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Step 7: Considering My Design Thinking Process Project  Holistically.

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Step 7: Considering My Design Thinking Process Project  Holistically.

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My completed “H I might teach teach students on block diagramming to help understand the business processes, investigate potential problems, and suggest improvement solutions to a group of students studying business systems flow analysis in Grade 12 students using the design thinking process in an engaging way.”

I though in my first attendance of this course that this will not be possible. After the video lectures, samples, projects, readings an researches, I knew I can use them in my class.

Going back to the class, what amazed me so much is the paper prototype and this was introduced to the students that they started  to think and focus on the subject they worked out. For the first time on my business processes subject, the tab, laptop and desktop computers become irrelevant, what is needed is the human CPU and ideas from the students, focus and dreaming.

Indeed the were able to produce a diagram of the accounts payable  business process which I never expected. The diagramming tool was discovered through  the design thinking process. They develop this tool in order to understand the business process. They challenge, brainstorm new ideas of activities, use paper prototype and decide for the new accounts payable business flow clean from redundancy and duplication of her processes. They finally defined it in a shortened possible process.

There are still activities to review and improve on and from scale of 10, I can rate the design thinking process as 8. For me it was good enough for a novice. There’s a need to improve in the instructions, template for brainstorming, time to perform the study, prototyping needs to visit the business site, and briefing and orientation on the part of the business site on how to accommodate the students’ study, and the students, how to ask open-ended questions and occupational health and safety training.

The study can be expanded further to use the design thinking process in finding the data and information necessary for each   processes of the accounts payable business process. This is not only shortened the business processes but   review the redundant data and information in each processes steps and potentially reduce further the accounts payable processing time.

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I evaluated the m general activity as the students were working and following closely my instruction. I observed the following:

1. I need to further simplify the instructions and give  an example how the design thinking process work out on a certain business  process.

2. Provide the students with a process template, like brainstorming  template to select the workable ideas and come out with group decision to include them in the processes.

3. Give example of a completed written study as a result of a design thinking process in this way they will have format and template to follow.

4. Business site is not cooperative well with the students  and their   questions and documentation needs. I understand the workers  have to cope with the production schedule.

5. Students need to be briefed what to expect in the actual business environment and to be briefed how to ask questions especially open-ended questions to get the complete data and information.

6. Students are to be briefed on occupational health and safety.

These are the feedbacks of the activities from the students:

1. The one working well is the process of sharing the ideas written on the stick notes and defending it. Each has a dream and  idea to raise,  share and challenge.

2. The one not working well is the process of brainstorming to decide the sequence steps of the business process studied. In  this design thinking process prototype, my opinion is to give them  more time not only in the class but to verify further in the business site, to get answers to continue the prototype. It could be a site visit, text, and a call or query through email.

3. The next item is the introduction of improvements  of the business process. They need to focus and imagine this further, brainstorm and decide the process to shorten the process time by reducing the steps for duplication, redundancy, & others.

4. This   activity through design thinking process is to discover diagram to study and analyse the business process.  The participants are still need to study further at the business site the flow of data and information from one steps to the whole business process.  This activity could be made as the second part of the design thinking process and need a review and reformulation of the detail activities.

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Step 5 Activity Plan (Prototype) and Peer Feedback

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Step 5 Activity Plan (Prototype) and Peer Feedback

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How much I…

I teach block diagramming to help understand the business processes, investigate potential problems, and suggest improvement solutions to a group of students studying business systems flow analysis in Grade 12 students using the design thinking process in an engaging way.

Overview of the Activity:

I will give the purpose of the activity that is to help the Grade 12 students understand the business processes and discover the block diagrams as a tool to map and understand the flow of information and data in the cycle of business processes. I will explain to them the design thinking process from the discovery of how a business processes work and establish and dream of a block diagrams to interconnect the steps of the accounts payable  business process  by prototyping this into block mapping of the process steps (using sticky papers for blocks of activity) where each block diagram or square holds one business activity. By brainstorming, this prototype block diagrams of the activities are either combined, replaced and eliminated in repetition and further evaluation. The final block diagrams of activity are brainstormed and then arranged sequentially connected in one direction flow line from start to finish highlighting the feedback flow if necessary. This is drawn in sheets of paper by   highlighting the  input and output  data and information for each block activity and reflecting the sound business process where redundant, irrelevant and duplicated processes are eliminated.

Context:

This activity will take place in the site of the business administrative office, operation, logistics, sales, and customer and supplier sites, where the students are going to interview, observe, look at the documents, test the operation, investigate, and see the available documentation of the processes. Later, at the classroom where they study, brainstorm, prototype, and try the mapping blocks and share & discuss the results in the class.

