Design for Elevating Ideation Experiences
Kindling creativity through ambiance and Lego bricks
Client
Team
Design Research Team
Human resources & Education business units
Two Design Researchers, and One scientist,
Supervised by One Design Manager
Scope
Workshop Facilitation | Ideation | Prototyping
The contents have been abstracted in accordance to NDA norms. Focus is kept on the process and role.
Context
Fostering creative ideation has been a subject of keen research and business interest. The experience and quality of ideation is directly and subliminally influenced by several factors.
Identifying and enhancing these factors can elevate ideation capabilities.
Tweaking the venue of ideation activities can significantly impact participant experiences and the flow of their creative thought. Experiments were conducted to intensify the creative ethos of ideation sessions conducted by the team to solve business problems.
Experiments were designed to engage multiple senses. Creativity was triggered along the following verticals:
Music
Use of ambient music & white noise during ideation phases
Natural Elements
Infusion of greenery & nature-like elements
AI-Based Prompts
Real-time processing of conversations & suggestive triggers
Curated Décor
Placement of objects relevant to ideation statements
Odour
Introduction of curated scents during different phases
Process : Creativity through Ambiance
1
Ideation Statements
2
Literature Review
3
Workshop Planning
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Problem statements received from internal clients.
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"How might we" ideation statements were created through discussions and literature review.
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Research in areas of the problem statement and creativity were studied.
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Suitable ideation techniques and experimental elements were identified.
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Suitable venues for conducting the workshop were decided, and the ambiance was set up.
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Participants were recruited based on decided selection criteria.
1
Literature Review
2
Workshop Planning
3
Ideation Workshops
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Research in areas of creativity, innovation and ideation were studied.
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Different elements were identified and learnt.
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Through discussions within the internal team, ideation workshops were planned.
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Identified elements would be experimented with, progressively.
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Several ideation workshops were conducted incorporating all the identified elements.
4
Ideation Workshops
5
Participant Feedback
6
Documentation
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Several ideation workshops were planned and conducted.
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Several elements were progressively incorporated into the workshop routines.
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Participant behaviours were observed. Their feedback was elicited.
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The suitable intensity and impact of the elements on their ideation were sought.
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All findings were documented into a research repository.
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Ideas were documented, for further conceptualisation.
4
Observations
5
Participant Feedback
6
Documentation
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Participant behaviours were observed.
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Focus was on the before and the after of their interaction with the introduced elements.
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The feedback of participants was elicited.
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The suitable intensity and impact of the elements on their ideation were sought.
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All findings were documented, in a research repository.
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These would serve to contributions to future and research and publications.
Tasks
Outcomes
The key tasks I was involved with :
Survey
Design
Report
Design
Insight
Derivation
Statistical
Analysis
Interface & Connect
Report Integration
Affinity Mapping
Report Integration
Tasks were carried out with Microsoft Office software, whiteboarding platforms and in-house research tools.
Analysed reports were presented to C-suite management & unit leadership.
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Upcoming training programme to be attuned as per learnings and suggestions from reports.
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Management praised the reports. Key takeaways to be incorporated into organisation and talent strategy.
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Creative Ideas were sought to extend the positive experience of associates beyond onboarding.
Tasks
Outcomes
My key tasks were:
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Conducting literature review
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Planning the ideation workshops end-to-end
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Curating content and routine for ideation
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Setting up the workshop venues and ambiance
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Facilitating activities during the workshops
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Documenting all observations and ideas
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Gathering feedback from participants
The team routinely conducts ideation workshops and sessions. The learnings from the experiments continue to be incorporated and expanded upon.
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Ideation playbook with series of guidelines was developed for planning and setting up ideation activities.
Lego Bricks for Ideation & Prototyping
Ideating upon learning and building servicescapes with Lego bricks
Context
Lego Serious Play is a methodology for the use of Lego blocks in creative and design practice. Taking cues from the methodology, a series of Lego-based ideation workshops were conducted for problems pertaining to education and employee upskilling.
Lego bricks can also be used to depict physical constructs. This approach was explored to prototype concepts in fashion retail and the metaverse.
Process : Lego Workshops
1
Icebreaker Intros
2
Lego Short Film
3
Ideation Statements
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An icebreaker question was posed to the group.
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Participants were asked to introduce themselves.
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Clippings from an animated Lego film about the themes of the ideation statement were shown.
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This aimed to familiarise the participants with Lego bricks.
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The problem was presented.
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The ideation statements were shared.
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A group discussion followed.
Process : Lego bricks for Ideation
1
Ideation Rounds
2
Lego Ideation
3
Feedback & Conclusion
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Rules for the ideation were instructed.
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Participants expressed ideas via sticky notes.
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A group discussion followed.
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Lego bricks were introduced.
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Participants were directed to build their ideas with Lego bricks.
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A group discussion followed.
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Participant feedback was sought.
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Ideas from workshops were documented.
Process : Lego bricks for Prototyping
1
Lego Language
2
Lego Prototyping
3
Feedback & Conclusion
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A language of Lego buildings was established.
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These were to be used by participants to create servicescapes of fashion retail spaces.
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Multiple servicescapes for fashion retail were designed.
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Servicescape concepts were evaluated along relevant parameters.
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Participant feedback was sought.
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All concepts were documented.
Tasks
Outcomes
My key tasks were :
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Planning the ideation workshops end-to-end.
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Curating the content and routine for ideation.
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Recruiting suitable participants for workshops.
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Setting up the workshop venues and ambiance.
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Facilitating activities during the workshops.
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Documenting all ideas and concepts.
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Gathering feedback from participants.
Lego bricks are an active tool in the team’s design and research practice.
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Ideas documented from workshops were developed into service concepts, in line with the problem statements of business units.
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Lego artefacts incorporated into office interiors to express innovation spirit to visiting clients.
