How to build a process for creating user-inspired stories that enable innovation within a company?
Belcorp, a beauty products company, needed teams start using their know-how about macrotrends and narratives to create innovative and user-centered products.
DISCOVERY SESSION
Key hands-on activities to extract the story
Through participatory design workshops we defined together with the client what elements were blocking the application of macrotrends and narratives in the product development process.
MAIN INSIGHTS
To tell powerful stories, we must focus on three main areas:
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Clear visual concepts
There’s no strategy for the application of the learning material, it is important to guide the teams in the process so that they can internalize it.
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Doing enables learning
The educational kit previously developed contains a lot of text not easy to digest. Easy and clear visualized concepts are needed.
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Teamwork is essential
Each area of the company works independently, it is necessary for the development process to be spontaneous.
EXPERIENCE
Phase 1: Sensitize
We challenged each team to build a bridge section that allowed them to toss a ball from one side to the other. They had limited materials and could exchange them at specific times of the activity.We got teams to understand the importance of communicating and to share information to achieve the biggest goal as an analogy of what happens today in the company.
EXPERIENCE
Phase 2: Understand
Through a common topic such as sustainability and visual representations, we were able to explain in a simple way the key concepts of the workshop.
EXPERIENCE
Phase 3: Learn & Apply
We used the reverse engineering process as a central concept: The products we buy and use tell a story about who we are. By analyzing those products carefully we can know who’s the person behind it.
EXPERIENCE
The kit
We took the essential elements of a story and created a card deck that could be used above a story canvas. Every element was thought according to Belcorp customers so teams could recreate clients' lives.
DELIVERABLES
Card deck
Four types of cards for each type of customer to start telling new stories:
1. Macrotrends
The attributes that link us to like-minded people.
2. Narratives
Those features that define and distinguish ourselves from the others
3. Dreams
Those moments when we are genuinely happy.
4. Fears
Those moments when we doubt about everything, even ourselves
USING THE KIT
Learning
The teams constructed a strong story for their customers depending on each sub brand the company has.
USING THE KIT
Applying
Finally, they represented that story in a theater play to the other teams. The team with the more meaningful and genuine story won.
