Day 1: Discover
Module 1: Discovering Issues - Challenges to Define the Problem
Here we set the tone for the five-day program with an introduction of the program’s 5D Framework. It will bring out the need for aligning business operations, IT, marketing, and other organizational functions to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in an ever-changing market place. You will be exposed to the roadblocks experienced by organizations in bringing new ideas to the market with speed.
Key Takeaways:
- Familiarize users with the concept of the 5D Framework and how it can help bring newer product and services to market that help them differentiate from the competition
- Introduction of the First “D” of the Solution Framework
- Discover the process of structured problem identification to gain an understanding of the current landscape and the drivers of change
- Immerse, Observe Engage - Understanding the customer socioeconomic environment to define the problem from the lens of the customer
Module 2: Discovering Customer Journeys
In the first phase of the 5D framework, “Discover,” participants learn how to structure a clear business problem definition and put together a cross functional team to get started. This module will introduce participants to customer journey mapping and demonstrate how to narrow down to a specific customer journey and understand and document the high level current state.
Key Takeaways:
- Define the customer journey as the complete sum of experiences that customers go through when interacting with your company and brand
- Understand the interdependence of touchpoints within that journey with customer personas, channels and internal and external factors impacting the journey including friction point analysis
- Develop skills to build and execute a journey mapping process within and across organizations of all sizes
- Develop feedback loops
Day 2: Diagnose
Module 3: Diagnosing Issues to Maximize Customer Value
To help define business value from the lens of the customer, we study worldwide manufacturing and service organizations that have achieved significant benefits by adopting Lean and Six Sigma Management Principles.
Key Takeaways:
- Introduction of the Second “D” of the Solution Framework
- Tools, methodologies and frameworks used to analyze the problem and identify root causes
- Understanding the concepts of Six Sigma and the evolution of Lean Management
- DMAIC and DMADV Frameworks
- Identification and elimination of waste
Module 4: Diagnosing and Understanding Client Experiences
In the 2nd phase of the 5D framework, “Diagnose,” we guide participants to an understanding of the desired/aspirational Customer Experiences and introduce Zero Based Design. As they develop client journey maps to understand and diagnose experience issues and journey maps to re-frame and re-imagine experiences, participants can apply convergent and divergent thinking to ideate for potential solutions.
Key Takeaways:
- Additional approaches and tools for problem analysis to identify root causes that build on Lean and Six Sigma methodologies
- Functional and Emotional needs of the organization and business units
- Diagnosing types of innovation
- Introduction to the Minimum Value Product and Business Canvas Model
Day 3: Design
Module 5: Design Principles and Models for End-to End Customer Experience
This module centers around design principles and models for customer experience. Here we provide design best practices used by some of the most successful organizations in the design space. Topics include: Design Concepts, Creative Thinking, Ideation Models, Story, Communication, Validating Assumptions, and Go-to-Market Strategy. You will be able to develop a value-based focus to prioritize customer needs by using storyboarding, and capturing brain dumps and affinity maps to sharpen focus.
Key Takeaways:
- Introduction of the Third “D” of the Solution Framework
- Learn different ways to think towards a solution development
- Learn how to ideate and prioritize features for solution design using divergent and convergent thinking
- Focus the Minimal Viable Product and evolving over time toward Product Market Fit
Module 6: Design-Thinking Frameworks and Toolkits for Innovative Solutions
This module centers around design-thinking frameworks and toolkits for innovative solutions. Topics include: Customer Journey Mapping, Business Management and Planning Tools, and Design-Thinking Frameworks. Hands get figuratively dirty as participants help structure the requirements for a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and develop prototype and testing plans. Participants will learn how to leverage lean practices to facilitate problem-solving, expedited decision making, and collaboration.
Key Takeaways:
- Principles of Design Thinking and additional frameworks (4A and IDEA) and toolkits to channelize thinking for solution design
- AEIOU Framework and attribute mapping
- Leverage lean practices to facilitate program solving, expedited decision making, and collaboration
- Explore and analyze the innovative mindset and Design Thinking for human-centered design
Day 4: Develop
Module 7: Developing Agile Innovation
Participants are introduced to Agile development and its key attributes required for developing a solution in a short timeline (i.e., fixed timeline instead of fixed scope) by adopting an iterative development methodology. By starting with a vision and adapting through the development process, by prioritizing people over processes and tools and prototypes over documentation, and by responding collaboratively to customer input and changes over following a rigid plan.
Key Takeaways:
- Introduction of the Fourth “D” of the Solution Framework
- Agile development and its application for collaborative solution development
- Iterative development based on prioritization
- Waterfall versus Agile development and the integration of key roles when developing an on-time solution
Module 8: Developing Minimal Viable Product towards Product Market Fit
The value of what you develop must be in the eyes of the customer. Here we focus on starting with the Minimal Viable Product (MVP) use case (covering 60 to 80% of customers) and evolving over time toward Product Market Fit (PMF). It will involve receiving customer feedback to validate MVP, learn, and iterate as required.Topics include Business Model Canvas, Archetypes / Personas, Strategic Partnerships, Lean Development Methodology, Agile Prototyping, Expedited Decision-making, Priority Matrix, Capital Matrix, Networks, Crowdsourcing, Breakthrough Innovations, Creativity, Immersion, Orthodoxies, Analogies, Constraints, and Leadership / Talent frameworks.
Key Takeaways:
- Complete a business model and do rapid prototyping
- Build a Business Model Canvas to document the value proposition and strategy
- Learn to impose artificial constraints on a business model
- Accelerating Exponential Disruptive Change – crowd sourcing and crowd funding
Day 5: Deliver
Module 9: Delivering Successful Change: Models, Case Studies
Through a case study, we see how another company managed strategic change through an end-to-end customer focus using Design and Lean Thinking. Participants will reflect on and document what they can apply in their organization/workplace.
Module 10: Delivering Successful Change: Models, Case Studies, cont.
Teams will deliver their own solutions to a problem presented and receive feedback from customer panelists and peers.
Key Takeaways:
- Introduction of the Final “D” of the Solution Framework
- Understand the elements of change and to execute successful change
- Designing Successful Change and change management models
- Product, Service cases studies to understand all the elements of 5D framework successfully applied
Program Overview
For an overview of our Mini-MBA: Driving Innovative Business Solutions program plus program benefits and outcomes, please click here.