Workshop Title
The learner is expected to develop creative ideas with better solutions to new challenges
The learner is expected to develop creative ideas with better solutions to new challenges
- Duration: 4 hours
The listener is expected to be familiar with the concept of improving creative thinking. The listener should be able to:
– present a combination of knowledge and resources to find the idea
– describe the methods to develop creativity
– formulate effective approaches to identify the correct solutions for a challenge
This workshop covers 2 activities. The first action concerns defining the impact of creativity on the generation of new solutions, product concepts or services. In the following part, the structure and possibilities of using a product / service usability map for the buyer, a useful tool for generating economic value of a given business idea, will be discussed.
This workshop is designed to familiarize students with the ability to improve creative thinking. The belief that creativity cannot be learned is often repeated – you either have it or you don’t. This means that individuals are creative by nature and that others are completely creative. This is obviously a big simplification. It is true that there are people who are more predisposed to think creatively, are inventive and perceptive. However, the creative approach needs to be improved, thus stimulating the creation of new ideas and the perception of market opportunities. Two exercises are planned. The first one is an introductory one, during which participants will be able to creatively approach the development of an existing enterprise on the local market. On the basis of the second exercise, the participants will learn the rules of building a product / service usability map. Particularly attractive ideas are those that can be applied simultaneously in several areas. For example, the implementation of a new product is accompanied by a completely new way of reaching customers from a given target market with information. Further, in-depth analysis of the product / service usability map, deepened in the course of a discussion in a group of listeners, will allow for the exploration of deep layers of creativity for a given business idea.
The workshops will enable entrepreneurs to learn about and improve their creative thinking skills. Moreover, gaining the ability to develop a product / service usability map and its analysis and drawing constructive conclusions will be a big challenge for an entrepreneur or future entrepreneurial adepts.
Step by step instructions for the preparation and implementation of the workshop
Step 1: Introduction to what is the improvement of creative thinking, leading to the identification of a business idea / business idea that will be further developed and will be further operationalized. (PPT).
Step 2: Give participants the worksheet (Appendix 0.2) and ask them to fill out.
Step 3: Give them 15′ to give you the essence of creativity.
Step 4: On the basis of any but specific local market, the students describe the operating models of the selected company / companies in terms of the profile and breadth of the product offer, price level, opening hours, size of the premises, method of service, etc.
Step 5: Conduct a discussion whether it is possible to identify and create new solutions, which, however, will be realistic and achievable in the scope of the analyzed example / examples of companies operating on the local market. Justify.
Step 1: Brief presentation of the construction and application of the product usability map (Appendix 0.3)
Step 2: Problem to be solved: Determining the potential dependencies between the sphere of product usability and the sphere of phases of the buyer’s experience cycle with the product.
Step 3: Divide the audience into groups. In the group, a person should be identified who will act as a leader – manager.
Step 4: Assign a wall or panel area to each group and provide the necessary materials (markers, paper, flipcharts, sticky notes, any other poster material). You can encourage participants to use the materials they have with them.
Step 5: Based on the assumptions from exercise 1 (step 4), the participants choose a model of operation of a specific company from the local market. Then they establish (identify) the relationships between the sphere of product utility and the sphere of phases of the buyer’s experience cycle with the product on an individual basis. For this purpose, graphic symbols can be used, which are presented in the form of a legend in the attached example for ease of use (Appendix 0.4)
After the product utility map has been developed individually by the members of a given task group, a uniform position of the whole group should be established. This is where the active role of the group leader will be needed.
Step 6: After the time has elapsed, ask each group to read the product usability maps developed, ask questions to their authors, and explore the results of the study. They should compile notes so that they can prepare for the discussion stage. (30′)
Step 7: Set aside 45′ for the final brainstorming session between all groups.
Step 8: End with a discussion on the possibility of creating products or their specific features that will constitute a distinctive offer on a given market.
For practicing this side of developing the creativity of future entrants or entrepreneurs, it is advisable to develop at least some examples of creative solutions.
Resources
Training rooms, pens, paper, flipchart, colorful markers, sticky notes, projector
