Design Thinking Workshop Ignites Creativity of SOIL's PGDM Students

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Design Thinking Workshop Ignites Creativity of SOIL’s PGDM Students

26 Mar 2024
- admin
- Innovation & Design Thinking
Table of Contents
- A brief
- How the Design Thinking Workshop Turned PGDM Students Of The Top B-school in India into problem-solving ninjas, ready to unearth hidden issues and turn them into ideas.
Recently, we conducted a design thinking workshop for our PGDM students with Dr. Pavan Soni, Innovation Evangelist. The students thoroughly enjoyed the workshop on critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation.

Dr. Pavan Soni’s design thinking workshop was like ripping off a blindfold – suddenly, we weren’t stumbling around for that elusive “Eureka!” moment. Instead, we were trained problem-solving ninjas, ready to unearth hidden issues and turn them into a goldmine of ideas. Here’s a lowdown on what ignited their creative spark, by our PGDM student.

From “Ugh, This Sucks” to “Aha!”

We donned our metaphorical detective hats, determined to dig deeper than surface-level annoyances. It was all about understanding the root cause of the problem, and ensuring our solutions weren’t like sticking a band-aid on a gunshot wound. We wanted to heal the user’s pain for good!

Brainstorming Bonanza

Unleashing Our Inner MacGyvers! Remember MacGyver, the ultimate problem-solver with a paperclip and a rubber band? That was us, thanks to a tool called SCAMPER. This brainstorming technique is like a crazy kitchen experiment – you take existing ideas and throw them in a metaphorical blender: substitute, combine, adapt, you name it! The wilder the concoction, the better. After all, sometimes a wacky idea can be the missing ingredient for a brilliant solution.

The Idea Gauntlet

Not All Ideas Are Created Equal.

Just like on a game show, only the strongest ideas made it through. We put our favorites through a rigorous interview process. Did they resonate with the users we were trying to help? Were they even remotely feasible? Did they fit with our overall vision? Only the ideas that could walk the walk, not just talk the talk, survived!

Bonus Level Unlocked

Lateral Thinking – Your Brain on Funky Fresh!

The session went beyond the design thinking basics and introduced us to the mind-bending world of lateral thinking. Imagine shaking your brain like a snow globe, seeing things from completely unexpected angles. This approach uses seven “arms” to break free from the usual “same old, same old”:

Challenge the Obvious

Don’t just accept things at face value!

Question what seems normal, because sometimes the most unexpected solutions come from asking “why?”

See it Differently

Look at the problem from every angle you can imagine. You might just discover hidden possibilities lurking beneath the surface.

Play Devil’s Advocate

Throw a wrench into the mix with some opposing viewpoints. This creative tension can spark a firestorm of awesome ideas.

Random Inspiration

Sometimes a random word or image can be the spark you need. Think of it like staring at the clouds and seeing a dragon – anything is possible!

Build on What You Have

Remember SCAMPER? We used similar techniques to take existing ideas and make them even better. Think of it as building a skyscraper on top of a foundation – strong ideas become even stronger!

Connect the Dots

Find the hidden links between seemingly unrelated things. Who knows, you might just stumble upon a breakthrough that changes the game!

Daydream a Little

Don’t shut down those seemingly irrelevant thoughts! They might just lead to surprising connections. Sometimes the best ideas come from letting your mind wander.

From Idea to Prototype: Storyboarding with a Twist!

Armed with the power of lateral thinking, we were ready to build a prototype to test out our most promising solution. Here’s how it went down:

Challenge Accepted

We started with the idea of a complex app. But lateral thinking made us question that. What if we could create a simpler solution, like an SMS-based service? (Challenge in action!)

New Perspective

We re-examined the user journey, focusing on the core functionalities they really needed. (Reinterpretation at its finest!)

The Perfect Blend

We combined the best features from different ideas into a well-rounded prototype. (Combining FTW!)

By the end, our storyboard transformed from a feature-laden app into a user-friendly SMS service that perfectly addressed the core user needs. This is the magic of incorporating lateral thinking into design thinking. It’s a powerful tool that helps us break free from conventional thinking and unlock a world of innovative solutions. So, forget the “Eureka!” moment – with design thinking and lateral thinking on our side, we’re problem-solving ninjas ready to tackle any challenge!

~ Vishay Sood
PGDM 2023-25
SOIL Institute of Management