Get Curious
Research existing ideas; add a ton of curiosity
In this step, practitioners gather information and understanding about the current system or problem. At its best, this step produces these three highly synthesized products:
- People’s perspectives on what just might be possible. We often say that “we start by listening!” This opinion research is obtained through interviews or focus groups with key stakeholders. Stakeholder input – knowing what people think - prior to design is critical whether ultimately included or not. Beneficiaries – either “customers” or “compliers” - of any system being redesigned are the most important group from which to obtain ideas and suggestions.
- Headlines of cutting-edge ideas from around the world. From a high-level literature and research scan, keep a look-out for unconventional thoughts and emerging theories. Many people want proven practices, but promising practices are more useful inside Design.
- A high level data review that shows trend lines of performance on outcomes and resources. When looking at stats, it is best to look at trend lines over time – watching for intriguing patterns, geocentric-locations, and even outliers. Whenever possible, it is very valuable to show how money flows (from whom, to whom) at an aggregated level, and what incentives are built into today’s system.
This step is not a function of amassing and replicating a ton of information. Rather, it requires a ton of curiosity about today’s system and ideas to improve it, as well as synthesis of the best information. Our aim is to refine the information to the salient for the designers. Do this step fairly rapidly (i.e. no more than four weeks).
Our experience has shown that it is a bigger problem to get “mired” down in the current system than it is to miss one or two facts.
The Definition of Success and these products (i.e. opinion research, data review, and headlines of ideas from around the world) are made available to the design facilitators, designers, and provocateurs before they enter the Design Lab. It provides “common grounding” for all -- a place from which to start the brainstorming.