Design Thinking for Innovation - Final Assignment

Example Reflection – Mind Mapping

Challenge:

All through out my career I have always been passionate about Information  Technology IT and how it can improve our social  life particularly in our  disadvantage communities in our country, South Africa. So in September 2008 I  started a Computer Literacy Academy in a township next to one of Johannesburg’s  big suburb, Midrand. My mission was to bridge the digital divide in that township  by opening up a school to teach Basic Computer Literacy for all the people in that  area to come and enrol for the course, attend classes, write exams and receive a  Basic Computer Literacy qualification. My biggest challenge that subsequently led  to the closure of my business was the fact that no one was interested in learning  Computer Literacy and therefore I had very little response and no business  coming in. I had to close my business in 2013 after many attempts to revive the  business in many diﬀerent ways. And also note that at the time I decided to close  the business, because there was no interest, was also an assumption that I had.

Selection:

Because I have not used Design Thinking before and looking back to “what could  have been” for the purpose of this exercise I chose Mind Mapping as I believe it  was the biggest missing approach that could have helped me answer the real  “what is” challenges before I even start the marketing part of my business and use  the discovered insights and that deep understanding to structure my marketing  eﬀorts that will have resulted in good turnout and better revenue growth for my  business. Mind Mapping will help me to do a thorough research, Brainstorm Ideas,  Establish the right marketing approach and develop the right go-to-market  strategies.

Application 1:

With my passion for IT and Training and Development I assumed that all people in  our disadvantaged communities will react positively to the kind of concept that I  had in mind and how I am going to roll it out. I went through all the What is/What  if/What Wows/What works process on my own. I believe my idea was not too far

oﬀ, there is definitely a Computer Literacy need, however the challenge was how  to come up with good marketing for my business. Thinking back, using the Mind  Mapping methodology, this is the approach and application process I should have  implemented;

Stakeholder engagement - in our township there are diﬀerent stakeholders for  example Counsellors, business owners including doctors owning private surgeries  in the township, Retail shop owners, Government service employees like school  teachers, Librarians etc whom I should have invited as the first part of my mind  mapping process. Perhaps invite one person from each of these multi-layered  structures in one room, give them stationery eg sticky notes, and request them to  write down the;

1. type of skills they look for when they employ people in their businesses

2.  where do they find their new hires

3. What other skills do they believe their employees should have that will  enhance their business

4. Post these ideas on the board the see the urgent needs, common needs and  perhaps other needs that I did not think oﬀ.

Insight:

This 1st Mind Mapping process would have given my business an opportunity to;

1.  discover if there is a computer literacy need in the businesses around my

target area;

2.  if there was no known need, use marketing approach that can educate

people especially business leaders on how computer literacy as a resource

can enhance their business and increase their revenue

3.  get a buy-in from political, business and other influential stakeholders from

my target area

Application 2:

My 2nd approach, would have been to target, schools learners in the schools  around my business, school teachers and parents. This process would have gone  well and achieved my desired results if I have engaged the school learners to find

our what their desired career aspirations are, which institutions/careers their  parents, as funders, are willing to invest in. I would use a similar approach as the  1st Mind Mapping engagement and request everyone to be in the same room,  have sticky notes to and write down

1.  what their career aspiration,

2.  where they wish to study them and why.

3.  and draw up a journey-map on a board using the information given, then

work out diﬀerent personas and their diﬀerent educational needs and how my  business can add value in their educational aspirations.

Insights:

I believe this approach would have helped my business discover the real truth  about the people’s needs and not my assumptions about what I believe was the  need;

1.  first I believe this would have help me to discover that the learners, even

though they see the need for technological advancement in their lives, they

do not want to attend their tertiary schooling in the same area that they

studied for their high school. That is is important for them to go to suburbs/

big cities for further education.

2.   This would have help me realise that parents also feel proud when their kids

leave their area in pursuit for better opportunities and education and

therefore that is what they will be willing to fund

3.  this would have help me to perhaps look at my target market as learners

who are still in high school and oﬀer my services in the afternoon, after

school, and weekends and not have after-high-school-leavers as my primary

target.

Approach

I believe this Mind Mapping  approach would have help me to do the following and  this is the approach I would employ in the future;

1.  Choose the right target market for my business by using Mind Mapping to

do a thorough research

2.  Use the right marketing tools and channels to develop the right marketing

concepts that will make my target market see the value of my oﬀering ie

informative marketing forums to educate my target market on my oﬀerings,

3.  Involve the government and relevant business stakeholders to influence the

community to work on their computer literacy skills perhaps by using

Sweet-Spot Marketing programs as my design established marketing

programs

3.  Play an influential role in the government and relevant business

stakeholders’ corporate programs by constantly addressing the need for

improving IT penetration in our disadvantage communities and educate on

the benefits thereof.

