UNDERSTANDING DESIGN THINKING AND EMPATHY

Module 1: Introduction to Design Thinking

1. The concept of design thinking in business innovation
2. Design thinking success stories in the food industry
3. The five stages of the design thinking process

Module 2: Empathize – Understanding the User

1. Customer-centric product development
2. Ethnographic research techniques in food manufacturing
3. User persona development for food products

Module 3: Define – Framing the Problem

1. Synthesizing research into actionable insights
2. Problem statement formulation
3. Prioritizing needs and challenges

Activities:

1. Ice Breaker: Empathy Exercise
2. Group Task: Developing User Personas Based on Case Studies

Exercise: Articulating Problem Statements

IDEATION AND PROTOTYPING

Module 4: Ideate – Generating Solutions

1. Brainstorming and idea generation techniques
2. Concept development and selection methods
3. Cross-functional team collaboration in idea generation

Module 5: Prototype – Bringing Ideas to Life

1. Prototyping in the food manufacturing context
2. Rapid prototyping techniques and tools
3. Feedback mechanisms and iterative design

Activities:

1. Workshop: Ideation Session for a New Food Product
2. Hands-On: Prototyping Session Using Food Product Templates

TESTING SOLUTIONS AND IMPLEMENTING DESIGN THINKING

Module 6: Test – Refining the Product

1. Testing prototypes with real users
2. Gathering and integrating user feedback
3. Iterative testing and learning

Module 7: Implementation and Beyond

1. Integrating design thinking into organizational processes
2. Scaling prototypes to production
3. Success metrics and measuring impact

Module 8: Fostering a Culture of Innovation

1. Building a design-thinking mindset within teams
2. Overcoming barriers to innovation in food manufacturing
3. Continuous learning and adaptation

Activities:

1. Interactive: User Testing and Feedback Collection
2. Group Project: Developing an Action Plan for Integrating Design Thinking in their Workplace

Certification and Closing

1. Recap of the Design Thinking Process and its Application
2. Examination: Practical assessment for certification
3. Participant Feedback and Workshop Evaluation
4. Certificate Distribution and Final Networking