1. IS6117 EBusiness Development Project Lecture 1: Introduction to IS6117
Rob Gleasure

2. Semester 1 Semester 1 (Individual work)
Initial report on individual e-business ideas
10th or 17th November  5%
The report should describe some people in an interesting environment with some unfulfilled needs or requirements
I’ll send a template to the class

3. Design as art or science?
Image from

4. Creating the artificial
Image from

5. Externalisation of idea
So how does that work?
Idea
Internalise
Externalisation of idea
Internalise
Idea
Idea
Internalise
Idea
Idea

6. Design thinking
The origins of design thinking are generally associated with Rolf Faste in Stanford and David Kelley in Ideo
It grew from growing realisation in the 1970s onwards that design problems are not like the ‘solvable’ and quasi-mathematical problems in the natural sciences
Design thinking is now one of the leading business concepts in a range of industries
Mostly describes a mind-set and an umbrella term for a collection of tools

7. Design thinking
Some argue that design knowledge is almost entirely process-related, as people learn to reproduce patterns of insight
Quote from Chuck Close (an American artist/photographer)
Inspiration is for amateurs — the rest of us just show up and get to work. And the belief that things will grow out of the activity itself and that you will — through work — bump into other possibilities and kick open other doors that you would never have dreamt of if you were just sitting around looking for a great ‘art idea.’ And the belief that process, in a sense, is liberating and that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every day.

8. Basic truth 1: every interaction design problem is unique and unsolvable
Interaction design problems are ‘wicked’
Not bounded – limitless number of variables
No stopping rule – they are never completed and each problem is in some way(s) unique
Solutions are not correct/incorrect – some are better/some are worse
Every solution creates a new problem
At its core, interaction design is about understanding users’ needs
The better defined a problem, the better it can be solved

9. Basic truth 2: creativity is a function of listening
Tendency to think of ourselves as creative or not
This assumes inspiration comes from within ourselves
Good design is about creating something useful for other people
This requires
Human-centrism – an interaction is better or worse for a person, everything is about them
Immersion among users – people can/will only tell you a certain amount of what they do and feel. You need to see/do/feel it for yourself
Open-mindedness – every idea can be shot down. Give it a chance to grow and compete

10. Basic truth 3: having lots of ideas is the most reliable route to good ideas
This has two important implications
You have to keep searching for alternatives, even if you don’t want to find something better
Design teams are more creative (though less efficient) when they think differently
A good designer is ‘T-shaped’
Duplicate expertise is not so much valued

11. Basic truth 4: every assumption should be subject to cross-examination
This is not just about specific design features, it also includes
The problem being addressed
Requirements for that problem
Tools/technologies/systems used (and affected)
Which user groups are being targeted (and whether they are group-able)
Usability/performance
Whether a new system is required at all

12. An exercise: Blackboard

13. 1 Interview (2x2 minutes)
Form groups of two (these will be your groups throughout the exercise)
One of you should take 3 minutes to ask your partner how use online resources for different modules, how they stay up to date, how they are connected to other students, what they like/don’t like about the current situation.
Take notes as you interview them
After 3 minutes, switch roles so the second person asks the first about their habits, preferences, etc.

14. 2 Dig Deeper (2x2 minutes)
Again taking turns, you should take another 3 minutes to explore some of your partner’s answers. Ask ‘why’ and really search for surprises
Again, take notes as you interview them, particularly of things that surprised you
After 3 minutes, switch roles

15. 3 Capture Findings (2 minutes)
On your own, take 2 minutes to jot down
Your partner’s needs from their online resources – these should be verbs
Any insights you learned about your partner (how they feel about the online resources for courses, their worldview, etc.)
In particular, try and make note of areas where his/her needs differ from yours, as well as where they are the same.

16. 4 Define a Problem Statement (2 minutes)
Once more on your own, take 2 minutes to create a really rich problem statement for your partner
Remember, this should be juicy enough to afford multiple different approaches
It should take the rough form
My partner _______partner’s name________
needs a way to ___ partner’s need from their online resources____.
Unexpectedly, in his/her world,
________________insight________________________________.

17. 5 Capture Findings (3 minutes)
Again on your own, take 3 minutes to come up with 1-3 radical ideas that could meet your partner’s needs
Don’t get hung up on whether they are practical, nor how they could actually be put together – the goal here is to come up with as many interesting and creative ideas as you can
Draw these ideas where possible, use words sparingly

18. 6 Share ideas and Capture Feedback (2x2 minutes)
One of you should take 3 minutes to talk your partner through your ideas
Ask them what they like/don’t like but remember
The best outcome is new ideas!
Avoid defending ideas, other than to clarify what it is your partner doesn’t like
After 3 minutes, switch roles

19. 7 Reflect and Create a New Solution (2 minutes)
This may be a refinement of a previous idea or something completely new
It’s completely ok (good, even) if you need to change your problem statement as part of this re-design
Try and create some drawing that will really make it clear what you are thinking about creating

20. 8 Discuss New Solution (2x2 minutes)
One of you show your partner your new solution
Again, remember – the point is not to confirm your design, it’s to foster discussion and create new insights
After 2 minutes, switch roles

21. Some readings
Brown, T Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, HarperBusiness, USA
Christensen, C Seeing What's Next: Using the Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change, Harvard Business Press, Cambridge, MA.
Moore, G Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers, HarperCollins, NY.
Kim, W. & Mauborgne, R Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant, Harvard Business Press, Cambridge, MA.
Ries, E The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses , Crown Business

22. More readings
Barringer, B Preparing Effective Business Plans, Pearson
Williams, S The FT Guide to Business Start Up 2008, Prentice Hall
O’Kane, B Starting a Business in Ireland (5th ed) Oak Tree Press
Getting Real (