Design Thinking Client Workshops


A big part of my role as a design consultant was to facilitate IBM Design Thinking engagements. These workshops help clients considering their business problems from a user-centric view, which reaults in better outcomes for customers and the business. While design thinking isn’t exclusive to a workshop, it is an environment that accelerates the process. 


Highlights:

  • Facilitated 60+ engagements including outcomes-based workshops, innovation initiatives and enablement sessions.
  • Educated 1,800+ people including client executives, product managers, development leads, marketing professionals, salespeople, and designers in design thinking methods. 
  • 30+ clients involved including OLAM, Google, AK Steel, BMW, Eli Lilly, BioRad, Hanover Insurance, AT&T, US Bank, Pepsico, Celestica, Nationwide, and State Farm.
  • Influenced $191M+ in sales, all of which is directly correlated to successful design thinking workshops with the client.




Workshop Design Process:

  1. Vet the Opportunity. I work with sponsors to identify the right problem area and do a stakeholder mapping activity to ensure we’re focused on the right users in their ecosystem. Then we work together to re-frame the business problem from a user-centric view in a design prompt.

     

  2. Make a Plan. After working with sponsors to define workshop outcomes, I craft an an agenda of design thinking activities to drive us from A to B. Custom activities are made if needed to solve a more complex problem.

  3. Find the Right People. Once a problem scope, user base, and agenda is defined, it’s all about getting the right people in the room. Diverse teams bring the perspective needed to solve complex problems. I push to have sponsored users, line of business reps, and IT/delivery in the room to co-create. 

  4. In-person Workshop. In the workshop, I guide participants through a set of activities to reach intended outcomes. I consult and ask guiding questions to help participants dig deeper. 

  5. Pivot! More often then not, workshops bring to light areas of tension, assumptions, and un-answered questions. If something’s not working, we adjust the agenda to course correct or follow new ideas.

  6. Debrief + Strategize Workflow. Participants always leave the workshop with an action plan, but sometimes it’s hard to take the leap into actual production. I help teams transition from strategic work to tactical implementation when needed. 





Testimonials:


“The data uncovered and the relationships developed during this week has tremendous value to IBM and the team as we move forward on this journey.”
– John G, Project Manager for large finance account

“Our client extended the contract until April 2021.  This puts us at an advantage to go after their SAP business (targeting $24M). Value add activities like DT Sessions was one of the reasons they want to expand the partnership with IBM.” 
– Pradeep R, Partner & Director


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