Busisiwe Msimanga

22 February 2021


Design Thinking for Innovation - Final Assignment Example Reflection – Mind Mapping Challenge : All through out my career I have always been passionate about Information Technology IT and how it can improve our social life particularly in our disadvantage communities in our country , South Africa . So in September 2008 I started a Computer Literacy Academy in a township next to one of Johannesburg ’s big suburb , Midrand . My mission was to bridge the digital divide in that township by opening up a school to teach Basic Computer Literacy for all the people in that area to come and enrol for the course , attend classes , write exams and receive a Basic Computer Literacy qualification . My biggest challenge that subsequently led to the closure of my business was the fact that no one was interested in learning Computer Literacy and therefore I had very little response and no business coming in . I had to close my business in 2013 after many attempts to revive the business in many diﬀerent ways . And also note that at the time I decided to close the business , because there was no interest , was also an assumption that I had . Selection : Because I have not used Design Thinking before and looking back to “ what could have been ” for the purpose of this exercise I chose Mind Mapping as I believe it was the biggest missing approach that could have helped me answer the real “ what is ” challenges before I even start the marketing part of my business and use the discovered insights and that deep understanding to structure my marketing eﬀorts that will have resulted in good turnout and better revenue growth for my business . Mind Mapping will help me to do a thorough research , Brainstorm Ideas , Establish the right marketing approach and develop the right go - to - market strategies . Application 1 : With my passion for IT and Training and Development I assumed that all people in our disadvantaged communities will react positively to the kind of concept that I had in mind and how I am going to roll it out . I went through all the What is / What if / What Wows / What works process on my own . I believe my idea was not too far oﬀ , there is definitely a Computer Literacy need , however the challenge was how to come up with good marketing for my business . Thinking back , using the Mind Mapping methodology , this is the approach and application process I should have implemented ; Stakeholder engagement - in our township there are diﬀerent stakeholders for example Counsellors , business owners including doctors owning private surgeries in the township , Retail shop owners , Government service employees like school teachers , Librarians etc whom I should have invited as the first part of my mind mapping process . Perhaps invite one person from each of these multi - layered structures in one room , give them stationery eg sticky notes , and request them to write down the ; 1 . type of skills they look for when they employ people in their businesses 2 . where do they find their new hires 3 . What other skills do they believe their employees should have that will enhance their business 4 . Post these ideas on the board the see the urgent needs , common needs and perhaps other needs that I did not think oﬀ. Insight : This 1st Mind Mapping process would have given my business an opportunity to ; 1 . discover if there is a computer literacy need in the businesses around my target area ; 2 . if there was no known need , use marketing approach that can educate people especially business leaders on how computer literacy as a resource can enhance their business and increase their revenue 3 . get a buy - in from political , business and other influential stakeholders from my target area Application 2 : My 2nd approach , would have been to target , schools learners in the schools around my business , school teachers and parents . This process would have gone well and achieved my desired results if I have engaged the school learners to find our what their desired career aspirations are , which institutions / careers their parents , as funders , are willing to invest in . I would use a similar approach as the 1st Mind Mapping engagement and request everyone to be in the same room , have sticky notes to and write down 1 . what their career aspiration , 2 . where they wish to study them and why . 3 . and draw up a journey - map on a board using the information given , then work out diﬀerent personas and their diﬀerent educational needs and how my business can add value in their educational aspirations . Insights : I believe this approach would have helped my business discover the real truth about the people ’s needs and not my assumptions about what I believe was the need ; 1 . first I believe this would have help me to discover that the learners , even though they see the need for technological advancement in their lives , they do not want to attend their tertiary schooling in the same area that they studied for their high school . That is is important for them to go to suburbs/ big cities for further education . 2 . This would have help me realise that parents also feel proud when their kids leave their area in pursuit for better opportunities and education and therefore that is what they will be willing to fund 3 . this would have help me to perhaps look at my target market as learners who are still in high school and oﬀer my services in the afternoon , after school , and weekends and not have after - high - school - leavers as my primary target . Approach I believe this Mind Mapping approach would have help me to do the following and this is the approach I would employ in the future ; 1 . Choose the right target market for my business by using Mind Mapping to do a thorough research 2 . Use the right marketing tools and channels to develop the right marketing concepts that will make my target market see the value of my oﬀering ie informative marketing forums to educate my target market on my oﬀerings , 3 . Involve the government and relevant business stakeholders to influence the community to work on their computer literacy skills perhaps by using Sweet - Spot Marketing programs as my design established marketing programs 3 . Play an influential role in the government and relevant business stakeholders ’ corporate programs by constantly addressing the need for improving IT penetration in our disadvantage communities and educate on the benefits thereof . Busisiwe Msimanga 22 February 2021