Rapid Prototyping at the Google Future Workshop
My job brings me plenty of rewards—not always, but often. Last week, I had the opportunity to lead another session on #RapidPrototyping for the #Google Future Workshop. The room was packed, the method worked perfectly, and the group was great—the session felt like a real “gift-giving” experience, even though Christmas is long over.
What exactly is rapid prototyping?
For those who haven’t yet encountered #Rapid Prototyping: it’s an innovation method that helps ideas take shape in no time at all, making them tangible and hands-on. The advantage of this is that an idea can be viewed and tested by others. This enables feedback that already incorporates individual experiential knowledge (user knowledge)—long before the final (market) launch. By the time the innovation is finally introduced, it fits as well as a custom-made suit that has been tried on several times.
The English translation of “Probieren geht über Studieren” captures the essence of trying things out: The taste of the pudding is in the eating.
Rapid Prototyping Leads to Olympic Victory
Rapid prototyping is not a new method but a proven one; it has even reached Olympic-level status. Thanks to rapid prototyping, a shoe was developed for world-class sprinter Allyson Felix that defied centrifugal forces and helped her win multiple Olympic medals. And even a global market leader like Google has embraced this method. Reason enough to pique your curiosity, don’t you think?
Figuring Out What the Right Thing Is
Rapid prototyping makes it possible to quickly determine whether you’re working on the right “thing”—since you’re constantly exposed to user feedback and can learn from it. Ask yourself the following test questions. Which statement do you agree with more? Question 1: I always try to do things right. Question 2: I always try to do the right things.
Creativity Is Trending in 2020
Yesterday I read in an article by Cornelia Wedler on LinkedIn that “creativity” is one of the most sought-after soft skills this year (the analysis was based on data from 660 million employees and 20 million jobs!).
I believe that right away. It matches my experience in coaching—we need to reclaim our creativity in order to have a fulfilling work life with good results.
Insights into and perspectives from the session
Now for the big reveal. It’s time to unwrap the first present: The first exercise in the session was quite simple: Create a rapid prototype based on a small sketch on the topic “Who am I, what do I do, and what motivates me?” A little later, I see groups of five or six people, complete strangers, beaming as they talk about themselves and listen intently to one another. They are open and having fun. Fascinating. And all we did was jot down a small sketch on a Post-it note.
Let’s unpack the second, larger package: The task was to develop something that would support a user named Tim in his hectic daily life. A buzz of voices, laughter, intense concentration—the room’s temperature rises by a few degrees. Everyone involved is fully engaged, present, and active. A dream! I reflected what I’d noticed back to the group and asked, “When was the last time you felt this way at work?” Dead silence in the room. A sense of dismay.
I feel like something is going seriously wrong in our day-to-day work right now.
I think that when we’re looking for creativity, we don’t have to go far, buy expensive smartboards, or introduce new processes. We need to make room for creativity in small, manageable steps. We can introduce or reintroduce small elements like brainstorming and rapid prototyping. It takes so little.
Give it a try. For example, at your next meeting, hold back that “yes, but” and say instead, “Let’s give that a try!”
Or come to my next session on February 14, 2020, at the Google Zukunftswerkstatt Hamburg on ABC Street. You can find details here: click
I’d like to thank Nicole Woltmann for allowing me to use one of her wonderful sketch notes from the session for this blog post. Nicole Woltmann Training & Coaching VISUELL, www.nicolewoltmann.de