Flow of the Activity:

1. Show the design thinking process graphic from this course and explain this with example given or  show the Introduction to design thinking video from this course. Give emphasis on the imagine stage, prototyping and the process of trying to implement and brainstorming until the desired sound results is reflected and shared. (10 minutes)

2. Handout of the scenario to the students. Student will be given a copy of this scenario including the business process to work on and  study at the site, gather information, works in the classroom for the rest of the design thinking process and deliver the results. (5 days)

3. Class debrief: Invite the groups to present the results of the design thinking process using   the blocks mapping  of the current business process, the proposal resulted from the design thinking process with   corresponding flow of he data and information in the process steps  and sharing  the highlights of the improvements and in particular the reduction of the process steps. (45 mins)

Supplies Needed:

Paper Sheets, Sticky Notes (3 colours), Ruler, Sign pens (3 colours), design thinking process graphic from this course (Unit 1), and Introduction to design thinking video from this course (Unit 1)

Instruction to the Activities:

Show the design thinking process graphic or introduction Video. Entertain questions for clarity and understanding.

Give to the  individual students in a  group the Scenario Handout and Stakeholders Handout  of the current business process steps of the accounts receivable of a AB Brown company (not real name). This includes the problem of the current process and the requirements of the management to study and improve the process.

This is the Scenario Handout of the current accounts payable process  steps of  the accounts payable process after  a procurement of goods/raw materials from the supplier. AB Brown Company is a manufacturing of plastic school chairs and tables. It has 110 deliveries per week with 54 suppliers of different raw materials. 34 of these suppliers provides ABC Brown credit line for 30,45, 60 days. The schedule  and processing for payment is critical and on needs to be on time to maintain and enjoy the credit privilege.  Lately, the suppliers are complaining of late payment and short payment while AB Brown is also likewise complaining of short delivery and some raw materials of poor quality.

1. Start of Process. Raw materials is requested by the production operation for the manufacture of certain finished goods.

2. The request is sent to several suppliers to canvass the prices, quality and availability.

3. Awards the purchase of the raw materials to the supplier that meets the qualifications in step 2.

4. The supplier delivers the raw materials with the attached delivery receipts which is to be signed that raw materials are received in good order and quality. The supplier leave the original copy of the receipt.

5. The supplier supplier keep and file the second copy and prepare monthly a billing of all raw materials delivered. The delivery receipts are attached to the billing statements sent to the ABC Brown for payment.

6. ABC Brown matched each delivery receipts of their file copies. If all matched  the supplier is paid.

7. The supplier issues an Official Receipts of the payment. Original copy to the supplier and 2nd copy is kept by ABC Brown and post paid in the accounts payable record.

8. The supplier file the official receipt and post paid in their accounts receivable record. End of process.

Problem of the current accounts payable (Requirement of AB Brown Company):

1. Over payment

2. No monitoring that cause late payment of payable to supplier

3. Long processing time of matching of billing receipts with the accounting file before the payment is process of payment

4. Quality of delivered raw materials

5. Provision of Return of merchandise

6. Late Delivery of raw materials

AB Brown Company Site Study using the Design Thinking Process Activities:

1. Brainstorm what to discover and include in the study. Decide what items to include.

2. Verify, interview, test and observe the process. Data, information, people in operation, policy, the flow of activities, inside and outside AB Brown.

3. Brainstorm the process identified using checklist in item no 1.

Classroom Design Thinking Process Activities:

1. Stakeholders Handout of ABC Brown Company:

Stakeholders are the owners of the business. They put capital or investment to do business and expects returns. They organise the business and its officers that comprise the board of directors (BOD) that set the policy, direction, and other expectations of the business. They hire the trusted President or Chief Operation Officer (COO) to carry,  manage, and deliver these expectations. COO is a member of the BOD.

President or COO and other officers, the top executives that manages the business according to the profit budget set by the BOD.

Operational Managers and supervisors manage the day-to-day business operation and breakdown the profit budget set by the COO. This deals the management of quality, profitability and safety of the operation.

Logistics Managers and staff will ensure enough supply of materials and utilities to manufacture a product.

Sales and Marketing Managers and Salesmen, serve the customer with quality, on time and with smiles.

Staff and operators, translate the profit budget in the day-to-day shop floor operation of the business, that deals with the correct usage of the materials, time spent,  without compromising the safety and quality of the products and services of the business.

Suppliers of the raw materials and services, concern with the quality, availability, safety and on time delivery of the materials.

