This full-day workshop explores Design Thinking, a deeply human-centered methodology that taps into abilities we all have but that get overlooked by more ‘common’ problem-solving methods. This approach allows people (even non-designers) to use creative tools to address a myriad of different problem-solving or innovation challenges.

During the workshop we will go through Design Thinking modules that explore empathy techniques to connect with our audiences and to recover our natural ability to be intuitive, to be curious when we are new to something, to recognise patterns, to construct ideas that are emotionally meaningful as well as functional, and to express ourselves in visual ways. We will combine the two traditional paths to innovation (emotional/intuitive thinking and rational/analytical thinking) into this integrated ‘third way’ that Design Thinking offers.

Who should attend?

Anyone with an interest in connecting better with their audiences and/or who is keen in problem-solving and innovation. This workshop is recommended for those who are new to Design Thinking or those who already have some experience and would like to expand or brush-up their Design Thinking skills.

Learning outcomes:

• Empathy: how to have conversations with your audience (techniques on how to map your audience, how to observe behaviours and have meaningful conversations, persona mapping –pain, gains, etc)
• Definition: how to frame a ‘problem’ (or challenge) and define a game-changing opportunity
• Ideation: how to generate lots of ideas and choose one to go with! (using different ideation methods)
• Prototyping: how to ‘make’ a rapid-prototype to quickly test and learn (even failing quickly to recover fast)
• Testing: how to test and learn from potential users applying further empathy techniques
• Storytelling: how to summarise and learn from this innovation exercise to create more meaningful products/services/experiences.

About Raul:

Raul Sarrot is a designer, strategist and design coach who specialises in helping enterprises incorporate design into all areas of their organisations, from board discussions to brand creation, communication strategies, etc.

Raul offers a rich background as a multi-disciplinary designer, a strategist, a design thinking coach, and an academic lecturer and researcher. His experience has been forged over 25 years working alongside a wide range of commercial and not-for-profit clients in many countries the world.

Beyond leading Freshfish, his own boutique strategy and design studio, Raul is also a Design Thinking Coach for Better By Design (NZTE), the Chairman of AUT Communication Design Advisory Committee, a music composer, and a proud father of three girls!