Course Outline
Day 01
Introduction
- Customer-centric vs. tech-driven innovation
Overview of Solution-based Thinking
- Structured thinking and the Design Thinking methodology
Tools for Design Thinkers
- Mind maps, idea generators, innovation matrix, what-if cards, etc.
Design Thinking for Product Development
- Identifying the true user of your product
Case Study
- "Spying" on the customer
Gaining an Empathic Understanding of the Customer's Problem
- Illustrating the customer's natural behavior
- Mapping customer actions on a timeline
Defining the Problem with the Current Solution
- Identifying key challenges experienced by product users
- Categorizing, visualizing, and estimating the value of solving key problems
Exercise
- Customer journey: Creating a timeline with pictures, emails, quotes, and actions.
- Analyzing key problems
- Selecting which problems to address
- Presenting findings
Day 02
Generating Ideas
- Using visualization, mapping, and storytelling to craft solutions
Prototyping a Solution
- Tools and methods for rapid concept validation
Testing and Iterating
- Real-time testing
- Validating, communicating, and launching innovations
Case Study
- Fail often, fail fast
Using Design Thinking to Resolve Internal Issues in Development Teams
- Viewing conflict as a positive driver for invention
- Managing conflict through constructive debate and discussion
- Empathy as a fundamental component
Exercise
- Collaborative idea building
- Creating prototype mock-ups
- Communicating your innovation
- Presenting final results
Summary and Next Steps
Requirements
- Practical experience in designing and/or developing software solutions for customers
Target Audience
- Developers
- Project Managers
Testimonials (1)
Seeing aspects of idea generation, especially during the activity where we first listed bad ideas and then made the list of good ideas. I found it actually helped to get the bad ideas out as it got me into the swing of coming up with ideas, regardless of whether they were good or bad.
