Choose one of the United Nations (UN) Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) from the following website URL: https://sdgs.un.org/goals. Then select a specific local news story as a focus to develop the first three aspects
Module Code: BMA4004-20
Module Title: Design Thinking for Enterprise
Word Count: 2500 words (+/-10%)
Title: An exploration of a specific and local problem using the 5W&H model.
Choose one of the United Nations (UN) Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) from the following website URL: https://sdgs.un.org/goals. Then select a specific local news story as a focus to develop the first three aspects of Design Thinking (Include elements of empathy, definition, and ideation).
Summary: You will select and describe one SDG and link it to a range of issues that you are interested in, have read about or are aware of. Next you will take a deep dive into the issues surrounding the SDG (at a local level) using the 5W&H model. Then finally and tentatively, explore some potential ideas that would theoretically help reduce the impact of the problem in your capacity as a Design Thinker.
Rationale: Design Thinkers often use the 5W&1H model to explore complex issues in greater detail. This is an opportunity for you to consider an aspect of sustainability in depth and to understand how Design Thinking may help to provide solutions to “wicked” problems.
Section A: Current State Description (50% of Grade)
- Introduction: Describe the “current state” of your chosen project. Take a deep dive into issues and show how they relate to a single, defined UN SDG. Provide the reader with context for further discussion and potential scope and impact. You should narrow your focus to a local issue(s) in local news media. Guide: We suggest researching in a 50-mile radius of your normal campus or hometown.
- Then: Creatively and thoughtfully explore core issues using the 5W&H as section sub-headings below using materials and theories introduced on the course.
- What needs to be done?
- Where should it be done?
- When does it need to be done?
- Who should do it?
- How should it be done?
- Why does it need to be done?
Section B. Future State Ideation (50% of Grade)
- What if? Now discuss your ideas for a “future state” solution (Based on Section A). In this section, generate a “rich picture” (in both words and illustration) that illuminates the future state potential of your ideation. Focus on laying out your ambition and the potential of your ideas rather than fine detail. Also, highlight any Design Thinking methods you found useful as you proceed. However, please be mindful to consider genuine viability, rather than simply using a lot of unsupported superlatives to describe potential.
Note: This report is your first iteration only. It may become the focus of assignment 2. Assignment 2 will ask you to develop your initial ideas as part of a team to produce a desirable (human), feasible (technical) and viable (business) “call to action”.