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ESADE Leading Futures: Design Thinking Workshop

Learning to use process oriented methodologies to solve business cases

Year: 2016

Video made by fellow Esadean Tarun Thomas

What is The Leading Futures Conference?

Leading Futures is an annual, student-led, case competition and conference held at the ESADE campus in Barcelona which takes in November. Leading Futures is composed of two separate events: the case competition and the conference. In 2016 we supported the case competitions with design thinking workshops to demonstrate alternative problem solving methodologies for innovation.  

Why Design Thinking and Lean Methodology Workshops?

An innovation themed annual summit meant two of the criteria's for judging was showing innovation and understanding the problem. We ran a half-day design thinking workshop a month prior to the main event. As well as mini design thinking workshops during the conference for mini case competitions.

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Purpose:

  • To expose and demonstrate the power of design thinking or lean methodology to first year students.

  • Lead the students through innovative problem solving for their business cases that were presented on the final day.

Team

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My Role:

  • Plan and organise all workshops in October, prior to main day, including recruiting instructors and volunteers, communication with students, materials, content and day off logistics.

  • Support the main Leading Futures Conference and workshops during event.

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Challenges

  • We started planning in June and expected 30 students but 100 registered by end date - 4 weeks prior to event 

  • Get buy-in and help from stakeholders for an internal facing event versus the external summit the workshop supported. 

  • Find instructors for both workshop day and main conference.

  • Find appropriate free space for 4 workshops.

  • Keep up student motivation a month before the main Summit.

  • Find volunteers to assist and run event.

Planning

Creating information packages for both instructors and students
Build ESADE brand. Contact and generate leads for instructors. 
Generate interest for workshops including video to showcase for future
Recruiting and organising volunteers
Coordinating photography, supplies, promotional materials and gifts
Setup & Clean up Event

OUTCOME - DAY of WORKSHOPS

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4 Service Theme oriented workshops to highlight the importance of understanding and empathy:

  1. Design a personalised entertainment device for adults run by Bharat Sharma. 

  2. How can you make the lounging and relaxing experience better for Esade MBA students run by Marlene Kirchner .

  3. How can you make the cafeteria and food experience better in the MBA building run by Mike Counihan.

  4. How to improve a blind person’s experience attending an event at Esade run by Farwah Tapal & Farah Haddad.

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Photography by ESADE Photographer

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