Role
Project: Teamlead & Member
Video: Screenplay, Executive Producer, Regisseur & Postproduktion
Team
6 team members
Duration
Summersemester 2023
9 weeks
Tools
Languages
Englisch, Deutsch
Ersti-Experience
Overview
In the „Design Thinking“ lecture, our team worked on a project centered around the theme Commitment. The theme was deliberately kept open-ended and reduced to a single word: Commitment.
Through brainstorming sessions, we formulated hypotheses about this word and underwent a comprehensive Design Thinking process utilizing various creative methods to progress from our initial problem statement towards a potential solution.
As a culmination, one of our tasks involved creating a video that presented both the problem and our developed solution through storytelling.
We documented the entire process on a Miro board, collaborating together as we worked through it.
Solution
How-Might-We
How can we redesign the time between events on the first day for „Ersti’s“ so that they can better connect and simultaneously become familiar with the university campus to make it easier for them to commit to their studies.
Potential Solution
Our solution is an engaging „Ersti“-experience with a scavenger hunt featuring various stations across the university campus. This provides new freshmen with the opportunity to interact with each other and become better acquainted with the campus.
Solutionvideo
Observe
Phase 2
- Persona
- Customer Journey Map
Define
Phase 3
- How-Might-We Question
- Storytelling
Ideation
Phase 4
- Brainstorming
- Dot-Voting
Prototyping
Phase 5
- Service Blueprint
- Concept of Art
Testing
Phase 6
- Testing Sheet
- Feedback Capture Grid
Understand
Phase 1
- Problem Statement
- Sematic Analysis
- Expolarative Interview
Hypothese
New students at Hochschule Aalen face challenges in getting to know students from higher semesters.
Especially on the „First Day“ at Hochschule Aalen, new students find it challenging to make new contacts during the welcome events.
1
Understand
Problem Statement &
Semantic Analysis
Based on our insights into the theme of „Commitment,“ we formulated various hypotheses. After several iterations of the method, we settled on an appropriate problem statement.
Explorative Interviews
To understand the user and their problem, we conducted a variety of exploratory interviews. The key findings were clustered to gain an overview of the problems, ideas, and desires.
2
Observe
Persona
With our collected insights from the exploratory interviews, we were able to create a persona that represents our users. This involved summarizing the needs, goals, and challenges of the users, helping us empathize with and better understand their situation.
Customer Journey Map
The Customer Journey Map helped us examine the user experience comprehensively and identify pain points. After understanding the individual problems, we were able to use the map to implement measures aimed at promoting positive experiences in each phase of the journey.
Define
3
How-Might-We
In this phase, we aimed to transform the challenges and problems of the users into opportunities to develop potential solutions. We contemplated how we could assist the user with their problem as we delved into the How-Might-We question.
Storytelling
During the storytelling method, we were able to present a wealth of user information in an understandable way, thereby fostering empathy and understanding for the user. The end of the Define phase is intended to provide us with a comprehensive understanding of the overall problem our users face, having gathered as much input as possible during the interviews.
4
Ideate
Brainstorming & Dotvoting
During the brainstorming session, we rapidly generated a variety of ideas. Subsequently, we categorized these ideas using Dot Voting to filter out the most promising approaches, which we then delved into and developed further.
5
Prototype
Service Blueprint
After the Dot Voting, we settled on a scavenger hunt with various stations and proceeded to refine and develop this idea further.
Using the Service Blueprint method, we were able to visualize interactions and touchpoints between users and „service providers.“ Subsequently, we analyzed key actions and identified potential issues.
6
Testing
Testing Sheet
In the testing sheet, we systematically documented the testing process and our approach. This allowed us to gather insights into how well our solution resonates with users.
Reflection
As a team, we gathered both challenging and enjoyable experiences. In the first phase, we had to repeat and iterate on some methods, helping us understand the value behind truly grasping the user’s problem.
During prototyping and testing, we had a lot of fun and a sense of fulfillment as the project steadily progressed. The team became more cohesive, and everyone got to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Personally, I learned a great deal about team communication, especially the importance of ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Each team member should be able to see the status of the project work, their assigned tasks, and deadlines. This significantly facilitates teamwork.
Since we initially struggled with a lack of structure, a key insight is the importance of thorough project planning in advance. Providing space for mutual understanding has been crucial in avoiding misunderstandings. Every voice should be heard impartially and treated with respect.
I’ve learned that it’s crucial to allow ideas to flow freely, but at the same time, it’s important to interrupt discussions at the right moments. Creativity should have room to flourish, but the goal should not be lost sight of.