ASSIGNMENT- Design Thinking

Nadeem Pandey

Challenge- I work with Learning & Development (L&D) Division of my organisation. One of the

most prominent feedbacks business managers like to give to L&D division is that the

trainings/learning interventions need to be more in-sync with the business needs of the

organisation.

In my organisation also, L&D division was struggling with similar remarks. Therefore, we decided

to explore ‘how can we make our trainings more relevant to the organisational and individuals

needs’. To understand the ‘what-is’, we launched a survey and focussed group discussion.

The results yielded that Training Need Identification (TNI) of employees is the most important

issue in L&D. TNI is the first step from which entire activity of L&D is planned and if done in a

wrong fashion, can derail the entire L&D efforts of the organisation. Evolving a TNI mechanism is

really a complex task in our organisation as we have a vast cross-section of employees of different

age brackets, education levels, backgrounds, spread in different geographies all around the globe

and involved in very varied job roles. This variation in target population leaves no scope for a ‘one

size fits all’ approach in this task of developing a TNI mechanism.

As this question was a very open-ended and human-centric question, it is one of the classic

examples of a Design Thinking problem.

We started with studying in depth all the recommendations for a new TNI system emerging from

the survey & FGDs. Based on the insights gathered, we developed a new online TNI system, which

can cover wider cross section of employees and elicit more responses due to its simple design

and flow.

Selection- After brainstorming and developing a prototype of the new system, we went ahead

with the Learning Launch. I want to emphasise this element as it was crucial in the success of the

project. Role of Learning Launch in our project is explained in the para below.

When we developed the prototype of the system and demonstrated it to our colleagues many of

my office colleagues were not convinced with the system proposed by us. At the same time, they

also didn’t have a clear cut better solution to offer. Therefore, we felt it is very important to get

inputs from the users themselves so that we can find through tangible data that whether the

ASSIGNMENT- Design Thinking

Nadeem Pandey

system proposed by us is indeed better or requires a re-look. Hence, without much ado, we

launched the system for a select group of heterogeneous employees.

Application- In the initial learning launch, we started by finding out if the new online system

meets the needs of individual. Our team had chalked out a list of factors, which could be

detrimental to the success of the system. We asked the users to rate the system on those factors

after going through the entire process. On the other hand, we also involved the different

prospective administrators of the system to figure out if the data/output from the system is

suited for their use or require any modifications. We got many relevant inputs from the users &

administrators regarding simplifying the flow of the system, appearance, log-in issues, etc.

In the second learning launch, we focussed on implementation of the system. In this cycle, we

tried to figure out how the employees would respond to the pushing of a new system by the

organisation and what needs to be done to communicate the need for a new system. These

factors were important for deciding the fate of the system, whether it will survive in the long run.

In this phase, we conducted a workshop of the HR managers and tried to explain in details the

philosophy and working of the TNI system. We elicited responses from them, whether they feel

it’s required in this way or not. After taking inputs & incorporating the changes, we went ahead

with the launch.

Insights- Learning Launch Tool enabled us to seek direct feedbacks from the users and modify

the system accordingly before the final launch. Another important thing, which Learning Launch

Tool enabled was the shift from ‘Satisficing’ to ‘Optimising’. During the initial discussions, we

didn’t have a clear answer to all the questions about the new system posed by our colleagues.

However, with the help of this tool we could experiment and speak with data about the positives

and areas of improvement in the new system.

Approach-   This work was done before I had gone through the module. After going through the

module, I can relate to the different concepts presented in the module especially in the Learning

Launch section. If I do this exercise the next time, I will concentrate on the following to make the

activity more thorough: a) involve a cross-functional team in the activity instead of a homogenous

team b) regularly interact and get inputs from the  person who is not too convinced with the idea

ASSIGNMENT- Design Thinking

Nadeem Pandey

c) list down the assumptions I had in mind regarding why this system shall work and

systematically check whether each assumption shall work in the given situation.


ASSIGNMENT- Design Thinking Nadeem Pandey Challenge- I work with Learning & Development ( L&D ) Division of my organisation . One of the most prominent feedbacks business managers like to give to L&D division is that the trainings / learning interventions need to be more in - sync with the business needs of the organisation . In my organisation also , L&D division was struggling with similar remarks . Therefore , we decided to explore ‘ how can we make our trainings more relevant to the organisational and individuals needs ’ . To understand the ‘ what - is ’ , we launched a survey and focussed group discussion . The results yielded that Training Need Identification ( TNI ) of employees is the most important issue in L&D. TNI is the first step from which entire activity of L&D is planned and if done in a wrong fashion , can derail the entire L&D efforts of the organisation . Evolving a TNI mechanism is really a complex task in our organisation as we have a vast cross - section of employees of different age brackets , education levels , backgrounds , spread in different geographies all around the globe and involved in very varied job roles . This variation in target population leaves no scope for a ‘ one size fits all ’ approach in this task of developing a TNI mechanism . As this question was a very open - ended and human - centric question , it is one of the classic examples of a Design Thinking problem . We started with studying in depth all the recommendations for a new TNI system emerging from the survey & FGDs . Based on the insights gathered , we developed a new online TNI system , which can cover wider cross section of employees and elicit more responses due to its simple design and flow . Selection- After brainstorming and developing a prototype of the new system , we went ahead with the Learning Launch . I want to emphasise this element as it was crucial in the success of the project . Role of Learning Launch in our project is explained in the para below . When we developed the prototype of the system and demonstrated it to our colleagues many of my office colleagues were not convinced with the system proposed by us . At the same time , they also did n’t have a clear cut better solution to offer . Therefore , we felt it is very important to get inputs from the users themselves so that we can find through tangible data that whether the ASSIGNMENT- Design Thinking Nadeem Pandey system proposed by us is indeed better or requires a re - look . Hence , without much ado , we launched the system for a select group of heterogeneous employees . Application- In the initial learning launch , we started by finding out if the new online system meets the needs of individual . Our team had chalked out a list of factors , which could be detrimental to the success of the system . We asked the users to rate the system on those factors after going through the entire process . On the other hand , we also involved the different prospective administrators of the system to figure out if the data / output from the system is suited for their use or require any modifications . We got many relevant inputs from the users & administrators regarding simplifying the flow of the system , appearance , log - in issues , etc . In the second learning launch , we focussed on implementation of the system . In this cycle , we tried to figure out how the employees would respond to the pushing of a new system by the organisation and what needs to be done to communicate the need for a new system . These factors were important for deciding the fate of the system , whether it will survive in the long run . In this phase , we conducted a workshop of the HR managers and tried to explain in details the philosophy and working of the TNI system . We elicited responses from them , whether they feel it ’s required in this way or not . After taking inputs & incorporating the changes , we went ahead with the launch . Insights- Learning Launch Tool enabled us to seek direct feedbacks from the users and modify the system accordingly before the final launch . Another important thing , which Learning Launch Tool enabled was the shift from ‘ Satisficing ’ to ‘ Optimising ’ . During the initial discussions , we did n’t have a clear answer to all the questions about the new system posed by our colleagues . However , with the help of this tool we could experiment and speak with data about the positives and areas of improvement in the new system . Approach- This work was done before I had gone through the module . After going through the module , I can relate to the different concepts presented in the module especially in the Learning Launch section . If I do this exercise the next time , I will concentrate on the following to make the activity more thorough : a ) involve a cross - functional team in the activity instead of a homogenous team b ) regularly interact and get inputs from the person who is not too convinced with the idea ASSIGNMENT- Design Thinking Nadeem Pandey c ) list down the assumptions I had in mind regarding why this system shall work and systematically check whether each assumption shall work in the given situation .