DESIGN THINKING FOR INNOVATION (Assignment)

Manoj Gowda

1. Challenge: Describe your challenge, including all relevant information.  2. Selection: In your own words, briefly describe the tool you selected (e.g., what it is and

why you selected it for your challenge -- including any appropriate video lecture  references).

3. Application: Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge (e.g., what

you did and how the tool was applied effectively or ineffectively).

4. Insight: Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your

challenge (e.g., how an insight affected your thinking about the challenge and about  design thinking more broadly).5

5. Approach: Describe what you might do differently next time -- applying the same tool

you selected or a different one -- and the reason(s) why.

Tool selected: Storytelling

1. I am the team manager for a student solar car team, EHPAD, based in India. Our  team was founded in 2002 by a group of undergraduate engineering students who have passed  down the baton to us, their juniors. We have completed 3 cars and are on the verge of building  the fourth vehicle which will take part in an international solar event, known as the South  African Solar Challenge 2015. We build solar cars from scratch with all the necessary regulations  for the product to be a legal on-road vehicle. We also happen to be credited with the  fabrication of India’s first 4-seater solar powered passenger vehicle. One of the challenges that  we faced was acquiring new industrial collaborators and sponsors. Although we have been  allotted funds by our University, industrial collaborations will help us build better vehicles and  incorporate latest technologies which come at a significantly higher price.  Companies/Industries have been working with students and have been constantly  supporting/financing student projects. The challenge we face is convincing a prospective  contact on how our student project is different from the many others and can have a positive  impact on their brand image, the society and the future.

2. We have been around for a long time and have brought many laurels to the country and the  University, the tool I believe will be helpful to our team is Storytelling. As we have noted in  recent trends across all domains, creating an emotional story to which people can relate to or  show empathy, could be deemed successful in many aspects. It creates a profound impact on  people. I think a story based on pollution around us, how solar energy is sustainable and clean  and the achievements of the team can lead an industry specialist to rightly believe that we  want to make the world a better place. Therefore, I selected Storytelling as the design tool.

3. We began with the aim to create a prototype storytelling video and slowly added elements  which could capture the emotion of the company executives. We emailed a group of college  alumni who are working as specialists in various different fields about the factors they would  consider if they had been showed the video. Soon, with the help of my fellow team mates, we  were able to create a draft of the video which was admired by our University officials and  faculty advisor. I believe the tool we used was successful as we were able to get onboard two  sponsors within the first week.

4.  I gained valuable insights by using this tool which I am sure I will be able to use in the near  future. Storytelling turns out to be a great application for fairly new organizations to meet  immediate targets as well as future plans. The team was excited to use a different,  unconventional means of planning. It was a great experience talking to our alumni and others  who provided valuable feedback with the respect to the tool. Many people usually confuse  between the terms innovation and invention, it was an exhilarating experience for me to  actually understand and learn so much in action.

5.  The approach we used for this particular challenge worked well for the team. Out of the  many other tools available, Storytelling was ideal and it suited all our needs. This tool could also  be used to increase the social media presence of the team and could throw us in the right  limelight which could prove useful in the near future.


DESIGN THINKING FOR INNOVATION ( Assignment ) Manoj Gowda 1 . Challenge : Describe your challenge , including all relevant information . 2 . Selection : In your own words , briefly describe the tool you selected ( e.g. , what it is and why you selected it for your challenge -- including any appropriate video lecture references ) . 3 . Application : Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge ( e.g. , what you did and how the tool was applied effectively or ineffectively ) . 4 . Insight : Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your challenge ( e.g. , how an insight affected your thinking about the challenge and about design thinking more broadly).5 5 . Approach : Describe what you might do differently next time -- applying the same tool you selected or a different one -- and the reason(s ) why . Tool selected : Storytelling 1 . I am the team manager for a student solar car team , EHPAD , based in India . Our team was founded in 2002 by a group of undergraduate engineering students who have passed down the baton to us , their juniors . We have completed 3 cars and are on the verge of building the fourth vehicle which will take part in an international solar event , known as the South African Solar Challenge 2015 . We build solar cars from scratch with all the necessary regulations for the product to be a legal on - road vehicle . We also happen to be credited with the fabrication of India ’s first 4 - seater solar powered passenger vehicle . One of the challenges that we faced was acquiring new industrial collaborators and sponsors . Although we have been allotted funds by our University , industrial collaborations will help us build better vehicles and incorporate latest technologies which come at a significantly higher price . Companies / Industries have been working with students and have been constantly supporting / financing student projects . The challenge we face is convincing a prospective contact on how our student project is different from the many others and can have a positive impact on their brand image , the society and the future . 2 . We have been around for a long time and have brought many laurels to the country and the University , the tool I believe will be helpful to our team is Storytelling . As we have noted in recent trends across all domains , creating an emotional story to which people can relate to or show empathy , could be deemed successful in many aspects . It creates a profound impact on people . I think a story based on pollution around us , how solar energy is sustainable and clean and the achievements of the team can lead an industry specialist to rightly believe that we want to make the world a better place . Therefore , I selected Storytelling as the design tool . 3 . We began with the aim to create a prototype storytelling video and slowly added elements which could capture the emotion of the company executives . We emailed a group of college alumni who are working as specialists in various different fields about the factors they would consider if they had been showed the video . Soon , with the help of my fellow team mates , we were able to create a draft of the video which was admired by our University officials and faculty advisor . I believe the tool we used was successful as we were able to get onboard two sponsors within the first week . 4 . I gained valuable insights by using this tool which I am sure I will be able to use in the near future . Storytelling turns out to be a great application for fairly new organizations to meet immediate targets as well as future plans . The team was excited to use a different , unconventional means of planning . It was a great experience talking to our alumni and others who provided valuable feedback with the respect to the tool . Many people usually confuse between the terms innovation and invention , it was an exhilarating experience for me to actually understand and learn so much in action . 5 . The approach we used for this particular challenge worked well for the team . Out of the many other tools available , Storytelling was ideal and it suited all our needs . This tool could also be used to increase the social media presence of the team and could throw us in the right limelight which could prove useful in the near future .