Learning Launch for Kitchen Store

1. Challenge: Describe your challenge, including all relevant information.

As part of my training, I worked with one of my clients, a small kitchen retail store, to  experiment with design thinking. The kitchen store has relocated to a new location within the  shopping mall and expanded their demonstration kitchen, with the anticipation that they would  be having lots of kitchen classes. They offered the same classes they had in their old location,  but the previous demonstration kitchen was smaller, therefore they classes were not offered  on a regular basis. To better understand their target market, I walked them through a few  exercises:

I purchased the book that went with this course and followed all the steps in the process. I  started with an audit of the current marketing plan and sales forecast for the store. I then  created a project brief and design criteria document to ensure we were focusing on the right  elements for the project. I then followed the following steps:

•  Persona Mapping: By looking at the universe of their customers, and dissecting them  into 4 categories, we learned that the needs for each group was unique, however we did  identify some common needs.

•  Storytelling: we created a short story for each of the four personas to better identify  with their needs.

•  Brainstorming: We then held a brainstorm of various ways the store could better reach  the target audience and identified a healthy list of possible programs, promotions that  could be relevant to the target audience.

•  Learning Launch: From the ideas collected, we decided to test two in the form of a  Learning Launch. We wanted to test our assumptions on the topics to cover in the  classes while also validating our new understanding of social media desires/needs. We  conducted the learning launch for two ideas:

o  Preferences on cooking class topics

o  Preferences on social media content

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).

We selected the Learning Launch framework to test our hypothesis. As mentioned in the video  by Ed Hesse, we wanted to run an efficient test vs. spending lots of time developing a business  plan, only to find our hypothesis incorrect. The goal was to quickly identify if our assumptions  about our audience were correct.

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).

As you can see above, we had a plan for the two learning launches. There were already weekly  cooking classes scheduled for the month, so we decided to use these weekly groups for our  learning launch. We had two oversized bulletin boards. One board listed possible cooking  class topics and the other listed social media posts. We then handed out a stack of small  round red, yellow and green stickers. We asked each participant to put a sticker next to the  topic they liked (green), disliked (red) or were neutral on (yellow).  At the end of each class we  drew two names for a $50 gift for participating.

The learning launch was conducted for 4 weeks and we learned a lot about preferences for  class topics and social media preferences.

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).

We found the following from doing our learning launch:

•  Healthy Cooking: There was a universal interest in ways to cook good tasting food that  was also healthy. Many people felt that cooking in a healthy way meant giving up  quality or satisfaction. By combining “healthy” with “delicious” in the title of classes, the  appeal of the classes increased.

•  Value Cooking: While not everyone is a budding Julia Childs, there are a lot of cooks  who are intimidated by cooking classes. Classes that highlighted saving money or time  were very popular. Also, classes that taught how best to plan for the week scored well.

•  Cooking classes as social interaction: We found that by proposing multiple classes in a  package, while highlighting the social interaction of meeting new people, scored high.

•  Social media preferences: Everyone was overloaded with social media posts. There was  not a “need” for additional media, but rather “smart” social media. They wanted to  know what was going on in the store from a cooking class perspective, what sales  might be going on and tips and tricks on using certain tools sold in the store. They did  not desire more visuals of food, but rather practical advice. We also found that  featuring the owners more in social media posts made for a unique connection  between the customers and the owners. People are craving for authentic experiences  and when they saw short videos and images of the owners using specific kitchen tools  in their own kitchen at home, the interest of the social media increased significantly.

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.

The Learning Launch was very helpful and validated some assumptions, while also discrediting  some other assumptions. I think the only limitation of this learning launch was the fact that we  were only targeting current kitchen cooking class participants and not new or potential  participants. The owners intend to take the findings from the learning launch and incorporate  them into a survey that will be sent to their loyal customers while also changing their social  media posts to see if there is an increase in likes or shares. A range of new cooking classes are  currently in development.


Learning Launch for Kitchen Store 1 . Challenge : Describe your challenge , including all relevant information . As part of my training , I worked with one of my clients , a small kitchen retail store , to experiment with design thinking . The kitchen store has relocated to a new location within the shopping mall and expanded their demonstration kitchen , with the anticipation that they would be having lots of kitchen classes . They offered the same classes they had in their old location , but the previous demonstration kitchen was smaller , therefore they classes were not offered on a regular basis . To better understand their target market , I walked them through a few exercises : I purchased the book that went with this course and followed all the steps in the process . I started with an audit of the current marketing plan and sales forecast for the store . I then created a project brief and design criteria document to ensure we were focusing on the right elements for the project . I then followed the following steps : • Persona Mapping : By looking at the universe of their customers , and dissecting them into 4 categories , we learned that the needs for each group was unique , however we did identify some common needs . • Storytelling : we created a short story for each of the four personas to better identify with their needs . • Brainstorming : We then held a brainstorm of various ways the store could better reach the target audience and identified a healthy list of possible programs , promotions that could be relevant to the target audience . • Learning Launch : From the ideas collected , we decided to test two in the form of a Learning Launch . We wanted to test our assumptions on the topics to cover in the classes while also validating our new understanding of social media desires / needs . We conducted the learning launch for two ideas : o Preferences on cooking class topics o Preferences on social media content 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 ) . We selected the Learning Launch framework to test our hypothesis . As mentioned in the video by Ed Hesse , we wanted to run an efficient test vs. spending lots of time developing a business plan , only to find our hypothesis incorrect . The goal was to quickly identify if our assumptions about our audience were correct . 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 ) . As you can see above , we had a plan for the two learning launches . There were already weekly cooking classes scheduled for the month , so we decided to use these weekly groups for our learning launch . We had two oversized bulletin boards . One board listed possible cooking class topics and the other listed social media posts . We then handed out a stack of small round red , yellow and green stickers . We asked each participant to put a sticker next to the topic they liked ( green ) , disliked ( red ) or were neutral on ( yellow ) . At the end of each class we drew two names for a $ 50 gift for participating . The learning launch was conducted for 4 weeks and we learned a lot about preferences for class topics and social media preferences . 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 ) . We found the following from doing our learning launch : • Healthy Cooking : There was a universal interest in ways to cook good tasting food that was also healthy . Many people felt that cooking in a healthy way meant giving up quality or satisfaction . By combining “ healthy ” with “ delicious ” in the title of classes , the appeal of the classes increased . • Value Cooking : While not everyone is a budding Julia Childs , there are a lot of cooks who are intimidated by cooking classes . Classes that highlighted saving money or time were very popular . Also , classes that taught how best to plan for the week scored well . • Cooking classes as social interaction : We found that by proposing multiple classes in a package , while highlighting the social interaction of meeting new people , scored high . • Social media preferences : Everyone was overloaded with social media posts . There was not a “ need ” for additional media , but rather “ smart ” social media . They wanted to know what was going on in the store from a cooking class perspective , what sales might be going on and tips and tricks on using certain tools sold in the store . They did not desire more visuals of food , but rather practical advice . We also found that featuring the owners more in social media posts made for a unique connection between the customers and the owners . People are craving for authentic experiences and when they saw short videos and images of the owners using specific kitchen tools in their own kitchen at home , the interest of the social media increased significantly . 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 . The Learning Launch was very helpful and validated some assumptions , while also discrediting some other assumptions . I think the only limitation of this learning launch was the fact that we were only targeting current kitchen cooking class participants and not new or potential participants . The owners intend to take the findings from the learning launch and incorporate them into a survey that will be sent to their loyal customers while also changing their social media posts to see if there is an increase in likes or shares . A range of new cooking classes are currently in development .