Ideation Techniques

• Value Proposition Canvas
• OKR Mapping
• Ideation Workshop
• Amazon PR release
• 6 Thinking Hats
• Idea capture form

Value Proposition Canvas

❓What is it

• A value proposition framework is a structured approach to defining and communicating the unique value that a product or service offers to its target users.
• The framework is designed to offer a complete, holistic view of each of the key components that enable a valuable outcome to be achieved.

👥Who

• The framework is long lived, employed during both the Discovery and Validation phase across a multi disciplinary team to capture and refine each of the framework components

🛠 Running the technique

• The product lead populates the initial version of the value proposition canvas during Discovery.
• Start with the Vision Statement, Needs and Pain Points(one per primary target user group), and key Assumptions
• As Discovery progresses, the next sections to address are the Opportunity, Value Proposition Statement and Strategic Objective Fit
• As Discovery ends there should be sufficient understanding to complete the Approach, Metrics and Costs section
• Each of these components should be further refined during the Validation phase and provide the key input into a formal business case

📖Authoritative source

• Value Proposition Framework template 
  

OKR Mapping

❓What is it

• Identifies and aligns objectives or goals defined at a service/product level with those objectives and key results defined at a portfolio or directorate level.
• This ensures transparency across the team that the value outcomes are fully supportive in contributing to the strategic objectives of the directorate owning the service or product.

👥Who

• OKR mapping is typically lead by the product manager or service owner.  Validation of the mapping is attained through collaborative discussions with the owners of the directorate level OKRs 
  

🛠 Running the technique

• Obtain the current version of the directorate level OKRs, if they exist. If not, then substitute with Westminster level objectives.
• Run an OKR session with the team and business sponsor/service owner to draft 2 to 3 objectives, and 3 to 5 key results per objective.
• Key results should have a timeline of no more than one year
• Identify which service level objectives and key results directly contribute to attaining a directorate level key result or objective
• Capture this mapping in the value proposition framework
• Refine the initial mapping exercise through collaborative reviews with the owners of the directorate level OKRs

Authoritative source

• (see Book on creating OKRs)

Ideation Workshop

❓What is it

• This collaborative technique involves running a physical or virtual session to actively explore the broad space associated to the opportunity, to generate new ideas or expand on existing idea candidates that support the realisation of an opportunity that is deemed valuable to the organisation.

👥Who

• Product Manager brings together a group of people, preferably between 7 to 12 participants who have an interest in this topic, but come from diverse backgrounds, e.g. technology, strategy, customer service, product, end user service owners.

🛠 Running the technique

• A prerequisite of running a successful workshop is clear framing of the opportunity. This may be in the form of one or more of the following:
  • Draft vision statement, a PR release, secondary market or technology research extracts, industry case studies, high level opportunity statement (How might we…)
• Plan the workshop - agenda, participants, pre reading material, outcomes, format
• On the day, prepare the virtual or physical space to encourage participants to immerse themselves in the opportunity area
• It is always recommended to start the workshop with an ice breaker, followed by a fun creative exercise. An example of this is playing an alternative use game with a household item
• Use some of the prepared materials such as vision statement or PR release to trigger the main ideas creation activity, encouraging non judgemental divergent thinking to generate a broad range of ideas. If the flow of ideas is low, try a What If technique to re-energise the room
• Use the next activity to work as a team to theme some of these ideas. Capture all the ideas, with top level themes into an ideas backlog for future reflection and refinement.

Amazon PR release

❓What is it

• A future visioning technique to articulate the benefits of the idea at the point of it being launched. It employs a PR release format, similar in content and tone as as would be used for launching the idea as a real world service/product.

👥Who

• This can be completed as an individual activity by the owner of the idea or as a collaborative exercise with colleagues knowledgeable in the idea space.

🛠 Running the technique

6 Thinking Hats

❓What is it

• Design thinking and group discussion are highly complex processes in which thoughts are shared, ideas bubble up, and others are buried. De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats technique provides a systematic solution to sharing and improving ideas by eliminating idea-destructive elements during brainstorming meetings. The method is based on the metaphor of wearing different "hats," with each hat representing a different mode of thinking or viewpoint.

👥Who

• It is recommended to have between 3 and 6 participants and a facilitator, all with strong knowledge in the relevant idea space .

🛠 Running the technique

• The group swaps hats in an agreed order. All participants wear the same hat at each stage of the exercise. For idea creation, the following sequence is recommended.

• The white hat set sets the scene representing the facts and information about the opportunity space.
• The green hat sparks brainstorming of ideas in the opportunity space.
• The blue hat facilitates reflection on the ideas generated, and begins to group them into high level themes
• The red hat provides an opportunity for the group to articulate their intuitive feelings, positive or negative, about the ideas generated and their potential
• The black hat enable the group to surface risks and challenges on the ideas generated and the opportunity space in general.

📖Additional source

• https://www.debonogroup.com/services/core-programs/six-thinking-hats/

Idea capture form

❓What is it

• A template that provokes a product mindset and critical thinking to develop, articulate and self-validate the idea has genuine value and potential to meet real user needs and support the objectives of the directorate and/or Westminster

👥Who

• Owner of the idea. If they struggle completing some of the sections support from a CSM or strategy or subject matter expert related to the opportunity space

🛠Running the technique

• Complete the form in this order:
• Idea name: Write a simple phrase that captures the essence of the idea.
• Idea description: Complete the following value statement to summarise to illustrate why this is a valuable idea. If this idea helps more than one end user, please repeat this for each user group. “ The idea..... helps .......end user who want to.... what they want to achieve..... by ........describe how it helps the user achieve this ”
• Which strategic objective does this support: Prefilled options reflecting the current organisational/directorate objectives
• Understanding the problem: What evidence is there that there is a real problem for these end users today? Please describe any evidence you are aware of that illustrates there is a real need for this idea. Where possible provide any data / numbers that supports your view.
• Understanding the size of the opportunity: Can you quantify how many or what percentage of the council users would directly benefit from this idea? If possible, estimate the number. Please demonstrate your assumptions in reaching that estimate
• Key assumptions/unknowns: What are your biggest assumptions that underpin the idea delivering this value? Are there any key unknowns that need to be addressed to validate the idea may have value.

📖Additional source

(Idea capture form template on Ways of working Miro)