Design Thinking Reflection Assignment  January 24, 2019

Challenge:   In my consulting work, I frequently present to peers and colleagues about best practices in  technology management and most recently, the workshops and conferences center around  the broad and varied topic of Cybersecurity.  Engaging participants in complex topics, who  may have a wide range of experiences and knowledge is a challenge.  The concepts and  tactics used throughout the design thinking process work well in delivering these sometimes  two day conferences because design thinking offers a varied approach to solving  organizational problems associated with mitigating cybersecurity risks at small, sometimes  under resourced organizations, and works well in maintaining a collaborative and interactive  environment for the participants and myself.

Selection:  I have employed a variety of design thinking tools to organize activities during the  cybersecurity conferences, for this reflection, I will discuss how using the tool of storytelling is  impactful in delivering a conference to a varied group of individuals. I selected ​storytelling  because it offers a compelling way to connect the participants emotionally to the work of  managing cybersecurity while also offering meaningful and relevant connections to their own  work and experiences. Storytelling creates an environment that prepares the group for a  “learning mindset” as described in week 1 of the Design Thinking course. Additionally, it puts  the human beings and their experiences front and center. Week 2 of the design thinking  course was particularly resonate for me, specifically, the Storytelling video featuring Hassan Munoz, Chief Learning Officer, at Mars, he says “It has emotional connection, and it also has  larger purpose. Storytelling is the difference between solving a problem and creating a  cause. Right? Let’s solve a problem. Here's an issue we face, let's create a pro and con list  about how to solve it, pick the best option from there. A cause is something that ignites  people, and unites people. And I think that's what a good story does, is it creates a cause.”  Creating the emotional connection to the subject matter I believe is essential to learning  among the participants and is why I feel that storytelling is a solid choice for this exercise and  as part of the cybersecurity conferences.

Application:   In preparation for the cybersecurity conferences, I review case studies, recent incidents, and  articles that I have been involved with either personally or peripherally through my ongoing  work in the field of educational technology management and cybersecurity. At the  conference, I engage the participants in an activity that enables them to get up and move  around to various poster paper set up around the room.  The poster paper has key questions  on them (i.e. What are you most worried about when it comes to cybersecurity? Or Have you  yourself been the victim of and/or been involved with a cybersecurity incident?)  The  participants write answers on these for about 10-15 minutes.  At the end of that exercise I  ask them to observe and make connections to what others have written down.  This activity

serves as an ice breaker and allows me to see what the participants have in mind or have  experienced, allowing me to select appropriate stories that will resonate with the group.  If  there looks to be a concentration of interest around the subject of Phishing, Ransomware or  Multi-factor authentication, then I’ll tell stories about incidents related to those areas in order  to create the emotional connection and also to ignite a feeling of connection among the  conference attendees. I do this by taking the participants along on a journey through several  cybersecurity incidents.  This approach has been effective, especially when the stories  resonate with the participants areas of interest and/or exposure in their day-to-day work.

Insight:   The insights I have gained from applything the storytelling tool are varied and have impacted  my thinking about the challenge in interesting ways.  Prior to taking the design thinking  course, I did not previously give much thought to how meaningful the storytelling aspect of  session and/or workshop design is to the overall success of the participant’s experience.  Now that I am more enlightened to the reasons why storytelling is an integral piece of the  design thinking process, I will be even more mindful of it as I iterate and improve the overall  workshop/conference experience.  Additionally, I have also gained an increased insight into  the role of empathy in the complex work that I do in advising other professionals working in  cybersecurity and educational technology management.  Individuals tasked with solving  complex problems around technical issues, may be disconnected with the impact of the work  they do and design thinking provides a variety of tools and approaches that encourage  empathy, among other benefits, which would ultimately serve the individuals well in the work  that they do. Understanding their key stakeholders and how they can best serve their  organizations with limited resources is critical to their understanding, but ultimately they get  caught in the “let’s fix this” mindset and design thinking provides a effective framework to  overcome the challenges of the “let’s fix this” mentality.

Approach:   The approach of storytelling has been effective overall, however, I can see opportunities to  improve and expand the approach by incorporating other design thinking tools throughout  the cybersecurity conferences and workshops.  I am particularly interested in testing whether  mind mapping could be an effective exercise in assisting with the mapping of the ways that  small organizations may be storing personally identifiable data and/or other important  aspects of cybersecurity.  I have most recently been using a tool called ​Coggle​ to design  mind maps and am observing whether they would be useful in collaborating with others to  establish the facts about how small organizations store data so that decisions about how to  effectively secure critical data can be made.


