Design Thinking for Innovation

Final assignment – Example reflection : Learning Launch

Challenge

As a market researcher dedicated to innovation processes, I handle various client projects, including  websites developments. The last project I was in charge for, was to imagine and test a new  governmental website to hire teachers. The challenge was to deliver an attractive image of the career  and provide an easy-to-understand information within a unique website, whatever the profile visitor.   The project scope includes three stages: an insight research stage nearby a student community, a test  of a first light website prototype (i.e. information architecture and themes only) and at last, the beta  version website test. Optimizations must be provided after each test stage in order to gradually meet  the website general goals. The student community was asked to produce ideas and propose  suggestions at each stage to associate them in a valuable co-creation process.      Selection     I have already gone through several pretest of various prototype in my career but I had never  experimented as formal approach as the learning launch tool. As this project begun with insight  exploration and ideation stages, I handled I was interested to use it for two reasons. First, to assess the  ideas developed by the web agency from the design criteria proposed at the end of the first stage; and  secondly be able to iterate and pivot with optimizations and new ideas.   In addition, I thought this tool could be a great opportunity to maintain the engagement of the  community student all along the project. Indeed each member would see which idea proposed is  selected and how it is translated / developed for the website.

Application

Before the two learning launches, ten key assumptions have been agreed with the client team. They  all concerned various and strong issues, e.g.: the steps to emphasize to become a professor, the  vocabulary type, the principle of a synthetic and visual information, the image employer and the  relationship with teachers or the collaboration and IT parts in the profession itself.   For the first learning launch, only six key assumptions were chosen. The goal was to validate the  architecture website and themes to present first. To be sure to focus on these six assumptions, the  prototype developed was a simple wireframe without any visual element (images, colors, icons,..).  After that stage and for the second learning launch, optimizations were delivered and a beta version  of the website was developed. This last learning launch aimed to validate the pivots implemented from  the first prototype and to assess the last four key assumptions (which addressed more emotional  issues). This final test turned out to be a success and few optimizations were provided.

Insight      The first learning launch allowed to validate the information path chronology, the navigation key points  and the topics offered to valorize the career diversity and richness. A few optimizations were brought  on specific matters as for example: salary, breaking news or training agenda (location on the webpages  most often). For the main part the second learning launch allowed to select the graphic route and the  kind of visuals to adopt in order to show properly the profession diversity.   Beyond these insights, the main benefit of the learning launch tool was the prioritization of the key  assumptions in two successive prototypes. At the end, it turned to be a great time saving for all  stakeholders. At last, I might say that I realize the strong weight to get clear design criteria (at the end  of the insight exploration stage) and to prioritize key assumptions (before testing prototypes).

Approach

Since I was familiar of this kind of process because of my marketing test experience, I could assume  the learning launch tool was the good one to conduct this project efficiently. And moreover it allows  to go further and faster because it involves all the project stakeholders (rather than waste time to  convince them successively at each stage). To go on with that point, next time I would use the  visualization tool after the exploration insights and the brainstorming stages. I am used to the  storytelling tool but combine it with visualization could be really powerful for some clients.


Design Thinking for Innovation Final assignment – Example reflection : Learning Launch Challenge As a market researcher dedicated to innovation processes , I handle various client projects , including websites developments . The last project I was in charge for , was to imagine and test a new governmental website to hire teachers . The challenge was to deliver an attractive image of the career and provide an easy - to - understand information within a unique website , whatever the profile visitor . The project scope includes three stages : an insight research stage nearby a student community , a test of a first light website prototype ( i.e. information architecture and themes only ) and at last , the beta version website test . Optimizations must be provided after each test stage in order to gradually meet the website general goals . The student community was asked to produce ideas and propose suggestions at each stage to associate them in a valuable co - creation process . Selection I have already gone through several pretest of various prototype in my career but I had never experimented as formal approach as the learning launch tool . As this project begun with insight exploration and ideation stages , I handled I was interested to use it for two reasons . First , to assess the ideas developed by the web agency from the design criteria proposed at the end of the first stage ; and secondly be able to iterate and pivot with optimizations and new ideas . In addition , I thought this tool could be a great opportunity to maintain the engagement of the community student all along the project . Indeed each member would see which idea proposed is selected and how it is translated / developed for the website . Application Before the two learning launches , ten key assumptions have been agreed with the client team . They all concerned various and strong issues , e.g. : the steps to emphasize to become a professor , the vocabulary type , the principle of a synthetic and visual information , the image employer and the relationship with teachers or the collaboration and IT parts in the profession itself . For the first learning launch , only six key assumptions were chosen . The goal was to validate the architecture website and themes to present first . To be sure to focus on these six assumptions , the prototype developed was a simple wireframe without any visual element ( images , colors , icons , .. ) . After that stage and for the second learning launch , optimizations were delivered and a beta version of the website was developed . This last learning launch aimed to validate the pivots implemented from the first prototype and to assess the last four key assumptions ( which addressed more emotional issues ) . This final test turned out to be a success and few optimizations were provided . Insight The first learning launch allowed to validate the information path chronology , the navigation key points and the topics offered to valorize the career diversity and richness . A few optimizations were brought on specific matters as for example : salary , breaking news or training agenda ( location on the webpages most often ) . For the main part the second learning launch allowed to select the graphic route and the kind of visuals to adopt in order to show properly the profession diversity . Beyond these insights , the main benefit of the learning launch tool was the prioritization of the key assumptions in two successive prototypes . At the end , it turned to be a great time saving for all stakeholders . At last , I might say that I realize the strong weight to get clear design criteria ( at the end of the insight exploration stage ) and to prioritize key assumptions ( before testing prototypes ) . Approach Since I was familiar of this kind of process because of my marketing test experience , I could assume the learning launch tool was the good one to conduct this project efficiently . And moreover it allows to go further and faster because it involves all the project stakeholders ( rather than waste time to convince them successively at each stage ) . To go on with that point , next time I would use the visualization tool after the exploration insights and the brainstorming stages . I am used to the storytelling tool but combine it with visualization could be really powerful for some clients .