Customers are the users of the products or service and to be satisfied and delighted as well.

1. From the AB Brown Company site study, brainstorm the data and prototype by writing on the sticky papers the different activities  of the  business process steps. 1 activity per 1 sticky paper.

Identify  business process steps from the start to end

Based on the current problems of AB Brown Company, brainstorm the activities by combining similar activities, replacing and adding activities left out. Choose 6 to 8 activity steps, or your decision what to include.

Brainstorm  the sequence of activities  according to the requirements (need) of the user. Make or document your explanation on the reasons of the sequencing. Assemble the prototype block mapping.

Consider a sticky paper as a block, where an activity is written. Brainstorm further by these questions:

What is the input of this activity? What is   produced?   What product, information or data that will be passed on to the next activity?

Verify if this activity is redundant? a duplicate?

Verify if this activity can be  combined with the next activity?

Verify if this activity can be removed?

A lesser blocks or process flow steps mean  lesser time to perform the whole process, while more blocks or process steps gather more time.

Draft your process flow steps  and paste this in a sheet of paper as your accounts payable process or block diagram and discuss further and make correction and repeat.

Brainstorm and select at least 4 to 6 process flow steps.

Finalize the accounts payable process or block diagram by connecting this with lines. Explain the reasons for counter flow lines.

Try the prototype several times for the possibility to shorten and streamline further the accounts payable block diagram.

Reflect what you have done and share these results in the class.

3. The following was the outcome as a results of using the Design Thinking Process presented in block diagram  prototype.

Understanding and coming up of improvements to the accounts payable process.

Current Business Process in block diagram

Proposed Business Process in block diagram after the study.

Reduction of sequence steps and process steps.

Reduction of redundant data.

Creates  a block diagram tool to analyse business processes.

Note: This could further expanded to detail design thinking process in systems study if time warrants.

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Step 4: Ways to present Design Thinking Process to Students

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Step 4: Ways to present Design Thinking Process to Students

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Step 4: Block Diagramming as tool for understanding Business Processes

Goal: To help students discover the block diagrams to map the cycles of business processes.

Design Thinking Modes: Block diagramming, define, prototype, test

Difficulty: Intermediate

Duration: 45 minutes

Group Size: Groups of 3-5 individuals working in groups, up to 20 participants

WHAT is it?

The G12 students  are going to learn the business processes and discover the use of  block diagramming to understand  the business operation cycle. Using output documents, this includes the business process steps and understanding on the flow of data in the different business process steps.

WHY teach it?

This block diagram will be discovered, owned and become a tool to understand the business process steps and later becomes a tool to improve the business processes and operation and further respond to the growth of the business.

Materials:

Paper Sheets

Sticky Notes (3 colours)

Ruler

Sign pens (3 colours)

Instructions:

For each of 4-5 students

Blocks the Business Activities

Select a business processes to work on, es. Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Purchasing System, Human Resource System, Maintenance System, etc.

Pass out the Business story cards

Stakeholders are the owners of the business. They put capital or investment to do business and expects returns. They organise the business and its officers that comprise the board of directors (BOD) that set the policy, direction, and other expectations of the business. They hire the trusted President or Chief Operation Officer (COO) to carry,  manage, and deliver these expectations. COO is a member of the BOD.

President or COO and other officers, the top executives that manages the business according to the profit budget set by the BOD.

Operational Managers and supervisors manage the day-to-day business operation and breakdown the profit budget set by the COO. This deals the management of quality, profitability and safety of the operation.

Logistics Managers and staff will ensure enough supply of materials and utilities to manufacture a product.

Sales and Marketing Managers and Salesmen, serve the customer with quality, on time and with smiles.

Staff and operators, translate the profit budget in the day-to-day shop floor operation of the business, that deals with the correct usage of the materials, time spent,  without compromising the safety and quality of the products and services of the business.

Suppliers of the raw materials and services, concern with the quality, availability, safety and on time delivery of the materials.

Customers are the users of the products or service and to be satisfied and delighted as well.

Brainstorm and write on the sticky papers the different activities of the of the Business process. 1 activity per 1 sticky paper.

Assemble the the steps from the start to end (e.g. Accounts Payable, start from supplier delivery up to the payment after the goods inspected of good quality)

Brainstorm the activities by combining similar activities, replacing and adding activities left out. Choose 6 to 8 activity steps, or your decision.

Brainstorm  the sequence of the activity according to the requirement of the user. Make or document your explanation on the reasons of the sequencing.

Finalize the flow map by connecting this with lines. Explain the reasons in case for counter flow lines

Share this results and discuss.

