PLAN
Identifying stakeholders, context, and success factors
Prior to jumping into empathy, we first need to understand the design challenge, identify the people involved, consider the context of the problem, and establish success factors.
Note: Design Thinking activities can be conducted live and in person with sticky notes and whiteboard, or virtually online utilizing collaborative tools such as Zoom and Miro with virtual sticky notes and whiteboard.
As you plan, remember to focus on the problem, not solutions!
1. Establishing the Design Challenge, How might we…?
A More Beautiful Question
The Design Thinking process begins with identifying a problem, a design challenge. The challenge is typically stated in the form of a “How might we…” question. Consider the following scenario.
Tight on cash and unable to make rent payments, roommates Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia observed that demand for temporary lodging exceeded supply when large conferences and events came to town. They asked, "How might we help travelers find a reasonably priced place to stay while providing residents with extra space an opportunity to earn some cash?" Thus Airbnb was born.
Every great invention begins with a crucial observation and a beautiful question.
“A beautiful question is an ambitious yet actionable question that can begin to shift the way we perceive or think about something—and that might serve as a catalyst to bring about change.”
-Warren Berger, "A More Beautiful Question"
Check out Warren’s videos provided.
Consider questions around the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.
How Might We?
In Design Thinking, we format beautiful questions beginning with "How might we...." (HMW), which opens the door to a wide variety of solutions.
"How might we" (HMW) statements should be formatted as follows:
Observation:
Given that _________________________________ (state problem that exists),
Question:
how might we help ___________________________ (ex: person or group experiencing the problem)
achieve ____________________________ (specific short term goal)
so that they might _____________________________(general long term goal).
A good HMW Statement will be broad enough to allow for creative solutions (don't pigeonhole), yet not so broad that it is unachievable.
Example:
Given that FSU has a reputation as a party school,
how might we embolden students who don't drink or smoke,
to find fun activities with like-minded students,
so that they can develop social connections that support their healthy lifestyle and academic success.
Questions are the new answers, Warren Berger
Once teams have been established, meet your new team mates and discuss each person’s connection with your HMW in terms of interest and experience. Now is the time to finalize your HMW to everyone’s satisfaction.
Teaming
Teams should be created to maximize diversity. In industry a design team would be composed of individuals that represent the various skills and perspectives required to solve the problem. For example, a city manager, a transportation expert, an anthropologist, a business manager, and technician might make up a team seeking to create a parking app for the city.
For our general educational purpose we will maximize diversity based on students major, year in school, personality type, gender affiliation, and cultural background.
No matter who you are you will be bringing bias into the mix. We work to neutralize the negative impact of bias by creating diverse teams. Check out these two videos on bias:
Implicit Bias: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr9xAcWv790
Implicit Bias Countermeasures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIOGenWu_iA
Facilitation 101
Design Thinking requires facilitation in order to maximize success. When no professional facilitator is available, one team member should step up and serve the role! Check out these videos to learn how to facilitate.
2. STAKEHOLDER MAP
Before the Design Thinking process begins, it is important to consider those impacted by the design challenge - the stakeholders. Who is directly impacted, and who is impacted by association with those directly impacted?
Create a large Stakeholder Map to identify stakeholders impacted by the Design Challenge - those most impacted at the center of the target. All group members should work independently to add sticky notes with stakeholder names written on them to the target diagram. When finished, work together to discuss your sticky notes, position them appropriately, and remove duplicates. The value of this exercise is in the discussion it generates. Write key questions, discussion points, and insights that arise on sticky notes and post on the side of or below the target diagram.
Capture your work as a photo or screen capture for future reference.
Click to enlarge.
3. CONTEXT MAP
After considering stakeholders, it is important to consider the context in which the Design Challenge exists - the trends and environmental factors that impact the challenge.
Utilizing a Context Map, place your Design Challenge title at the center. Work independently to consider trends and environmental factors that impact your Design Challenge. Write one per sticky note and place in the related area of the Context Map. When finished, work together to discuss your sticky notes, position each sticky note appropriately, and remove duplicates. Again, the value of this exercise is in the discussion it generates. Write key questions, discussion points, and insights that arise on sticky notes and post on the side of or below the target diagram.
Capture your work as a photo or screen capture for later reference.
Click to enlarge
4. MIND MAP for SUCCESS FACTORS
Knowing how the team defines success is critical to moving a project in the right direction. In this step, you will create a Mindmap (see figure) to identify key indicators of success.
Begin your Mindmap by placing your Design Challenge Title in a circle at the center of the real or virtual whiteboard. Some virtual whiteboards provide mindmapping tools that you may explore. Team members should brainstorm independently, writing key success indicators (trends or factors) on sticky notes or mindmap nodes. Consider:
What results are you seeking?
How do you measure results?
How are stakeholders impacted?
Connect the most important key success indicators to the central node with lines. Next consider related features of each key success factor (see example) and connect with lines. Repeat as needed to increasingly detailed success factors. Consider connections between the branches and indicate them with lines.
Capture your work as a photo or screen capture for future reference.
Click image to enlarge