Uudenmaan Ruoka Design Sprint

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design sprint

During this spring, Talent Vantaa team has organized two different Design Sprints in collaboration with the Shortcut. Together with amazing international talents we have developed several prototypes to help solve real life challenges in creative ways. By using design sprint methodologies, the participants have learned how to strategically develop a product map in only a couple of days. Critical business thinking and teamwork played an important part in finding the optimal solution for the companies involved.

During the 4 intense days in each Design Sprint, participants have worked fully committed to brainstorm ideas, sketch the solutions, test and develop them further, design realistic simulations such as videos and website layout, and finally pitched their final result to the business owners who found them interesting and innovative.

Most of the participants found it really useful and fun to develop complex business solutions together with total strangers. Diversity in most aspects, has been celebrated and used as an advantage in finding answers from different perspectives. Some of the benefits of having design thinking paired with a diverse team were highlighted below.  

´´ This was my first design sprint I didn’t know what to expect so I went in with an open mind and prepared my skill set. The process was so invigorating, it shed light on many aspects such as diversity and inclusion, brainstorming solutions, and networking.

 Not only was there a problem to solve, but it was done with a group of total strangers. People with different professional and cultural backgrounds came together and wore one hat. It was interesting how the dynamics of the group focused on one target point to brainstorm and find solutions together with each person honing and tapping into their own superpowers and professional backgrounds. For instance, our only hiccup was finding the appropriate mode of communication, and format; did we want to present our work in power point or graph mode or video. Finally, our group created a promo video as we delegated tasks to each other and each one was responsible for their own part; research, content writing, voiceover, video, and sound production.  The subject group had talents unexposed and unknown to each other and with all our strengths combined we produced a lovely piece of work to be proud of and in such a short period of time, in a matter of four days.

The process was amicable, enlightening, resourceful and refreshing. It taught me that diversity and inclusion indeed trumps all stereotypes of best done in a tight and familiar team and setting. It proved that no matter who we are and where we come from and what our profession is, when faced with a problem ‘strangers’ can collaborate find a recovery and a solution. ´´

Marianne Lutfi is one of the many international talents who took part in the 2nd Design Sprint. She contributed to the video making prototype for Uudemaan Ruoka. If you’re in search of a professional with a vast and diverse background, Marianne is the right person. You can reach out to her via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariannelutfi/ or email Mariannelutfi.rizk@gmail.com

Another major contribution to both Design Sprints was Shristi’s. She has seen the process through the eyes of a trained Service Designer, and here’s what she has said.

´´ I participated in both design sprints and it has been a great learning and a fun experience. Since the first one was virtual and the second one face to face, it was a totally different experience for me, although both were equally valuable.

As a service design enthusiast, I have fallen in love with this process where people from different backgrounds come together to solve a problem by utilizing the design thinking process. It's a pleasant feeling of being able to create value for an organization and their customer as well. Also, you come up with great solutions when you work together with the team. Through design sprint I also gained a valuable network of likeminded people. Thank you to all the organizers and I hope we can see more design sprints happening in the future.´´

She can be reached via LinkedIn for any Service Design or User Experience Design related (entry-level) roles.  https://np.linkedin.com/in/shristi-neupane-68671a48

If you are interested in participating in the future sprints as a solution co-developer, all you have to do is sign up to our Newsletter and we will keep you posted.

Also, if as a company you’re struggling in certain areas and would like to have bespoke solutions for your challenge in only 4 days,  our Business Coordinator, Santeri Raappana, would love to hear from you.

Talent Vantaa is a project that implements the targets of national Talent Boost Program and receives funding from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The project is implemented in cooperation with the City of Vantaa and Laurea University of Applied Sciences. 

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Talent VantaaBusiness Vantaa