Challenge

It is often a pity to see someone lose their life over addiction of alcohol and mental  depression. During my undergraduate studies, a friend of mine had fallen into the  abyss of alcohol addiction from which there seemed to be no point of return. It was  a shame and a pity to see a friend wander deep onto the dark paths of addiction. I  was learning innovation and entrepreneurship back then and seeing the condition of  my friend I decided to help him and other students like him who were in mental  depression and under the influence of alcohol addiction by starting a non-profit  organisation, but later I came to know that it’s not as easy as it seems. I started to  read on psychology and about how various situations in life lead to an addiction.  During my research I found a copy of Designing for growth by Avitia.  Although design thinking was a completely new avenue for me, I read the book and  decided to use the method of storytelling to help the students.

Selection

Storytelling was something which resonated with me as I had read a lot of fiction  books and I witnessed how storytelling can be a powerful tool if implemented  correctly. As the Professor explained in her lecture that taking a listener along on  their journey and to put the human beings and their experience front and centre is  an important aspect of successful storytelling, it made me realize that I can use  storytelling to create an imaginary story but present it as a real one and use it to  change the thinking and mentality of the suffering students. Although my main goal  was to start a non-profit self-improvement-centre for such students, I thought let’s  take an approach on a small scale and try the method with my friend and see where  that takes us.

Application

I thought the best way to help my friend was to take him to a pub and use the  storytelling method over there as he would be in a comfortable environment. So I  ordered two glasses of whisky and before he could take first sip I stopped him and  told him that I want to tell him a personal story. And then I began. I told him in  detail how I had a best-friend in my life from past 10 years and how I lost him to an  excess drinking problem and how it affected his parents, siblings and his friends.  Moreover, since I knew other personal problems in my friend’s life due to which led  him to start drinking, I wielded the similar type of the problem in my best-friend  story. I tried my best to add some emotions like tears in my eyes, a look of sadness  and then I looked at him in his eyes and told him that I don’t want to lose you to  such a problem. That day two friends left the pub without consuming alcohol.  Although it took me four such storytelling sessions (I used a family member, a

mutual real-life example, a favourite actor example) to abstain him from alcohol (it  is difficult for an alcoholic to immediately see the light of the day after one session),  the activity and learning was worth it.

Insight

Storytelling works. By understanding the personal problems and likes and dislikes of  my friend I was able to construct a story and present a moral out of it each time  effectively. As professor Liedtka says ‘Storytelling is the difference between solving a  problem and creating a cause’, I was not only able to solve a problem in my friend’s  life, but also able to give him a ray of hope, a purpose in life. Design thinking should  not be limited to solve a problem in a corporate or a consumer sector, but its use  should be broadened, such as how I was able to implement it in creating a better life  for a human being emotionally.

Approach

As I have been working from past 2 years to formally kick-start a non-profit  organisation to help such misguided students, I am trying to understand the design  thinking concept on a broader level with my friends so that we can create custom  tools using storytelling and visualization to help such students.


Challenge It is often a pity to see someone lose their life over addiction of alcohol and mental depression . During my undergraduate studies , a friend of mine had fallen into the abyss of alcohol addiction from which there seemed to be no point of return . It was a shame and a pity to see a friend wander deep onto the dark paths of addiction . I was learning innovation and entrepreneurship back then and seeing the condition of my friend I decided to help him and other students like him who were in mental depression and under the influence of alcohol addiction by starting a non - profit organisation , but later I came to know that it ’s not as easy as it seems . I started to read on psychology and about how various situations in life lead to an addiction . During my research I found a copy of Designing for growth by Avitia . Although design thinking was a completely new avenue for me , I read the book and decided to use the method of storytelling to help the students . Selection Storytelling was something which resonated with me as I had read a lot of fiction books and I witnessed how storytelling can be a powerful tool if implemented correctly . As the Professor explained in her lecture that taking a listener along on their journey and to put the human beings and their experience front and centre is an important aspect of successful storytelling , it made me realize that I can use storytelling to create an imaginary story but present it as a real one and use it to change the thinking and mentality of the suffering students . Although my main goal was to start a non - profit self - improvement - centre for such students , I thought let ’s take an approach on a small scale and try the method with my friend and see where that takes us . Application I thought the best way to help my friend was to take him to a pub and use the storytelling method over there as he would be in a comfortable environment . So I ordered two glasses of whisky and before he could take first sip I stopped him and told him that I want to tell him a personal story . And then I began . I told him in detail how I had a best - friend in my life from past 10 years and how I lost him to an excess drinking problem and how it affected his parents , siblings and his friends . Moreover , since I knew other personal problems in my friend ’s life due to which led him to start drinking , I wielded the similar type of the problem in my best - friend story . I tried my best to add some emotions like tears in my eyes , a look of sadness and then I looked at him in his eyes and told him that I do n’t want to lose you to such a problem . That day two friends left the pub without consuming alcohol . Although it took me four such storytelling sessions ( I used a family member , a mutual real - life example , a favourite actor example ) to abstain him from alcohol ( it is difficult for an alcoholic to immediately see the light of the day after one session ) , the activity and learning was worth it . Insight Storytelling works . By understanding the personal problems and likes and dislikes of my friend I was able to construct a story and present a moral out of it each time effectively . As professor Liedtka says ‘ Storytelling is the difference between solving a problem and creating a cause ’ , I was not only able to solve a problem in my friend ’s life , but also able to give him a ray of hope , a purpose in life . Design thinking should not be limited to solve a problem in a corporate or a consumer sector , but its use should be broadened , such as how I was able to implement it in creating a better life for a human being emotionally . Approach As I have been working from past 2 years to formally kick - start a non - profit organisation to help such misguided students , I am trying to understand the design thinking concept on a broader level with my friends so that we can create custom tools using storytelling and visualization to help such students .