4 Key Takeaways From a Virtual Design Sprint Participant

We asked a participant in our recent program about his experience during a recent Virtual Design Sprint cohort.

Innovation can’t wait.

Now, more than ever, organizations have a pressing need for inventiveness and transformation. A human-centered approach to change can accelerate this transformation and drive immediate business impact. Tim Brown of IDEO™, a leading product design firm, describes design thinking as “human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer's toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success." 

We spoke with John Coffee of Docebo who joined us for our Design Thinking cohort focused on both learning and rapid application of design thinking using a virtual platform known as Sprintbase™. Using this collaborative design platform and a series of remotely facilitated workshops, participants in our cohort program learned how to uncover deep user insights, generate more novel ideas, and quickly test new prototype solutions. We asked John to share his experience as a member of our most recent program.

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What has been your biggest takeaway or learned skill from the Design Thinking in the Age of COVID-19 course?

It’s amazing how much work goes into the process before you start coming up with solutions. During our age of immediate gratification and tight timelines, it’s reassuring to see how much time you can take during the research side to fully understand the scope and gain all necessary perspectives before brainstorming solutions.

What did you learn in the course that you feel inspired to apply in the future?

I now want to share design thinking knowledge with other managers and team members. I can apply a challenge to our team. For example, I could ask them, how might we improve the candidate’s experience when they are going through the interview process with our company? The design thinking model is transferable to other areas and challenges. I found it very applicable and replicable. 

 What has been the most rewarding part of taking the course?

When we presented our prototypes and received feedback, we got to see what came to fruition from weeks of research and analysis. I enjoyed having a tangible prototype that could be discussed. I also enjoyed getting to know the other cohort members and their experience with design thinking and also learning more about their roles and how they are applying design thinking. 

What value does a design thinking course offer business students or professionals?

It’s always nice to go through a learning experience that puts you out of your comfort zone. The challenge of learning something new motivates you to try harder. It gives you a fresh skill set that you can take back to your organization. For students, it can be something that helps differentiate themselves during the job interview process after they graduate. Imagine how ready they will be when applying for a job!

To learn more about and register for this upcoming virtual program click below. To contact the program director, email cyoung@bridgeinnovate.com. Or, schedule a meeting.