PERSONAL REPORT ON DESIGN THINKING

DAY 1
Today we had a workshop on Design Thinking in which the first activity conducted was of
self- assessment. In the Self Assessment activity, we were asked by our instructor to draw our
hands on the middle sheets of our register and in the left hand we were asked to write the
strengths we need and on the right side in the right hand, he told us to write the strengths
we have. This pattern was for the students who use their right hand the most because it
becomes a more powerful hand that is why we had to write the strengths we possess in the
right hand. The process was the opposite for people using the left hand more. For the left
hand, it goes like the highest finger defines the most important strength needed and the
lowest finger with the least important strength required, same is followed for the right
hand. Also, later it was discussed how one can attain the topmost required strength. This
helped us in knowing what skills are required and what skills do we have.
DAY 2

Design Thinking basically refers to the process of solving problems in a creative way by studying the
observations and empathising the needs of customers. Design thinking is an iteration between
Desirability, Feasibility and Viability.
Then the next activity followed was known as the Wallet/Shoe Assignment inwhichwe had to
either make a wallet or footwear for our friend sitting adjacent to oneself according to our
observation. This activity was to help us in understanding the process of design thinking and
it was not theoretically explained. The first step was only about taking some time and
observe the customer that is our friend and the problems related to the current product for
improvements after that trying to understand what they need with the further steps as
interpretation and articulation, idea generation/ solution, prototype and finally presentation.

For the first step observation, a ‘study of AS IS’ was taught which gave us the knowledge of
how to and what to observe in the organisation. In this study we need to find the answers
for the following:

 Activities of the department

 Existing system and process
 Customer touchpoints (where customers interact with your brand, services, products)
 Technology being presently used to make things easier for the customers
 Gaps that exist (problems and possibilities)
Lastly seeing the canvas on a chart paper using post-its which includes the list of our
observations from the organisation in the form of clusters observations.
Empathy means to understand what others are feeling, how they see things summed up as
standing in someone else’s shoes. This was important to know what the organisation and its
stakeholders feel. The procedure of Empathy involved interviewing the stakeholders by using
techniques of the 5W and 1H of Kaizen and for digging deeper using 7 whys.
As after getting the required knowledge about the design thinking area, we were assigned a
project in a team of six members and asked to select an organisation for the same. We were
provided with the tools for the project like sticky notes, chart paper. The sticky notes were
provided to write our observations individually and the chart papers were for making the
observation canvas and the empathy canvas with stakeholders’ persona and a customer’s
journey experience. Each of us had to observe and write at least 10 observations.

My team went to Westside, Singapore Mall and what I observed in the store which I find
very important was that it was in a very small area, approximately 4000 sq. ft. which made
the entire store conjusted and also the layout was not suitable. Although it had an updated
collection of apparels for e.g., since the winter season is arriving, so it had a good collection
of the winter stuff.
A

After visiting the field, the last day of our workshop we got the insights of how to create the
problem question for the organisation and methods of creating a solution for the problem
question.

So, for the question, we need to find out the main problem and frame the question for the same
using HMW that is ‘How Might We’

Our problem question was HOW MIGHT WE INCREASE THE FOOTFALL OF WESTSIDE, SINGAPORE
MALL DEPENDING UPON THE NUMBER OF FOOTFALL WHICH CURRENTLY IS 55 PERSON/PER DAY AND
WHICH IS TO BE RAISED TO 100 PERSON/PER DAY IN 6 MONTHS?

Then for the problem create a solution by using any of the following three methods

 Lateral solution
 Divergent solution
 SCAMPER
  LATERAL SOLUTION means choosing any random words, for example, we took words like
food, activity and sky as we were asked to choose 3 random words and after choosing
the random words create an idea for the solution keeping in mind the problem
question using the random word.

 DIVERGENT SOLUTION means selecting the major problems after discussing with the teammates
and creating an innovative solution using these main problems that are using the known.

 SCAMPER is an acronym for

 SUBSTITUTE: Using some other product in place of the product

that might be the reason for the problem.

 COMBINE: Combining one product with

anotherproduct/service.

 ADAPT: Using the techniques of other organizations to solve

the problem.

 MODIFY/MAGNIFY: Modifying or changing the product or

service.

 PURPOSE: what another purpose the product or service

can serve.

 ELIMINATE: what part of product can be eliminated to

make it better.

 REVERSE/REARRANGE: reversing the processing system

followed.

So, these were the three techniques which can be used for creating innovative solutions for the
framed problem question.

The last and the final step was creating a prototype for the problem in which we presented
a model showing how to increase the footfall in Westside, Singapore Mall by:

 Using youtube influencers to promote Westside.

 Collaborating with colleges to promote the awareness of brand.

 Using QR code payment system.

 Promotion during movie breaks.

 Digital display of apparels.

 Temporary trial rooms during festive seasons.

Which we presented in front of our respected faculty Reena Ma’am and guest faculty Rohit
Swarup
sir
This project was a very interesting project as it involved practical work and helped us for
connecting with our team members. It gave us the knowledge of how to observe even the
minute things in an organisation. It helped us in providing a solution to the organisation in a
very different, new and innovative way.