Establish design principles (need) into your prototypes - 5 minutes

A block is a sticky paper where activity is written. Brainstorm further by these questions:

What is being produced in the activity? What information or data that will be passed on the next activity?

Verify if this activity redundant? a duplicate?

Verify if this activity can be  combined with the next activity?

Verify if this activity can be removed?

A lesser blocks mean  lesser time to perform the whole process, while more blocks more time.

Finalize your flow map and discuss.

Brainstorm and select at least 8 to 10 statements of building flow map based from the activities

Discuss the following Questions in 5 Minutes

What is your experience in building blocks  of activities to study the business process?

How do you relate the activities to the needs of the users?

How do you discover the principles of understanding the business process?

Which part of the Design Thinking process pose some difficulty with the group? How were your able to resolve this?

Which part of the process you find useful and why?

Is your group confident to do under process study? How are you going to make it better this time?

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Step 3: Most helpful for creating and engaging in Design Thinking Process learning activity

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Step 3: Most helpful for creating and engaging in Design Thinking Process learning activity

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These are the insights for creating and engaging in Design Thinking Process learning activity:

1. Users need to understand the generic business processes.

2. Users need to understand the different transactions, sub processes, policies and mode mapping and documentations.

3. Use of a Design Thinking Process to prototype of these needs.

4. implement and hone the prototype.

5. Come up with a diagramming tool to map and documents the processes.

The prototyping of the Design Thinking Process tool was able to come up with a mapping and documentation tool to trace and document the business processes and its major document designs. Thus, the users appreciated the results because this tool made them to understand the business process and complete as well  documentations that will be used as references for future improvements as the business grows.

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Step 2: Student with less background on the Business Processes/Understanding the Users (Discovery):

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Step 2: Student with less background on the Business Processes/Understanding the Users (Discovery):

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Purpose: To verify knowledge of business processes, receipts, expenses, and income.

Results after brainstorming the discovery questions,  I choose the following questions (Q1-5, ask your parents/ Q6-7, ask yourself):

1. What is the purpose of a water or any utilities bill and  sent to your home every month?  What do you suggest to improve this?

2. How do you pay your utilities bills (water, light, cable, gas, phones, internet, etc) every month?  What do you suggest to improve this?

3. What is given after payment of the bills? What is this called? What is the purpose of this? How do you suggest to improve this?

4. If you pay in the internet or online, how do you differentiate if you pay this in the utilities office? What is the advantage and disadvantages? What is your suggestions to further improve this?

5. What are the expenses of your parents and how they handle this to have enough every month? How do they compute this? What is your suggestions?

6. In your school, how are you paying your tuition? What do you call  the piece of paper you received after payment. What is the purpose of this? What is suggestions to this method?

7. How do you received your school allowances  from your parents? How do you use the amount to be enough for the whole week? How do you ask for your projects? What do you suggest to improve this?

Discovery: Student  with less background on the following (and also the complete content areas):

What the Users value as a learner:

Basics of  business systems

Basics of business transaction process

Strategic computer application in business

A tools to be used for business process (Design Thinking Process)

What the users feel since they admit to have no ideas on  the questionnaires and some  they have to ask and verify from their parents and worried what if their parents does not know also?)

Inadequacy

Unawareness of business processes working around their life (Name of the documents after payment, Official Receipts (OR) and the purpose of which in the payment processes and the payor.)

Little or no suggestions to make because of insufficient knowledge or lack of education, not taken up during the precious grades/not included in the curriculum.

some teachers and schools are inadequate

What are the users’ opportunities and constraints:

Lack of equipment/s

Resourcefulness for the current insufficient lab equipments and materials.

Not all students have laptop, tab to desktop

Lack of trained teachers.

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Step 1: How Much I Teach Business Processes Using design Thinking Process in G12 

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Step 1: How Much I Teach Business Processes Using design Thinking Process in G12 

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(Choose the Student Users, the stage of design thinking process, and the content areas).

How much I teach block diagramming to help understand the business processes, investigate potential problems, and suggest solutions to a group of students studying business systems analysis in Grade 12 students using the design thinking process in an engaging way.

Student Profile (Filipino Grade 12 Students):

Careless and restless and less focus because they are not yet clear what college degree they settle in after senior high.

K-12 just implemented 3 years ago and still the curriculum have to be revised, evaluated and improved both the content and delivery.

Most that G12 who choose the (ABM) Accountancy, Business & Management tracks has no enough background on businesses processes and systems.

Less knowledge in computer business applications.

Less qualified teachers teaching ABM to teaching students.

No background of business processes and systems.