Design Thinking

A Journey of Innovation (2016-2019)

The years spanning 2016 to 2019 were pivotal for our Atlanta-based User Experience team, as we immersed ourselves in the transformative realm of Design Thinking. Introduced to this paradigm-shifting concept by our esteemed Sr. Research Lead, Diana Horn, in November 2016, our subsequent exploration led to a revolutionary shift in our approach to problem-solving and innovation.

At its essence, Design Thinking is a collaborative process that engages multidisciplinary teams in the identification and validation of problems. For us, this meant partnering with cross-functional experts and customers who possessed an intimate understanding of business use cases. This collaborative ethos not only fueled our creativity but also laid the foundation for our subsequent success.

Recognizing the need for an expedited discovery process, we embraced design discovery sprints. These sprints propelled us into the realm of design exploration much sooner, allowing us to iterate and refine our solutions with heightened efficiency.

The awarding of the "Cooper Professional Facilitating Design Thinking" badge to our team marked the culmination of our training in facilitating design thinking, showcasing our commitment to mastery in this field.

The impact of Design Thinking on the Cisco Security Business Group was monumental. Our senior leadership astutely recognized its value and committed to integrating it into our group's ethos. To achieve this, our team underwent rigorous training and earned certifications as Design Thinking Facilitators through Cooper Design. We ensured that our cross-functional colleagues also received training as Design Thinking practitioners.

This transformative shift led to a seminal achievement: our Cisco senior design leadership team authored a pioneering book on Design Thinking. Sharing this invaluable knowledge, we ensured every workshop participant received a tangible or digital copy of this publication, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.

In the pre-pandemic era, our team's influence extended globally. From the innovation hubs of Silicon Valley to the cultural capitals of Barcelona, London, and Bangalore, we conducted design thinking workshops. These workshops not only enhanced our internal processes but also fostered collaboration with partners worldwide. Embracing both in-person and virtual formats, we seamlessly adapted to diverse environments, igniting change within our organization within a mere six months.

The outbreak of the pandemic prompted a dramatic shift to remote work, a transition our organization embraced with remarkable success. Our proficiency in conducting digital design thinking workshops became a cornerstone of our adaptability. Furthermore, we took the initiative to mentor other teams, equipping them with the skills to collaborate effectively online using tools like Miro and Mural.

By fully embracing Design Thinking and navigating the virtual landscape with finesse, our team not only weathered the storm but thrived. We became the catalysts for innovation and creative problem-solving in an industry perpetually in flux. The period from 2016 to 2019 marked a transformative chapter in our journey, where Design Thinking evolved beyond a methodology to become a way of thinking that elevated us to new heights of excellence.

#CollaborativeResearch #CrossFunctionalTeams #ThePowerOfTeamwork #CollectiveAchievement.