Module 5

Design Thinking Workshop

Design Thinking workshop

Design thinking workshop is a collaborative, work-based session built around the Design Thinking

process. Usually, these are done in person, but you can adapt and run a long-distance design workshop.

It can take up to two hours, two days, or a whole week — all depending on the context of the

workshop.

Focus of Design Thinking workshop

1. Sensitivity: Addressing the real user problem and building empathy for targeted users / customers.

2. Ideas, innovation, and problem solving: Generating multiple ideas and possible solutions.

3. Prototyping and testing: Creating prototypes that are less reliable in the ideas produced, suitable

for testing to real users or agents.

Need for Design Thinking Workshop

1. Design Thinking into your process will help you to quickly come up with viable, user-centric

solutions which results in improved customer satisfaction and greater cost saving to the

organization.

2. Design Thinking workshops enables to build better organization culture with the focus of

creativity and supports in growth of the organization.

3. Supports in developing skills of the employees by providing training in the domain of problem

solving and providing better solutions to the challenges on the job.

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4. Development of innovation in a team culture through collaborated learning in the design thinking

workshop.

5. Design thinking workshop supports in developing competitive advantage for the organization and

in return develops better products and services for the organizations.

Stages of Design Thinking Workshop

Design thinking workshop are divided into two stages they are planning stage and the workshop stage.

The aspects include in the planning stage include (1) Learning Goals (2) Pre-Meeting (3) Checking of

the ambience for workshop (4) Developing flow of activity (5) Study Material for the workshop The

workshop stage includes (1) Introduction (2) Define Problem Statement (3) Idea Testing (4) (5)

Prototype (6) Testing (7) Feedback (8) Closing of the workshop

Planning Stage of Design Thinking workshop

Learning Goals: During this stage of design thinking workshop learning goals for the workshop

needs to be developed, the organizing team can collect information from the participants, members

of the unit head and other stake holders related to the challenges faced in the organizations. During

this stage learning outcomes are be developed for focused outcome of the workshop. The learning

outcomes needs to well connect with the objectives of the workshop. This aspect supports in

developing right culture for the workshop on design thinking.

Pre-Meeting: During this stage of workshop the organizing team needs to check for the following

aspects for making the workshop effectively, they are right information on the purpose of the

workshop, secondly, preparation of agenda for the workshop. Thirdly, giving detailed information to

the design thinking trainers on the background of the trainees and work profile which include

designation, age and experience of the participants.

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 Checking the ambience of the workshop: The design thinking needs right ambience of the

conduct of the workshop which include seating arrangement, venue and right electronic devices. The

role of ambience is important for the improving the learning process of the trainees during the

workshop.

Flow of Activities: Design thinking workshop needs to prepare the right type of activities for

providing right insights on the challenges related to the organization’s problems. The organization

needs to collaborate with the design thinking trainers for development of activities for the workshop.

The activities include the games, lecture material and discussion points with the participants. This

supports in developing the right flow of activities during the workshop and achievement of learning

goals of the design thinking workshop.

Study Material for the workshop: Participants for the workshop needs to be provided with right

study material related to the workshop. The study material needs to be provided to the participants

one week the workshop, this supports them to prepare well for the workshop. The study material

needs to be aligned with the flow of activities and agenda of the workshop on design thinking.

In the next stage of design thinking workshop, the workshop process has to be conducted during this

stage following aspects are covered, they are as under;

Introduction to the workshop: During this stage participants needs to define the right thoughts that

can guide the flow of the workshop. During this stage all five stages of design thinking needs to be

included which are sensitivity, explain, ideate, prototype and evaluation. Further to improve the

learning process, during the introduction stage. Further, to set the stage for the workshop real world

success stories are be shared with the participants for improving the motivation of the participants.

Define Problem Statement: During this stage of workshop, the participants will reduce the overall

design challenge to the problem specific directions, in this stage, the trainers apply concepts such as

empathy mapping, in this mapping participants create vision statement and prepare documents how
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to approach the problem statement. Further, each participant would be allowed to present the

problem statement and describe the problem and through the discussion the trainer provides

insight on relooking at the problem statement which match to address the design challenge.

Idea Testing: In the third stage of the workshop design thinking process consists of idea

development and providing possible solutions to the challenges. Concept such as

brainstorming and sharing of ideas is applied by the trainer during this stage of workshop.

Another popular concept applied during the stage is the mind mapping and visual of the data

to understand the problem and develop idea towards the solution to the problem.

Prototype: During this stage participants are allowed to build and experiment with the

prototype based on the idea presented by the participant. During this stage participants can

conduct survey among the other participants and collect information from the prototype

developed. During this stage, trainers might apply making the participants work in a team

with an intension to provide better prototype for the idea. Further, the trainers might also

apply the tool of journey mapping to understand the customers preference which supports in

development of better prototype.

Testing: In this stage, the prototype developed is assessed to suit the scenario of the challenge

and linked to the business process adapted in the organization. This insight is provided to the

participants to match with the organization and customers. Testing stage provide greater insight

on the acceptance of the prototype to the needs of the organization and provide solutions to the

problem statement.

Closing of the workshop: This is the last stage of the workshop where in the trainers provide

feedback to the participants and participants are motivated to apply the concept of design

thinking in the working of the organization. They are appraised on the benefits of design

thinking in improving the work process of an employee.

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