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Are you tired of workshops that feel like monotonous lectures? 😴 Imagine a workshop that puts you at the center of the action, challenges you to think outside the box, and equips you with tools to generate innovative solutions. 💡 That's the promise of a well-structured Design Thinking workshop, but many end up being ineffective, without generating tangible results. What if I told you there's a complete guide to structuring Design Thinking workshops that truly drive creativity, collaboration, and innovation? 🚀 In this article, you'll discover best practices to create a dynamic and engaging workshop, from defining the objective and target audience to mastering facilitation techniques and essential tools. Get ready to transform your workshops into learning and innovation experiences! But before we dive into this universe, tell me: have you ever participated in a workshop that truly inspired you to take action and generate results? 🤔 Keep reading to find out how to create workshops that turn ideas into real solutions! Unlocking the Power of Design Thinking: A Journey from Problem to Solution In a world of constant transformation, the ability to innovate and solve problems creatively and efficiently is crucial. Design Thinking emerges as a powerful methodology, placing the user at the center of the process and seeking innovative solutions to their challenges. Think of a complex challenge your company faces - it could be the need to improve the customer experience, develop a new product or service, or optimize an internal process. Instead of following traditional approaches, which often get lost in endless analyses and obvious solutions, Design Thinking proposes a structured journey in stages, alternating moments of divergence and convergence, exploring the problem in depth and generating innovative solutions. I remember a challenging project I faced early in my career, where the team needed to develop an innovative solution to improve internal communication in a large corporation. Traditional communication tools weren't effective, and the team was unmotivated and struggling to collaborate. By adopting Design Thinking, we were able to map the user journey, identify the main friction points, and prototype creative solutions that were later tested and implemented successfully in a two-day workshop. But how does Design Thinking, by itself, translate into effective workshops? That's where the importance of facilitation comes in. A skilled facilitator acts as a conductor, guiding the group through the different stages of the process, using tools and dynamics that stimulate creativity, collaboration, and communication. Throughout this article, we will explore in detail the key elements of a successful Design Thinking workshop, providing practical tips and actionable strategies. #designthinking #workshops #innovation #creativity #facilitation #problem-solving #user-centered #brainstorming #prototyping #innovationculture

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽? Some days ago, Vitaly Friedman shared an article by Slava Shestopalov that highlighted an excellent overview of workshop methods, canvases, and tools, and it really resonated with me. As designers, we’re often tasked with facilitating workshops regularly and we are also expected to ensure meaningful outcomes. So what is the next big challenge after a successful workshop? How do we bring the post-its, dots and all the creative scribbles to life? Reflecting on my own workshop experiences over the past few years, here are a few key insights I’d like to share on how to turn ideas into actionable results: 1. 📌𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀📌 During the workshop or a brief follow-up session. Agree on the specific tasks you’ll take forward from the session. 2. 👉𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽👈 Assign responsible individuals to the identified tasks and set clear timelines to ensure accountability. 3. 🧪𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲🧪 Tangible results keep everyone motivated. Try implementing a small experiment before the next workshop - whether it’s a new template, meeting format, or a mini research study. 4. 🗓️𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲🗓️ Integrate the workshop outcomes into your existing workflows. For example, you could regularly revisit the user journey map you created during sprint or period planning sessions. 5. 📣𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹📣 Create a dedicated communication channel to track progress and share updates. Use this space to gather feedback on workshop results and continuously refine your approach. Workshops are not just a space for creative thinking - they're an opportunity to build relationships and create lasting impact. The real value of a workshop is realized when we turn ideas into action and keep the conversation going. #cocreation #workshopfacilitation #teamwork 

Bad working practices have a high cost! 📈 They might be outdated or they might just be... bad! When we keep using these ways of working, here's what ends up happening: ❌ Organisations struggle to adapt to change ❌ Resources and time are wasted ❌ Opportunities are missed ❌ Slower decision-making ❌ Problems persist or go unresolved Luckily, we've got the antidote - DESIGN THINKING and VISUAL THINKING! Design Thinking is about putting the HUMAN at the centre of all problem-solving to come up with the best solutions there are. Visual facilitation is about being able to visualise your work in simple pictures - that anyone (yes - even YOU) can draw and understand. Here’s what happens when you combine them... ✅ Build what people really WANT ✅ Think up outside-the-box IDEAS ✅ Solve problems FAST ✅ SAVE time and money ✅ Create NEXT-LEVEL solutions We've teamed up with Solved Together to bring you a 2.5 hour hands-on remote workshop “Design Thinking x Visual Thinking: Tired to Fired Up”, where we will explore both disciplines by walking you through the process of designing your own product, and more! 🍏 Marcus de Vale 🍏 and Rujuta Singh are excited to be your trainers on Tuesday 25th June at 4.30pm UK Time - head to the link below to find out more and sign up 🌟 Psst! You don't need to be able to draw 😉 https://lnkd.in/e_d_a48Z #designthinking #visualthinking #vizthink #workshop

Explore 'Boost Your Brainstorming: Mind Map Templates for Creative Thinking', a guide designed to revolutionize your ideation process. Learn how mind maps can facilitate clearer thinking, better organization, and more effective problem-solving. Ideal for professionals seeking to drive creativity and innovation within their teams or personal projects. #HelloI #ProfessionalDevelopment #CreativeSolutions #TeamCollaboration #StrategicThinking #InnovativeIdeas

