Design Thinking

Select

Deciding on a solution to prototype

Course Content for ENT3607 Innovation by Design - Syllabus

Design Thinking > How Might We > Team > Plan > Empathize > Synthesize > Reframe > Ideate > Select > Build > Pitch

Selecting the best solution to prototype is perhaps the most difficult task in Design Thinking. It’s a matter of balancing impact, feasibility, and viability!

Selection - Idea Filtering

It’s time to start filtering and selecting which ideas to consider seriously. In this activity, you begin to combine and narrow your ideas to converge on a solution. At this time, in addition to the impact of your solution, we start considering feasibility and viability in our decision process. Feasibility refers to whether or not the solution can be implemented in terms of technology, complexity and cost. Viability refers to whether or not the solution can be sustained once implemented.

Characteristics of an innovative solution:

  • It has an aspect that is novel/new - no one has ever done it before

  • It will have a significant impact on solving the problem

  • It is feasible to implement

  • It can be packaged as a product to sell (an invention, a service, an app, or a system)

  • You can identify the customer who you will sell it to (not necessarily your primary stakeholder)

  • You can identify how it will be financially sustained

First steps in Idea Filtering

Decide on the very best ideas that were generated through all of the ideation activities. Refer to the stars you placed on the best ideas in each exercise. Move those ideas into a “finalist” area of your whiteboard. You may want to keep this to the best 12 ideas.

Have a discussion to determine your favorite three ideas then dig into the activities below.

Conduct some desktop research to confirm that none of your top solutions have already been implemented by others. Remember in order to be innovative your idea has to be new and original.

The goal of selection is to decide on one solution to move ahead into prototyping, and to consider that solution in more detail.

Activities

  • Pitching the Top 3

    In-class team activity
    60 minutes

    Team members fill out an Idea Card for each of the top three solutions.

    Using large sheets of poster paper and markers, create an infographic for each of the top three ideas. Use there posters to pitch your ideas to classmates and stakeholders. Record their feedback.

    Discuss feedback with your team and decide which idea you wish to move forward for prototyping.

  • SCAMPER and Business Model Canvas

    In-class team activity
    30 minutes

    Apply the SCAMPER Ideation Tool to finalize your solution by considering all possible implementations and considerations.

    M‍ake note of the details for your final solution in a Specifications Guide that describes your solution in detail.

    Consider using a Business Model Canvas to evaluate your solution as a product. ‍

  • Stakeholder Value Map

    The final step of Ideation and Selection is to consider your solution from the perspective of your top stakeholders - including those that will be paying for the solution.

    A Stakeholder Value Map involves mapping the value exchanged between stakeholder groups and the solution. It is used to understand how stakeholders benefit from and contribute to the project. There are a variety of values that stakeholders can receive from or contribute to a project.

    Use a Stakeholder Value Map to measure your Stakeholders return on investment.

    Write the name of the solution idea your team came up with at the center of the map.

    In the circles surrounding the solution idea write the names of your stakeholders as identified on the stakeholder map in the Planning Stage.

    Use the boxes to note what each stakeholder contributes to the solution (money, reputation, safety, time, information, gratitude, etc) and what each stakeholder gets from the solution. Businesses call this Investment and Return on Investment.

    This information will be valuable for your final pitch.

Check your understanding of

  1. The final solution you decide on is based on a balance of impact, feasibility, and __________.

  2. Why is it important to conduct desk research when deciding on a solution.

  3. What is the Goal of the selection stage of Design Thinking?