Strategy design
Business model innovation
Creative facilitation
Co-creating future-proof strategies and business models, while infusing a Design Thinking mindset
Multiple projects while working for
Business Models Inc - project details are confidential.
Strategy & Experience Designer
January 2019 - present
Clients included multinational organizations in software, retail, automotive, food services & telecom.
Product & Innovation strategy
Business Model Innovation
Design Research
Experience Design
Co-innovation
Creative Facilitation
Prototyping & Validation
Coaching & training
Challenges
The clients’ aim of creating future-proof strategies and business models variated in defining and activating a shared vision within their organization, creating and accelerating new value propositions or business models, or co-creating strategies and business models with their partners and/or clients with a human-centered approach.
To adapt the design thinking mindset and innovation skills and methods within the organization, we often applied a ‘learning by doing’ mentality – functioning as the sherpas of clients in the explorative journey of innovation and design. When organizations wanted to share the mindset with a broader range of people than only their core team, we designed and facilitated tailored accelerators, innovation masterclasses or online learning experiences.
During projects, I was responsible for strategy design, creative facilitation, user research, experience design, prototyping and validation.
Approach
Our approach
WACKER
accelerator
WACKER, an international chemical manufacturer based in Germany, wanted to challenge the status quo and find new future-proof business models while educating the next generation of innovators in design thinking tools, skills, and mindset.
To do this, the Silicon Valley Challenge (SVC) was initiated. We designed the four-week accelerator program including a series of training workshops, inspirational Silicon Valley company visits, webinars, and daily coaching sessions. Next to these activities, the participants had to work on new business models. Throughout the program, our goal was to help participants become comfortable with uncertainty and design thinking, challenge their point of view and help them understand the broader context of WACKER and their customers. Out of 350 applicants, 19 employees were selected and formed 3 multi-disciplinary, cross-organizational teams.
Result
After four weeks of ideation, prototyping, validation and multiple iterations facilitated by me and two colleagues, the teams had generated 300+ ideas, 14 initial business models, and 4 validated business models. The journey ended in Germany, where the three teams pitched their business models to a group of “sharks” made up of WACKER’s board. The results were clear: three out of four business models were resourced. More importantly, the participants became true ambassadors of innovation, with many valuable learning experiences in their pocket ready to share with their colleagues.
Strategy design program
We collaborated with one of the world’s largest home furnishing company. The aim was to first co-create a shared vision statement with different function leads of their retail business. Secondly, the aim was to co-create horizon-3 value propositions in line with this shared vision, with a human-centered approach.
Approach
With a team of four Strategy Designers across offices of BMI worldwide, I designed and facilitated a 2-day strategy design program. I co-designed the flow of the two days, adapted our tools and methods towards the aim of the program and designed stimuli to trigger participants in the right way. Additionally, I facilitated one of the teams in their design process during the two-day program. Elements of the 2-day strategy design program were:
- Understanding current business model
- Designing vision for 2025
- Ideation and clustering of opportunity areas
- Customer discovery
- Value proposition & business model design
- Strategic storytelling
An example of a tool we used while defining the vision is the Cover Story. This tool helps teams to think of what role they want to play in the future, for their customers or stakeholders. It challenges people to think beyond the realm of the known and safe. This is one of the Cover Stories I designed based on insights derived from stakeholder interviews upfront the 2-day program. It functioned as an inspirational trigger during the Vision Definition part of the program, and was afterwards shared on Linkedin by one highly inspired participant.
Result
The result of the project was a shared language and strategy between different functional groups within the retail organization. This vision was visualized in a Vision illustration highlighting 5 strategic focus areas for future value creation. Additionally, we accelerated 3 business opportunities with a revolutionary mindset (instead of an evolutionary mindset, which was used before). Finally, the client will use our approach and methodologies for other function groups.
Conclusion
As a designer working for BMI, I sharpened my pencils in user research, prototyping and validation. Also, I became experienced in creative facilitation of teams -- whether it is facilitating project teams in creating future value propositions or training entrepreneurs and corporates to use Business Model Innovation and Design Thinking methodologies. During projects, my colleagues and clients very much appreciated my strong point-of-view, my contagious enthusiasm regarding Design Thinking and my thoughtfulness in connecting the dots through my designs.
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