Beyond the post-its: Taking a human-centred approach to strategy development

Over the years I have heard the good, the bad and the weird when it comes to people’s perceptions of Design Thinking and Service Design (like the client who told me Design Thinking was just problem-solving for people in wide-rimmed glasses and Chuck Taylor sneakers). But one of the most common questions I get asked is: how to take this approach out of the training room, or the one-day workshops, and apply it to something fundamental - such as the development of organisational strategy?

As I leap into a new project for a public entity, I thought I’d experiment with opening the process up for those curious about how to take a human-centred approach to creating strategy but are unsure where to start. To share the recipe that can be used in a range of scenarios and organisations to design the future with, not just for, the people who matter the most (your team, customers, partners, and communities).

Over the next two months, I will be working alongside a regional council to help them co-design their IT strategy with their internal stakeholders. This will ensure they deliver what the organisation needs of them in a way that fosters collaboration and alignment.  We will go through the full Design Thinking process as per this adaptation of the British Design Council’s Double Diamond Approach:

So, if you’re up for it, follow along while I cover off:

• Building the case for an alternative (and more human approach)

• Devising the plan

• Conducting empathy interviews

• Theming insight

• Co-designing solutions

• Building the strategy

• Getting the team on board

• Measuring the outcome

And if you have any questions, sing out!

Stay tuned….