require. We have  been thinking about what we could do to reduce the levels of overwhelming, and came to a conclusion,  that we provide them confidence through clarity in the process, and prepare them to be overwhelmed.

By Martin Soares, Zürich, 12.05.2019


Design Thinking for Innovation - Asignement Challenge I have been leading a digital accelerator project for NGO 's working with youth entrepreneurship . Those NGO 's are part of a global network were wondering , where digital could create the most significant impact for their young entrepreneurs . With a holistic approach , we are tackling external aspects , like marketing and digital services , as also internal aspects , as such related to their business model and their operating models . There was a considerable concern on the NGO 's side that digital would distant them from their entrepreneurs , and through that doubted that there could be a positive impact with digital . In our " What is ? " phase we conducted open interviews and shadowing with employees and with entrepreneurs , through journaling and inspirational workshops we drew up personas and user journeys . We wondered what to do with all the collected information . Selection We decided to do a massive mind map on a large wall , which we called " the mural " . On a high level , we followed similar steps like the ones presented in this course in week 3 ( " Mind Mapping Steps " ) . Steps 1- 3 were the work described above in the challenge section . Application As a team , we did make some preliminary clustering mapping all findings within eight strategic themes and a high - level grouping within the themes . We then performed a series of workshops together with the different stakeholders from the NGO in order to review and adjust the clustering ( step 4 ) , and worked in groups to set strategic priorities on which problems to solve and make sure that the right problem and the right abstraction level of the problem is the one that we would be looking at ( similar to step 5 ) . Those were then shared in the plenum and connections were identified ( step 6 ) . Separate ideation sessions , internal and external , were performed bringing solution options for the key prioritized problems to life ( step 7 and on ) . Insights Using mind mapping technique at this step was crucial , as it helps to break down and simplify a vast amount of information gathered limiting the level of overwhelming of the employees of the NGO . For them , it was very insightful , as for them it was the first time they see all views in one view , and that with a holistic perspective , their personal " large problem " might not be the biggest issue , or could be easily solved in collaboration with the other team . An additional result was that the NGO 's now understood , that digital could help them to be closer to their Entrepreneurs and also by automating internal tasks free up more time to add more value to them . Approach In my perspective , the mind mapping tool was beneficial to break down all that information and post it in the plenum . I concluded that this exposure , even if pretty overwhelming for the employees , is the right type of exposure for them to understand the change and transformation they require . We have been thinking about what we could do to reduce the levels of overwhelming , and came to a conclusion , that we provide them confidence through clarity in the process , and prepare them to be overwhelmed . By Martin Soares , Zürich , 12.05.2019