the
workshop
workshop
discovering client insights
#2
discovery
exercises
the
workshop
workshop
Guidebook #1:
Empathy Exercises
Guidebook #2:
Discovery Exercises
Guidebook #3:
Brainstorming and Prototyping
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5 discovery tools
to uncover deep insights
Exercises included in this workbook:
Story Telling
Observations
Discovery Exercise
Expression Cards
Ishikawa Diagramming
Captivating your audience by sharing
experiences and stories.
Decoding observations to find clues into
your clients emotions and motivations.
Help your audience engage by priming
them with pre-prepared insights.
Give your audience a voice and help
them find hidden inspirations.
Use the “5-Whys” to find the root causes
of your clients challenges.
storytelling
insights
Effective storytelling can help create memorable engagements and experiences. Following
a simple format, you can craft “sticky” stories that make a lasting impact and foster deeper,
personal connections with the people you interact with personally and professionally.
instructions
Begin to develop stories from your experience at One Workplace that can be used in your
engagements with clients as well as when you talk about the work you do with acquaintances,
friends and family. Make sure to incorporate these elements into your stories to make sure
people CARE about your stories:
- Tell RELEVANT stories and have a PURPOSE for telling them
- Appeal to EMOTIONS (surprise, humor, sadness etc.)
- Use stories to INSPIRE thought or encourage ACTION
tips/advice
- *PRO TIP* Stories can be a combination of multiple experiences.
That doesn’t make them untrue!
- Harvard Business Review : How to Tell a Great Story
https://hbr.org/2014/07/how-to-tell-a-great-story/
- TED Talk: Andrew Stanton, The Clues to a Great Story
https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_stanton_the_clues_to_a_great_story
Emotion
Time
Adapted from the “Empathy Field Guide” Hasso Plattner School of Design
observations
insights
Design thinking is a human centered approach to problem solving. An approach driven by our
understanding of human behavior. Observation is one powerful technique for uncovering the
underlying motivations behind our many interrelated actions, interactions and behaviors.
instructions
Through observation you can directly record the things people say or do. This is a great first
step in inferring what those individuals might be feeling or thinking as they engage within a
space - providing us deeper insights into how we might solve their challenges.
- Create an observation log by inferring insights from these three questions:
-WHAT: What is the person doing in this scenario? What are the observable facts?
-HOW: How are they doing it? Is it difficult or easy? Is it rewarding or painful?
-WHY: Why are they doing it? What assumptions can we make about motivations?
alternatives
After observing an individual or group of people - ask them to draw a “Journey Map”
- Ask the individual(s) to plot out an emotional time line or arc - indicating high-points and low-points over time as they engaged with their environment or situation.
- Encourage the individual(s) to describe key moments or inflection points, to indicate
where they happen along the map, and to talk about their experience.
- Label these inflection points on the map and look for patterns or insights that might
be uncovered as you continue your observations.
discovery
exercises
insights
Discovery Exercises are an outstanding way to utilize key insights to encourage conversation,
identify patterns and help build consensus around ideas. You can begin with pre-planned
insights -or ask your participants to share their own!
instructions
Using mobile whiteboards or large printed documents, share your pre-planned insights with
participants.
- Read each statement and answer any questions that come up.
- Using magnets or colored stickers, give each participant a certain number of “votes”.
- Use different colors for “Agree”, “Disagree”, “Discuss More” etc....
- Give participants 5 minutes to read the statements more closely and cast their votes.
- When all votes have been cast, identify the statements that received the most interest.
- Facilitate a discussion about the results. Encourage as much conversation as possible. - Take lots of Notes and pictures of the activity.
- Follow-up w/ a document that summarizes the activity.
alternatives
- *PRO TIP* for small groups, give participants more votes to help establish patterns.
- Create interesting new voting category titles based on what you know of the group.
(ex: Blue = “power” vote. Purple = “This would be a game-changer”)
- If you have users representing different groups or departments, give them different colored votes to identify goals within sub-groups.
- Another option is to have the group generate their own insights or goals for the project. Do this if the pre-baked statements don’t apply to the project or situation.
expression
cards
insights
Bypass any agendas, or preconceived ideas about a project and help make engagement less
intimidating by introducing fun exercises such as Expression Cards. Use these tools to soften
barriers and gain sharp insights into the goals and fears of your clients.
instructions
Expression Cards act as subtle prompts that allow participants in this activity to share emotions,
perceptions, and desires in a safe and collaborative atmosphere. It also acts as a conversation
starter and re-frames discussions around the big picture.
-Ask participants to envision a scenario related to their challenge and to select 5 cards from the deck which visually represent the way that scenario makes them feel.
“Think about your current space”
“Think about the last time you collaborated on an assignment”
“Think about your ideal workplace/classroom/etc...”
-Ask participants to share their selections and why they made them.
alternatives
Gamify the process “Cards Against Humanity” style.
- Deal out 10 cards at random to each attendee.
- Identify one player to be the “Inquisitor”
- The inquisitor asks a similarly phrased question to those listed above.
- Each player selects one card from their deck that best matches how they feel about
the question and explains their selection.
- The Inquisitor selects the card they most agree with or are passionate about.
- Set aside all the “winning” cards and at the end of the game discuss any insights gained.
Adapted from the “5xWhys. Method First Handbook”
Brożyńska, Martyna; Kowal, Krzysztof; Lis, Anna; Szymczak,
ishikawa
diagramming
insights
Sometimes the underlying reason for an issue is hiding in plain sight. Consecutively asking
“why?” or “what?” is the root of a problem helps uncover a better understanding. This can be
especially true when trying to identify issues related to preferences, emotions, or instincts.
instructions
This exercise allows a safe and easy way to probe responses,to get past face-value
interpretations, and identify underlying issues.
- Using an Ishikawa or “fishbone” diagram identify one broad theme to address.
- On one end of the diagram indicate the problem.
- Ask “Why?” or “What?” causes that particular issue.
- Continue asking “Why?” or “What?” consecutively up to five times.
- Ask open ended questions such as:
“What do you mean by?”
“Why is that a problem?”
“Why does that occur?”
tips/advice
In order to carry out the 5-Why analysis properly, the following advice should be followed:
- Assess motivations, processes, and perceptions, not people.
- Ensure an atmosphere of trust and sincerity.
- Use paper or whiteboard instead of computers.
- Write down the problem and make sure that all people understand it.
- Distinguish causes from symptoms.
- Pay attention to the cause-and-effect relationship.
- Make sure that root causes lead to the problem by reversing the sentences
- State facts - don’t jump to conclusions.
workshop notes
the
workshop
workshop
#2
discovery
exercises
Additional exercises can be found in the following guidebooks
Guidebook #1:
Empathy Exercises
Guidebook #3:
Brainstorming and Prototyping
One Workplace
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