S PA R K I N G C O L L A B O R AT I O N T H R O U G H C R E AT I V E P L AY

B U R N I N G D O W N T H E B L O C K S !

C A R O LY N C H A N D L E R A N N A VA N S L E E

HELLO, IT’S NICE TO MEET YOU.

@chanan @adventuringanna

L E T ’ S G O O N A N # A D V E N T U R E

SPONGE SPARK SPLATTER SCULPT STORYTELL

Choose a design challenge and immerse in the related context. What do you want to make better? For who?

Take insights from Sponge. Define your audience and their needs. Generate the solution idea you want to design.

Brainstorm multiple ideas (quantity over quality). Explore possible features and content. !

Form and refine your solution with user insights and design strategy. !

Express the importance and meaning of your solution.

HERE IS OUR ADVENTURE MAP:

L E T ’ S P L AY !

• Problem: Barriers to Group Co-Creation

• Solution: Collaboration Strategies

• In Practice: Spark-A-Thon!

• Tips, Tricks & Hacks

( A G E N D A )

Barriers to Collaboration and Co-Creation:

• Departmental Silos

• Generation Gaps

• Power Distances

W E ’ V E G O T P R O B L E M S

D E PA R T M E N TA L S I L O SOne person = One role = One great way to stifle creativity

G E N E R AT I O N G A P SFrom WiFi to Hi-Fi, we’ve got some differences to overcome.

P O W E R D I S TA N C E SPressure to perform can be murder on creativity

K E E P C A L M & C O L L A B O R AT EStrategies to Maximize “Group Think” Dynamics:

• Focused Challenges

• Abductive Logic

• Play

F O C U S E D C H A L L E N G E SAdding and removing constraints can force a game-changing

perspective shift in your perspective on a problem.

A B D U C T I V E L O G I CNothing gets the creative juices flowing like a non sequitur.

P L AYPlay is practice for the real world, but without the consequences

T H E S PA R K - A - T H O N

S PA R K - A - T H O N T Y P E AThe Problem-Finding Spark-a-Thon encourages bigger-picture thinking and involves field exploration

( L E T ’ S S TA RT O N E N O W… )

R E M E M B E R M A D L I B S ?

• Shout out some Activities!

• Next, give us some User Types!

• Finally, let’s have some Improvements!

I F Y O U A R E D O I N G T H I S F O R W O R K , M A K E S U R E T O I N C L U D E S O M E E L E M E N T S T H AT A R E R E L E VA N T T O T H E P R O B L E M Y O U W A N T T O S O LV E .

Spark Frame

Make this activity...

Considering these problems...

Considering these problems...

improved in this way (more, less...) for these people:

we’ll spark solution ideas by asking:

CHALLENGE

SPARK

SOLUTION IDEAS

S TA R T Y O U R A S S U M P T I O N S !

Break into teams of 2-4 with the folks around you and discuss your Challenge.

What is good about this situation now? What’s broken?

What do you think are the most urgent problems to solve?

W H E N Y O U ’ R E D O I N G T H I S F O R - R E A L S Y, C O M M I T T O A M U LT I - D AY A F FA I R .

M A K E T I M E F O R I N T R O S P E C T I O N

G E T O U T I N T H E F I E L D

I N S U M M A R Y…

The Problem-Finding Spark-a-Thon is good when your team is jumping to solutions too quickly.

It encourages bigger-picture thinking and involves field exploration. It helps with building a more collaborative team culture around ideating.

Think 80% play and 20% work.

S PA R K - A - T H O N T Y P E BThe Problem-Solving Spark-a-Thon develops collaborative creation and idea refinement

P R O V I D E C O N S T R A I N T S

Spa Day Planner (Hypothetical Challenge)

Hosted parties are a common approach that our consultants use to share their passion for products, and to gain new customers. Our company and its consultants have a business goal to increase the number of parties hosted. !However, encouraging non-consultants to host parties can sometimes be difficult due to: !• Scheduling difficulties • Reluctance of potential guests to attend a “product-centric” party • Other reasons?

Challenge: Design a party-scheduling tool that also helps overcome other obstacles that may interfere with attendance. !

Spa Day Planner: Personas

Patricia the Planner (32) Patricia is an avid explorer of her city - if you go to a fest in the summer, you’ll probably run in to her. She’s also the magnet that draws her friends together. About once a month, she tries to plan a get-together.

Patricia really likes the idea of doing double-duty, supporting her friend (who is a consultant for the company) and hosting a spa event that will draw out her friends. As a vegan, she’s also interested in our products herself, but hasn’t tried them yet.

Goals

• Find or host interesting events - ones that will get several of her friends together.

• Be a supportive friend.

• Have an event that she can host with minimal work, so she can enjoy the party itself. !Frustrations

• It’s so hard to get friends to commit! Everyone has such busy schedules, and many of Patricia’s friends have kids, so they have to arrange for babysitters or work with their spouse’s schedules. Patricia feels like she spends most of her time negotiating dates, or trying to think of events that will really get friends interested and excited.

• Patricia is worried that some of her friends may feel pressured to come to a party where products are being sold.

R O L E - P L AY

G E N E R AT E I D E A S

C H O O S E T H E B E S T T O G E T H E R

S H O W O F F Y O U R S T U F F

I N S U M M A R Y…

The Problem-Solving Spark-a-Thon is good when your team has trouble expanding on ideas and then choosing the best - saying no to the rest.

It encourages team decision-making and provides guidance on navigating the uncomfortable aspects of criticism.

Think 50% play and 50% work.

T I P S , T R I C K S & H A C K S :

• These exercises can be used together, or separately

• Try a play warm-up to get people “in the mood”

• Solicit ideas both coming into the activity (or have some pre-prepared), and after it’s over

T H A N K Y O U !Y O U ’ V E B E E N A R E A L T R O O P E R !

@chanan @adventuringanna