EXPERIENCE ON DESIGN THINKING WORKSHOP

SAYAK MONDAL
2015PGP044
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, SAMBALPUR

KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Design Thinking workshop conducted by Tinker Labs was definitely a
thought provoking exercise. Traditionally the courses so far conducted
have been primarily knowledge driven. However, this workshop was a
completely an idea driven exercise.
Very often we look at problems, and do an analysis and number crunching
based on the data that is available. However, such process generally
tends to give results which are often mundane and cannot really bring
about insights which can actually solve a problem.
The design thinking course helped me realise the very essence of the
Journey Map.
The journey map approach is altogether a unique approach to solving
problems. The Journey map approach is a real example of connecting the
dots. Any process that occurs, is a sequence of events. A journey map
approach is really useful when there is a gap lying between sequences
leading to an event making the results not up to the desired levels.
My major takeaway from the workshop was look at any process through its
journey. This is something I had never thought of. And although sceptical
in the beginning, the approach was found to be very useful. It not only
helps one find the weak points, but also the specific areas where one
needs to work upon.
After finding the areas that need to be strengthened one can actually get
additional help from the sequences preceding and following it.
Another important takeaway from the course was the Incremental
Improvement Process. Although the IDEO video had been shown to us
earlier, revisiting the Video was very useful. The toothbrush example
demonstrated by the Tinderlabs Team was very useful. Looking at the
development of a product through a journey map was not only useful, it
also emphasised the value of incremental improvements.
Incremental improvements may look very minimal in the beginning but
there effect is similar to the multiplier effect observed in the economy. An
incremental improvement can help set the platform for the next awaiting
incremental improvement. When added on top of the other they lead to
significant improvement in the product.

FEEDBACK CAPTURE GRID is future divided into four quadrants i.e.

Positives, Constructive criticism, Questions and Ideas. It was very much
difficult for our group to subdivide the responses into this quadrant and
even after dividing the responses we were not able to reach to anything
concreate and were stuck there thinking where to proceed from here.
While we were pondering on all the points that we have generated, our
mind stuck to an IDEA that was given to us by one of the colleague, which
was to generate the database of all the share auto drivers who stay
nearby.
We thought that this is the idea that we can take forward and then we
started thinking aligned to this idea that in order to create a database we
need to have a software were we can feed the data. With software we took
it one step forward and though why cant we just make an app that will
have all the information about the public transport services like the bus
and the auto. We can get the bus timing from the bus depo and can get
the info about the variability in the bus services by asking the nearby Teashop. After that we thought that we can ask the phone number of various
auto Walas that are there in the vicinity and can get their address
registered in the database in order to ensure the safety of the students.
After putting all these thoughts in place we presented our findings and
solution to the class and ask them about their feedback. Our colleagues
were very much happy to hear the solution that is provided by us and
were thinking if we can implement all this as soon as possible.
In all, my key learning in all this process was that if we put in a systematic
approach to the generation of ideas and learn to channelize them into
solution using Design Thinking then it can really be a great guide for us in
the future innovation process.
I think I can use design thinking in solving one of the problem that I face
as of now of Transportation. I think I can also use design thinking to solve
many of the problems that I face in home and benefitting the society that I
live in. For Example: In the society that I live in we have a problem of
sewage, I am thinking to use design thinking with the help of the society
members and use it to see if we can reach to the solution of the problem.

APPLYING DESIGN THINKING

The one thing that stands out in this course is the fact that it is applicable
to each and every dimension of existence. Every problem in life, be it
personal, social, political, economic, etc. can be approached and solved by
this tool.

Personally I would like to apply this Design Thinking approach in every

prospect of life.

Be it academics in which we deal with managing the hectic M.BA

schedule, the workload of assignments, the self-study etc.
Be it the other problems pertaining in our college campus like Wi-Fi,
the food problem, the sports equipment problem etc. everything can
be looked into by the design thinking perspective and taken to a
solution.
Be it any social problem like child labour, child education, women
safety etc. everything can be solved by this design tool.
Provided we are willing to put in required efforts, the design thinking
tool can be very effective in looking into various social, political and
economic problems existing in our society, we can actually solve
them by this tool.

Having said that I really think that Design Thinking class was really a
wonderful and rich experience, even the approach to teach design
thinking was good as we really got the practical experience to put in the
use of Design Thinking. And I really do believe that it will become a
powerful tool to solve problem in the near future.

In the end I would like to sum up by thanking the college management for
introducing such a wonderful course in our curriculum and the entire team
of TinkerLabs for taking out their valuable time and coming to IIM
Sambalpur for teaching us. This was a valuable learning experience and I
shall use it in every aspect of our life.
Thank You.