PRAGMATISM TOOLS
Being pragmatic means having a practical, problem-solving approach to situations or issues. It is characterized by a focus on achieving practical results rather than relying on abstract or theoretical considerations. Methods such as Prototyping and Design Thinking increase the effectiveness of teams and the applicability of ideas when it comes to improvements or innovations.
A pragmatist is someone who is able to assess a situation and make decisions based on what is likely to be effective and produce the desired result. A trait that is very valuable in business. Being pragmatic is an attitude that can be trained and optimized with specific methods. In the Trailblazers program, you will be trained to become an accomplished pragmatist.
DESIGN THINKING & PROTOTYPING
Design thinking is a problem-solving approach or method that focuses on understanding the needs and preferences of (end) users or customers and uses this to create innovative and practical solutions. It is a human-centered design approach that emphasizes empathy, creativity and iterative prototyping.
Design thinking can be used to solve a wide range of problems, from product design and service delivery to social and environmental issues.
The design thinking process typically involves several stages, including:
- Empathize: This stage involves understanding the needs and preferences of users or customers through observation, interviews and other research methods.
- Defining: This stage involves defining the problem or challenge to be addressed based on the insights gained through empathy.
- Ideate: This phase involves generating a range of possible solutions to the problem, through brainstorming, sketching and other idea generation methods.
- Prototype: This phase involves creating a tangible prototype or "mockup" of the proposed solution for testing and refinement.
- Testing: In this phase, the prototype is tested with users or customers, and their feedback is used to refine and improve the solution.
Design thinking is a flexible and iterative process, often involving collaboration between designers, users, stakeholders and other experts. In this sense, it is holistic and very appropriate to the fast-paced, changing zeitgeist and digitally driven society. In the Trailblazers program, we also focus on understanding the needs and preferences of users or customers, to turn the insights into innovative and practical solutions. Learning from each other, especially also through case histories from other industries, sectors or departments, combined with the personal leadership development development, ensure that Trailblazers leave with skills that take them further in their personal goals and ambitions.
