Reflection - Learning Launch

By Yaser Mostafa      Challenge    The challenge that I’ve selected is related to the Covid crisis. Many people are going hungry  due to the lockdown and the government has been incapable of managing distribution of food  supplies to the destitute and hungry. A program is to be implemented in select areas where  people are finding it difficult to eat two meals a day. The data for this has been made available  from the government’s local bodies. The team for the implementation of the feeding program  has 10 members in each locality including volunteers, and a separate Central Management  Team. There’s a limit of budget and labor-time. Safety of volunteers, food supplies, and  recipients is another concern. The program seeks to eliminate hunger issues as a result of  Covid in the targeted areas. The program will last till the end of 2015, and continuation will be  contingent upon review.       Selection    At this point, various other design thinking tools have been used to identify the kind of meals  that people would need, the best time of day to serve, the local volunteers ready to help out,  and so on. We are trying out the learning launch tool that tests a prototype from our solution  idea. This tool will test a prototype in target areas, which will give us feedback on its  performance.       Application    The first part of the learning launch focuses on the feedback of the recipients about the food  distributed. The program decides to deliver low-carb, high-protein food with a selection of  vegetables. One fruit is provided to each recipient per day. The meal is varied each day and  feedback is collected from the recipients. Besides, volunteers observed the recipients  mannerisms while they were eating and the amount and type of food that was discarded. This  was done for a period of two weeks, at which there was enough data to decide efficacy and  make changes.    The second part of the learning launch focuses on the coordination effectiveness of the  volunteers responsible to prepare and distribute food within the required budget and time. Ten  volunteers worked in each locale. All of them were given a fixed budget and the meal plan. The  volunteers prepared the meal together after procuring supplies locally. Then, at fixed times in  the morning and evening the volunteers distributed food to the recipients. Each of the  volunteers’ tasks for the day was scheduled for fixed time periods and the effectiveness was

rated on a scale. Besides, feedback was collected from each member regarding coordination  efforts. Expenses were tracked. One independent observer from the Central Management Team  would randomly visit for an inspection to make observations as well. This was done for a period  of two weeks, at which there was enough data to decide efficacy and make changes.    Surprisingly, the volunteers were able to conduct operations safely by following government  precautions and there were no positive Covid tests during the length of the program.      Insight    The learning launch tool tested our assumptions and observed results. The recipients were  happy with the food provided and considered it of high nutritional value. It was learned that  adding milk to the menu would help those with children. Moreover, the local team soon learned  that funds could be raised locally as more locals got interested in supporting their community. In  the future, the team has decided to add a fundraising element to the program too. Budgetary  constraints meant limits in what the program could do however, by combining local and  governmental resources, it will be possible to expand the scope of the program in future. Finally,  it was realized that learning launch is a highly valuable tool of design thinking to have for project  implementation.      Approach    We found the learning launch tool to be of excellent practicality and efficiency for our particular  case. From the insights gathered, we will be making changes to the program and testing future  launches in the target areas. By the end of the first month, we hope to have incorporated  learnings from the first two weeks of the test and launched a refined version of the program on a  much wider scale. Perhaps, we could try a smaller scale launch next time with fewer  communities and then scale up from there. This will make management easier and also give us  time to make adjustments. However, in a crisis situation like Covid, we found our approach to be  successful.


Reflection - Learning Launch By Yaser Mostafa Challenge The challenge that I ’ve selected is related to the Covid crisis . Many people are going hungry due to the lockdown and the government has been incapable of managing distribution of food supplies to the destitute and hungry . A program is to be implemented in select areas where people are finding it difficult to eat two meals a day . The data for this has been made available from the government ’s local bodies . The team for the implementation of the feeding program has 10 members in each locality including volunteers , and a separate Central Management Team . There ’s a limit of budget and labor - time . Safety of volunteers , food supplies , and recipients is another concern . The program seeks to eliminate hunger issues as a result of Covid in the targeted areas . The program will last till the end of 2015 , and continuation will be contingent upon review . Selection At this point , various other design thinking tools have been used to identify the kind of meals that people would need , the best time of day to serve , the local volunteers ready to help out , and so on . We are trying out the learning launch tool that tests a prototype from our solution idea . This tool will test a prototype in target areas , which will give us feedback on its performance . Application The first part of the learning launch focuses on the feedback of the recipients about the food distributed . The program decides to deliver low - carb , high - protein food with a selection of vegetables . One fruit is provided to each recipient per day . The meal is varied each day and feedback is collected from the recipients . Besides , volunteers observed the recipients mannerisms while they were eating and the amount and type of food that was discarded . This was done for a period of two weeks , at which there was enough data to decide efficacy and make changes . The second part of the learning launch focuses on the coordination effectiveness of the volunteers responsible to prepare and distribute food within the required budget and time . Ten volunteers worked in each locale . All of them were given a fixed budget and the meal plan . The volunteers prepared the meal together after procuring supplies locally . Then , at fixed times in the morning and evening the volunteers distributed food to the recipients . Each of the volunteers ’ tasks for the day was scheduled for fixed time periods and the effectiveness was rated on a scale . Besides , feedback was collected from each member regarding coordination efforts . Expenses were tracked . One independent observer from the Central Management Team would randomly visit for an inspection to make observations as well . This was done for a period of two weeks , at which there was enough data to decide efficacy and make changes . Surprisingly , the volunteers were able to conduct operations safely by following government precautions and there were no positive Covid tests during the length of the program . Insight The learning launch tool tested our assumptions and observed results . The recipients were happy with the food provided and considered it of high nutritional value . It was learned that adding milk to the menu would help those with children . Moreover , the local team soon learned that funds could be raised locally as more locals got interested in supporting their community . In the future , the team has decided to add a fundraising element to the program too . Budgetary constraints meant limits in what the program could do however , by combining local and governmental resources , it will be possible to expand the scope of the program in future . Finally , it was realized that learning launch is a highly valuable tool of design thinking to have for project implementation . Approach We found the learning launch tool to be of excellent practicality and efficiency for our particular case . From the insights gathered , we will be making changes to the program and testing future launches in the target areas . By the end of the first month , we hope to have incorporated learnings from the first two weeks of the test and launched a refined version of the program on a much wider scale . Perhaps , we could try a smaller scale launch next time with fewer communities and then scale up from there . This will make management easier and also give us time to make adjustments . However , in a crisis situation like Covid , we found our approach to be successful .