Tasks and Duties
Objective
The objective of this task is to immerse yourself in the design thinking process by identifying a key sustainability challenge and generating innovative ideas around it. You will use empathy mapping to understand user needs in the context of sustainability, and then employ creative ideation techniques to generate a variety of potential innovative solutions. The final deliverable must be compiled and submitted as a DOC file, detailing your process and outcomes.
Expected Deliverables
- A comprehensive empathy map that captures the needs, pains, and aspirations of your targeted stakeholder group.
- A detailed ideation report outlining at least 5 innovative solutions addressing the identified sustainability challenge.
- A reflective analysis discussing how your ideas align with sustainable practices and how they could be further refined.
Key Steps to Complete the Task
- Research: Investigate current sustainability challenges within a specific community or industry using publicly available information.
- Empathy Mapping: Develop an in-depth empathy map to outline the emotions, needs, and challenges of your chosen audience.
- Ideation Session: Using techniques such as brainstorming, SCAMPER, or mind mapping, generate a list of potential innovative solutions. Document your thought process and rationale for selecting the final ideas.
- Report Compilation: Create a DOC file that contains your empathy map, ideation outputs, and analytical reflections.
Evaluation Criteria
- Clarity and depth of the empathy map.
- Innovation and feasibility of the ideas generated.
- Quality and structure of your written analysis.
- Overall presentation and logical flow in the DOC file.
This task is designed to take approximately 30 to 35 hours of work, with a focus on understanding user needs and generating creative, sustainable solutions without the reliance on proprietary data. The final DOC file should be detailed, clearly structured, and reflective of both your theoretical knowledge and practical application in design thinking.
Objective
This task focuses on transforming your innovative ideas into a strategic framework that merges sustainability with business viability. You are required to develop a detailed Business Model Canvas tailored for a sustainable product or service. The exercise involves identifying key partnerships, resources, value propositions, and revenue streams while ensuring all components resonate with sustainability principles. The final deliverable is a DOC file that presents your strategic plan in a structured and visually appealing format.
Expected Deliverables
- A completed Business Model Canvas that highlights how the proposed solution impacts sustainability.
- A written strategy document explaining each section of the canvas in detail.
- A section detailing the rationale behind each choice, referencing design thinking methodologies.
Key Steps to Complete the Task
- Research: Identify current sustainability trends and market challenges in publicly available sources.
- Brainstorm: Using design thinking sessions, conceptualize how a sustainable product or service can fill an existing market gap.
- Canvas Development: Populate each segment of the Business Model Canvas with thoughtful insights and sustainable strategies.
- Document Strategy: Write a DOC file with clear explanations, linking strategy decisions to design thinking principles and sustainability outcomes.
Evaluation Criteria
- Depth and clarity of the Business Model Canvas.
- Connections between sustainability aspects and business viability.
- Comprehensiveness of the accompanying written strategy.
- Creativity and originality in addressing both sustainability and market challenges.
This task is estimated to require around 30 to 35 hours. It will test your strategic planning capabilities while encouraging a detailed exploration of the intersection between design thinking and sustainable innovation.
Objective
The objective of this week is to move from conceptualization to the execution phase by developing a low-fidelity prototype of your sustainable solution and outlining a comprehensive testing roadmap. This task emphasizes practical application of design thinking principles by focusing on the creation, testing, and iterative refinement of your innovation. Your final submission is a DOC file that explains the prototype development process and presents a detailed testing plan to further refine the prototype based on user feedback and sustainability criteria.
Expected Deliverables
- A well-documented description of your prototype, including sketches, wireframes, or mock-ups that capture its essential functions.
- A testing roadmap that outlines the methods, metrics, and feedback mechanisms for refining the prototype.
- A reflective section detailing possible iterations based on theoretical user testing.
Key Steps to Complete the Task
- Concept Translation: Convert your ideation outputs into a tangible prototype description using design practices such as sketching or digital wireframing.
- Testing Plan: Develop a robust roadmap that specifies how you will test the prototype, including user scenarios, metrics, and anticipated challenges.
- Analysis and Revision: Provide a detailed narrative on how feedback could be used to iterate on your prototype.
- Final Documentation: Organize the entire process and findings into a DOC file with clear headings and subheadings for easy navigation.
Evaluation Criteria
- Clarity of the prototype description and its visual representations.
- Thoroughness and feasibility of the testing roadmap.
- Logical connection between prototype design and sustainable innovation principles.
- Quality and professionalism of the DOC file presentation.
This detailed exercise is expected to take approximately 30 to 35 hours and will challenge your ability to apply design thinking in a practical, iterative process, ensuring that sustainability remains at the core of your innovation mindset.
Objective
This final task is focused on evaluating the impact of your sustainable solution by critically analyzing its potential outcomes and effectiveness using design thinking methodologies. You will conduct a comprehensive impact assessment that examines both the environmental and social dimensions of your design innovation. The deliverable is a DOC file that provides a thorough evaluation report, complete with quantitative and qualitative analysis, supporting data (sourced from public references), and recommendations for future improvements.
Expected Deliverables
- A detailed evaluation report that includes a sustainability impact assessment and performance review of your proposed solution.
- An analysis section that discusses the benefits and potential drawbacks, supported by design thinking insights.
- A set of actionable recommendations and a roadmap for future iterations or scaling up the solution.
Key Steps to Complete the Task
- Research Impact Methods: Review publicly available methodologies for conducting sustainability impact assessments and select the most relevant ones.
- Data Collection & Analysis: Draw on qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate how your design innovation meets sustainability criteria.
- Critical Evaluation: Write an in-depth discussion linking your evaluation to design thinking phases – especially the testing and iteration phases.
- Recommendations: Outline how the insights gained will influence future design iterations or the broader implementation strategy.
- Document Submission: Compile all findings and reflections into a thoroughly structured DOC file.
Evaluation Criteria
- Depth and rigor of the sustainability impact analysis.
- Clarity in tying evaluation outcomes to design thinking methodologies.
- Practicality and innovation in the suggested recommendations.
- Overall presentation, coherence, and detail within the DOC file.
This final assignment is designed to be a comprehensive exercise lasting approximately 30 to 35 hours, requiring a blend of theoretical analysis, practical evaluation, and forward-thinking recommendations. It encapsulates your journey through the design thinking process with a strong emphasis on sustainable innovation and operational impact.