DMI @ TIDE Conference
February 5th, 2018. A charmingly gloomy day in the city of Amsterdam. Our very own Co-Head of Programme, Jan-Erik Baars, accompanied by two third year students, Anastasia Linn and Karma Morcos, set out to surf the TIDE.
About TIDE
TIDE is: Technology, Innovation, Design, Experience, a bi-annual conference for professionals in the Audio-Visual industry. The conference is held annually in the U.S and for the first time this year has come to Europe. TIDE is part of a global content initiative by AXIVA to engage in a conversation which focuses on bringing the end user to the heart of the AV industry. The conference took place just before the Integrated Systems Europe show in Amsterdam and aimed to contextualise all the technology to be seen at the show. This year’s TIDE conference focused on Design Thinking for Business, and explored the creative forces shaping the industry.
Keynote Speech
“You can’t stick a turbo-engine on an old car” exclaims Jan-Erik. In front of him is an audience of roughly 200 conference participants from the AV industry each wondering how Design Thinking can be of value to their enterprise. Indeed, Design Thinking is trendy! However, it needs the appropriate environment in order to really perform. You first need to re-new, re-structure and renovate the car so the turbo-engine can be of optimal value.
Challenges require change and change is a journey from the current state to a desired state. Traditionally, there were two main ways of tackling challenges and bringing about desired change. The first is a rational approach which based on analysis, research and observation. The second would be a more abstract approach which focuses on contextualising, envisioning and exploring conceptual models. Traditionally a rational approach was the go-to route but this approach has proven to only eliminate or kill the problem. It results in a ‘shoot and ask later’ attitude. As for the abstract approach - it’s scary! Feelings, fuzziness and the unknown are seen as a no-go in traditional management. Therefore, Design Thinking is a methodology which combines both the abstract and the rational approaches when responding to challenges.
The audiences faces light up, and, after a convincing keynote, Jan-Erik exits the stage.
Breakout Workshop Session
We’re now in a room with twenty-five managerial executives from diverse companies worldwide. Ranging from Engineers to Innovation Champions working at companies such as Google, Calvin Klein and Samsung. Karma and Anastasia lead a workshop session on how to integrate a design thinking mindset into an organisation by creating the environment necessary for it to really have an impact.
The session uses our Value Creation model to tackle an obstacle effecting the adoption of design thinking in their organisations. The model integrates both the rational and the abstract approach to help participants solve the underlying problems, rather than spending resources addressing symptoms. The exercise worked on two levels: helping teams gain insight into the issues they chose to focus on, but also familiarising them with a process of thought that they can apply and share.
8 sprints, 30 minutes and countless post-its later, each team had an inspiring strategy, clarified next steps, and an applicable new tool to help them lead the change they wish to see.
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This post was written by DMI Third Year Karma Morcos. Those interested in the event can find more information on the conference here.