Tyrenny Anderson currently leads an initiative to test WINCan workplace resources and insights within academic institutions (with the Director of Service Transformation at an Ontario university). She is also heads the WINCan’s Knowledge Synthesis on Intrapreneurship Capability. As a professional coach and business advisor, Tyrenny designs and facilitates workshops on Human-Centred Design and Design Thinking. She also currently serves as a Guest Lecturer in Innovation courses for the Rotman School of Management, an Entrepreneur Coach for Ryerson University’s Social Venture Zone, and a Corporate Member of Angel Investors Ontario.
Post-secondary institutions are acknowledging the need to prepare students for a rapidly changing work world that requires graduates who are ready to engage effectively with innovation, in their workplaces and in their other roles as community members and global citizens. Part of this effort to enable students for the future of work starts within educational institutions themselves. It is a prerequisite for developing innovative programs and offerings that we first adopt innovation practices within our own organizations. Consequently, collaborations across higher education institutions are embarking on widespread transformation initiatives to shift the way we think, and work, in order to foster a culture of agility and openness to new ideas.
In the current age of disruption, it seems as though everything is getting reimagined. Innovation is the buzz word of the day and gets interpreted and perhaps, unfairly assigned, to every new initiative. In many places, those working in Higher Education are being encouraged to adopt this affection for reinvention. While there is certainly room for significant change in many organizations, such undertakings should be met with a heavy dose of awareness about the amount of work it takes to truly transform any community.
One of the current trends in the realm of innovation work is the use of design inspired methodologies. These varied schools of practice pull from the realm of design and apply different tools to solve all sorts of problems. As designers embrace iteration, it is no surprise that there are now multiple methodologies that are closely related such as Human Centred Design, Design Thinking, Business Design, UX (User Experience) Design, EX (Employee Experience) Design, Service Design…and the list goes on.
With this context in mind, it is important not to get too caught up in the nuance of each approach, but to understand the common principles behind this type of work. Stanford’s D school outlines six principles of Design Thinking that are an excellent place to start when becoming familiar with this realm.[1] In this post, I will walk you through three of the six principles and point to some insights related to implementing them within the context of one Higher Education institution’s Service Transformation project.
Principle: Human-centered
Being truly human-centred is all about empathy. It is trying to see everything you are creating and changing from the perspective of the user. How will they experience a change in policy or process? What are the implications for them? This directly mirrors the “What’s in it for me?” response that is so common from participants of a change initiative. As transformation is the idea that true change begins with the individuals themselves, it is essential to begin by understanding what people need to move things forward.
In the realm of Higher Education as in many other contexts, it is important not to oversimplify the understanding of what people need. Developing an in-depth understanding of what people are thinking and feeling is no easy feat, and can only be achieved if leaders are truly open to all feedback, both positive and negative. Employees must feel safe to speak their truths in a constructive manner so that they are empowered to take ownership of transformation initiatives. Basically, every interaction can be seen as an opportunity to practice a desired transformed culture and used as an opportunity for growth.
Potential barriers to being truly human-centred include confirmation bias: seeking out information that confirms your assumptions, and reinforcing antiquated culture norms.
During any transformation process it is useful for each individual to ask themselves the following question, while acknowledging that the goal is merely continuous improvement not perfection. “Were my actions and behaviour truly motivated by what others need or were there other influencing factors steering my decisions?”
Principle: Radical Collaboration
Another word that is in vogue at the moment is “collaboration”. But what does it look like to work collaboratively in a way that is effective and, in the case of Design Thinking, even radical? This principle is based on the concept of valuing and leveraging diversity of thought. In the purest instances of enacting this principle, everyone involved in creating a solution has provided their input, and all input is seen as valuable.
In the context of Higher Education, it may be necessary to neutralize perceptions of hierarchy of position or intellect in order to perpetuate the free flow of new and bold ideas. Again, this is a seemingly simple concept that can be difficult to enact in practice. From my experience, it is best to pilot this principle by arranging opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and then gathering feedback about what went well or didn’t to enhance future efforts.
Principle: Culture of Prototyping
Embracing a culture of prototyping can be one of the most difficult things for any organization to adopt. It can feel like such a different way of working to try to make ideas tangible in a way that is iterative. In educational institutions, this effort can sometimes be muddied by a propensity to edit and/or correct documents. In such cases, the focus is upon the content of what is being created and not on the higher-level idea that is being evaluated. Simple adjustments, such as spending less time in front of screens and more time mocking up concepts, ideas and plans on whiteboards or paper, can help break habits of working in a habitual and less agile manor.
The Reciprocal Role of the Individual
In incorporating all of these, perhaps new and different, ways of working into an organization, there is one essential precursor for success; individuals must take personal responsibility for their part in the change. While providing support and capacity building to the community is essential, there will be disappointing results if there is a lack of community buy-in or effort. My belief is that truly embracing the noble ethos behind human-centred design methodologies will motivate and inspire all those involved. This must, however, be paired with the hard work and commitment of anyone who is part of the transformation. Only then will everyone reap the rewards of a more innovative and impactful institution.
References
[1] Stanford D School website https://dschool-old.stanford.edu/groups/k12/wiki/51de2/Design_Thinking_Principles_Process_and_Methods.html