Challenge
Forum Solutions, a Seattle-based consulting company, recognized the potential of Design Thinking to improve their client engagement, boost productivity, and drive innovation. To equip their team with the necessary skills and knowledge, they partnered with SALT Collaboratory to define a customized training program. The goal was to provide their consultants with a shared understanding of Design Thinking and a set of tools and methods to apply in typical consulting scenarios. The program was designed to be phased over a 3-month period and included both in-person and remote training sessions.
Approach
The training program started with a remote session with leadership, where SALT Collaboratory provided an introduction to Design Thinking, its relevance in consulting contexts, and how it can be applied to drive successful outcomes. During this session, leadership aligned on a relevant business challenge that would be addressed in subsequent training sessions.
The in-person training was divided into two cohorts to ensure a personalized learning experience for each participant. Each cohort attended a 3-hour session that covered an introduction to Design Thinking, Understand Phase methods to address typical client scenarios, and guidance on using in-person Design Thinking materials. This training was conducted in a retreat-like setting and provided an opportunity for the team to bond and collaborate.
The remote training was conducted using the Mural platform, where participants were introduced to a set of Create Phase methods to help them generate ideas to address their business challenge. They also received a recap of the output from the in-person session and learned how to use Mural to support remote collaboration. By the end of the training, they had prioritized a set of ideas for further development.
Results
The training program achieved its objectives. Consultants gained a shared understanding of Design Thinking as a driver for innovation and learned a subset of tools and methods to apply in typical consulting scenarios. Several consultants opted to continue to build their skills through additional coaching sessions with SALT Collaboratory. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive and future coaching sessions have been requested. Several leaders and consultants have already applied what they have learned in client settings with positive results, helping the company to differentiate itself in the consulting marketplace.
“Great training. Thanks for sharing accessible and impactful techniques. I appreciated learning the tools while using them, especially on a real Forum example.”
Forum Solutions Consultant