Unlock your creative potential! Join Robert Tait, Founder, Tait Strategy & Storytelling for a new and exciting online training on elevating your brainstorming techniques! 🧠✨ 🗓️ Date: September 26, 2024 🕘 Time: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM ET Only a few spots left, secure your spot now: https://lnkd.in/gdDy4pmh This engaging virtual workshop is designed to boost your creative thinking and provide you with effective brainstorming techniques to generate amazing ideas. Whether you’re a marketer, creative professional, or business leader, this training is a must-attend! 📍 What You’ll Learn: ✔️The core principles behind successful brainstorming sessions and how they apply to marketing challenges. ✔️Proven techniques and methods including rapid ideation, SCAMPER, mind mapping, and more. ✔️How to integrate AI tools and technologies to expand your thinking and elevate your brainstorming sessions’ creative output. ✔️How to set the stage for productive brainstorming sessions, whether in-person or online, and foster a creative atmosphere that stimulates idea generation. Don’t miss out on this chance to enhance your brainstorming skills and drive innovation within your team! Secure your spot today and start brainstorming better: https://lnkd.in/gdDy4pmh #CreativeThinking #BetterBrainstorming #Innovation #ProfessionalDevelopment #CMATraining #TeamCollaboration

Really looking forward to tomorrow's session on brainstorming. The AI section alone – especially for those just getting started using AI – should prove to be a real eye opener. #creativethinking #betterbrainstorming #innovation #professionaldevelopment #CMATraining #teamcollaboration

Design workshop facilitation: my recent course experience ✨ I recently completed a course on design workshop facilitation, where I gained valuable insights into conducting impactful design workshops. It's fascinating to distinguish the differences between a meeting and a workshop: 🟢 Meetings vs. Workshops: Meetings focus on sharing updates and discussing agendas. Workshops aim at problem-solving or decision-making through structured, hands-on activities. 🚀 Key learnings and practical applications: -Icebreakers & games to break down barriers and get people collaborating from the start. -Brainstorming techniques to encourage creative thinking by viewing problems from different angles. -Decision-making activities like affinity diagramming, forced ranking, dot voting, and the effort/impact scale to help teams evaluate options and reach a consensus. 🥁 Presentations & deliverables: preparing clear, tangible outputs like journey maps, sketches, и prototypes to inform the next steps. 📚 Workshop culture and principles: I also familiarized myself with effective principles emphasizing inclusivity, curiosity, and open communication. I'm excited to implement principles and techniques into my work, making our design workshops more effective and results-oriented.

Curious how #Design #Workshops can improve your work process to deliver #BetterResults? Join me on the 12th of December, as I host a #MasterClass with the IxDF - Interaction Design Foundation on this very topic! You'll learn: * A deep understanding of the value of workshops and their crucial role in the collaborative design process. * Insights into the multifaceted role of the facilitator, before, during, and after workshops. * A proven framework for planning, organizing, and executing impactful workshops. * Practical tips and tricks to ensure your workshop's success. Strategies for optimizing your approach for online and remote workshops. Why wait until tomorrow, when you can register today? 😜 https://lnkd.in/gnHXcqnm

The thing that freaks me out about workshops... ...improvisation 😅🙈 I love to have a plan and be in control, but when it comes to workshops the outcome really depends on the participants, their knowledge, and engagement. If you facilitate, you guide, you're not the one who gives the answers. Being a workshop facilitator put me many times in an uneasy situation where I had to make a call on the spot. Dive into a topic or move on? 🤷♀️ There were times when I managed to be super on time and get A LOT done within just one hour, other times my time planning betrayed me, even though we had 4 hours blocked. The thing is, you won't know what topics might arise during the meeting. There needs to be a balance between clearing out the doubts while also making sure the team is not getting stuck and spiralling down on conversations that don't lead anywhere. Are we getting the answers we need? 🤔 No matter how ready you are with activities, FigJam/Miro boards you can't predict how they'll play out. A problem I have encountered many times was getting very vague answers. One idea per sticky note resulting in one big theme rather than more specific ideas. Generating 'How might we' questions resulting in addressing processes rather than usability problems... At some point realizing - this is not helping us. Sometimes you just have to pull the brakes and approach the activity from a different end, offer more guidance, redirect, and respond if the team gets sidetracked. Create space for fun and creativity? 🦄 You might wonder why is that even a question, BUT some people will not want to do ice breakers or participate in 'outside of the box' thinking activities. They might find them silly, a waste of time, and question their value. In moments like this, should you proceed? The thing is, you can't please everyone. Trust the process, read the atmosphere in the room, and cater to both creative and analytical personalities. In the end, everyone should feel included and have the space to contribute with their strengths and energy (even though they might not 'enjoy' every activity). Running a workshop definitely keeps me on my tiptoes, but that's part of the fun 😅 How do you respond to unexpected discussions, reactions and vague outcomes? #workshopfacilitation #workshop #workshopfacilitator #uxdesign

Great upcoming brainstorming session with one of the best Robert Tait! Check out the session in the post below.