Design Thinking Reflection Assignment January 24 , 2019 Challenge : In my consulting work , I frequently present to peers and colleagues about best practices in technology management and most recently , the workshops and conferences center around the broad and varied topic of Cybersecurity . Engaging participants in complex topics , who may have a wide range of experiences and knowledge is a challenge . The concepts and tactics used throughout the design thinking process work well in delivering these sometimes two day conferences because design thinking offers a varied approach to solving organizational problems associated with mitigating cybersecurity risks at small , sometimes under resourced organizations , and works well in maintaining a collaborative and interactive environment for the participants and myself . Selection : I have employed a variety of design thinking tools to organize activities during the cybersecurity conferences , for this reflection , I will discuss how using the tool of storytelling is impactful in delivering a conference to a varied group of individuals . I selected ​storytelling because it offers a compelling way to connect the participants emotionally to the work of managing cybersecurity while also offering meaningful and relevant connections to their own work and experiences . Storytelling creates an environment that prepares the group for a “ learning mindset ” as described in week 1 of the Design Thinking course . Additionally , it puts the human beings and their experiences front and center . Week 2 of the design thinking course was particularly resonate for me , specifically , the Storytelling video featuring Hassan Munoz , Chief Learning Officer , at Mars , he says “ It has emotional connection , and it also has larger purpose . Storytelling is the difference between solving a problem and creating a cause . Right ? Let ’s solve a problem . Here 's an issue we face , let 's create a pro and con list about how to solve it , pick the best option from there . A cause is something that ignites people , and unites people . And I think that 's what a good story does , is it creates a cause . ” Creating the emotional connection to the subject matter I believe is essential to learning among the participants and is why I feel that storytelling is a solid choice for this exercise and as part of the cybersecurity conferences . Application : In preparation for the cybersecurity conferences , I review case studies , recent incidents , and articles that I have been involved with either personally or peripherally through my ongoing work in the field of educational technology management and cybersecurity . At the conference , I engage the participants in an activity that enables them to get up and move around to various poster paper set up around the room . The poster paper has key questions on them ( i.e. What are you most worried about when it comes to cybersecurity ? Or Have you yourself been the victim of and/or been involved with a cybersecurity incident ? ) The participants write answers on these for about 10 - 15 minutes . At the end of that exercise I ask them to observe and make connections to what others have written down . This activity serves as an ice breaker and allows me to see what the participants have in mind or have experienced , allowing me to select appropriate stories that will resonate with the group . If there looks to be a concentration of interest around the subject of Phishing , Ransomware or Multi - factor authentication , then I ’ll tell stories about incidents related to those areas in order to create the emotional connection and also to ignite a feeling of connection among the conference attendees . I do this by taking the participants along on a journey through several cybersecurity incidents . This approach has been effective , especially when the stories resonate with the participants areas of interest and/or exposure in their day - to - day work . Insight : The insights I have gained from applything the storytelling tool are varied and have impacted my thinking about the challenge in interesting ways . Prior to taking the design thinking course , I did not previously give much thought to how meaningful the storytelling aspect of session and/or workshop design is to the overall success of the participant ’s experience . Now that I am more enlightened to the reasons why storytelling is an integral piece of the design thinking process , I will be even more mindful of it as I iterate and improve the overall workshop / conference experience . Additionally , I have also gained an increased insight into the role of empathy in the complex work that I do in advising other professionals working in cybersecurity and educational technology management . Individuals tasked with solving complex problems around technical issues , may be disconnected with the impact of the work they do and design thinking provides a variety of tools and approaches that encourage empathy , among other benefits , which would ultimately serve the individuals well in the work that they do . Understanding their key stakeholders and how they can best serve their organizations with limited resources is critical to their understanding , but ultimately they get caught in the “ let ’s fix this ” mindset and design thinking provides a effective framework to overcome the challenges of the “ let ’s fix this ” mentality . Approach : The approach of storytelling has been effective overall , however , I can see opportunities to improve and expand the approach by incorporating other design thinking tools throughout the cybersecurity conferences and workshops . I am particularly interested in testing whether mind mapping could be an effective exercise in assisting with the mapping of the ways that small organizations may be storing personally identifiable data and/or other important aspects of cybersecurity . I have most recently been using a tool called ​Coggle​ to design mind maps and am observing whether they would be useful in collaborating with others to establish the facts about how small organizations store data so that decisions about how to effectively secure critical data can be made .