Example Reflection – Domain Training    Challenge    I work with leading HCM [Human Capital Management] organization in the world. HCM market  includes providing services on HR, Payroll, Benefits, Time and Talent domains. I am part of the  team who is coming up with the training plan for the new hires. It is difficult to hire candidates  with HCM domain experience and that possess a challenge to my team to constantly design the  domain training plan for maximum effectiveness and efficiency. Even if anyone comes in the team  with prior experience on one of the domain, the challenge is that the way each of these domains  are implemented within our product is different from what they have experienced earlier. We do  have trainers within the team who takes domain and product sessions. We wanted to revise and  present the improved training plan with an objective to have maximum impact within less  number of days. One of our objective was to reduce the number of hours by 10% from the  existing training plan.    Selection    Our team has been constantly observing the execution, feedback and then application of the  trainings within the product. We selected a ‘FF’ (Fast Forward) method by bringing design  thinking approach to focus on the ‘impact’ of the training. Our aim was to demonstrate that there  better ‘results’ after the training.     Application    Our team used mind mapping tool to come up with the enhancement, mainly to document the  key essences of the domain so that each candidate can take print and keep the mind map of the  domain on their desk. As we used the ‘FF’ method, we used time boxed approach where each  member was given a paper with 8 folds and then were asked to write 8 ideas within 8 mins (idea  to ‘what’ to do based on ‘What Is’ situation). Once these 8 ideas were gathered from each  member, we grouped them as clusters around the theme of the ideas and then each member got  3 stars to vote for the idea which they would like to be shortlisted further. Once we completed  the voting process, we had the top 10-12 ideas on the table and then used ‘how’ using the ‘What  If’ approach to elaborate on each one of them and then record the inputs on a mind map. This  was time boxed as 5 mins for each idea and then after an overnight break, team were given 2  mins for each idea to revise/review. Once the team had ideas with inputs as how will they work,  we went for a quick prototyping approach to invite guests from the team/department to validate  these ideas.  After the interviews/validation process, team huddled together to come up with  final recommendations. One of them was to use mid map to record the key words of each domain  based on their application for a quick ‘recall’ factor.     Insight

This exercise helped us understand and implement the design thinking approach to solve a  practical problem. As we gather ideas and then had a process to come up with top ideas within  a time-boxed approach. Then next learning was to validate these within the  team/dept/organization to see if they are practical and will have the perceived outcomes. Last 2  weeks have been fun to implement design thinking at work. We need to measure as how much  time it will save as we have to use it in 2019 and measure the results. If we need to revise this,  we will use design thinking approach to refine it further.    Here is a snippet from the final mind map [blurred on purpose]

Approach     By doing it in ‘FF’ way, we used a somewhat quick approach to get the outcome within short  span of time using design thinking. I believe that this can be further refined based on the criticality  of the  task. If a task is trivial, we can even use more quicker time frame, but if we have a big task  then we need to give more time to use and validate the design thinking by using all 15 steps to  designing for growth.


Example Reflection – Domain Training Challenge I work with leading HCM [ Human Capital Management ] organization in the world . HCM market includes providing services on HR , Payroll , Benefits , Time and Talent domains . I am part of the team who is coming up with the training plan for the new hires . It is difficult to hire candidates with HCM domain experience and that possess a challenge to my team to constantly design the domain training plan for maximum effectiveness and efficiency . Even if anyone comes in the team with prior experience on one of the domain , the challenge is that the way each of these domains are implemented within our product is different from what they have experienced earlier . We do have trainers within the team who takes domain and product sessions . We wanted to revise and present the improved training plan with an objective to have maximum impact within less number of days . One of our objective was to reduce the number of hours by 10 % from the existing training plan . Selection Our team has been constantly observing the execution , feedback and then application of the trainings within the product . We selected a ‘ FF ’ ( Fast Forward ) method by bringing design thinking approach to focus on the ‘ impact ’ of the training . Our aim was to demonstrate that there better ‘ results ’ after the training . Application Our team used mind mapping tool to come up with the enhancement , mainly to document the key essences of the domain so that each candidate can take print and keep the mind map of the domain on their desk . As we used the ‘ FF ’ method , we used time boxed approach where each member was given a paper with 8 folds and then were asked to write 8 ideas within 8 mins ( idea to ‘ what ’ to do based on ‘ What Is ’ situation ) . Once these 8 ideas were gathered from each member , we grouped them as clusters around the theme of the ideas and then each member got 3 stars to vote for the idea which they would like to be shortlisted further . Once we completed the voting process , we had the top 10 - 12 ideas on the table and then used ‘ how ’ using the ‘ What If ’ approach to elaborate on each one of them and then record the inputs on a mind map . This was time boxed as 5 mins for each idea and then after an overnight break , team were given 2 mins for each idea to revise / review . Once the team had ideas with inputs as how will they work , we went for a quick prototyping approach to invite guests from the team / department to validate these ideas . After the interviews / validation process , team huddled together to come up with final recommendations . One of them was to use mid map to record the key words of each domain based on their application for a quick ‘ recall ’ factor . Insight This exercise helped us understand and implement the design thinking approach to solve a practical problem . As we gather ideas and then had a process to come up with top ideas within a time - boxed approach . Then next learning was to validate these within the team / dept / organization to see if they are practical and will have the perceived outcomes . Last 2 weeks have been fun to implement design thinking at work . We need to measure as how much time it will save as we have to use it in 2019 and measure the results . If we need to revise this , we will use design thinking approach to refine it further . Here is a snippet from the final mind map [ blurred on purpose ] Approach By doing it in ‘ FF ’ way , we used a somewhat quick approach to get the outcome within short span of time using design thinking . I believe that this can be further refined based on the criticality of the task . If a task is trivial , we can even use more quicker time frame , but if we have a big task then we need to give more time to use and validate the design thinking by using all 15 steps to designing for growth .