Design Thinking Action Lab 2013 1

Malini Sengupta , Age 30 , Stakeholder - student

She is a PhD student and her area of research is about plant (to be specific chickpeas) genome and their DNA sequencing. She had joined NGPR ( a research institute ) as a part of her PhD program, as a junior researcher 6 years ago and now she is a senior researcher and hopeful to finish her PhD this year or next year.

Currently though she feels she has taken a bit more time than usual but her tenacity and passion, do keep her on track and help her persevere. She is really bugged with her thesis guide’s professional insecurities and insensitive Indian university educational standards but she knows she has to somehow get her way through. She is quite aware of the competitive world outside. She is quite hopeful after PhD she will find a good Job. She has become a part of various social networking groups and connecting individual people. Though her real passion lies in being an entrepreneur but to have financial stability and making connections with the right people in her field, She will start her career in job as a scientist.

Design Thinking Action Lab 2013 2

Earlier Problem Statement

Malini needs to way to build appropriate connections with stakeholders because it gives her better visibility about her ecosystem and make correct choices in the way forward.

How might we help Malini build appropriate connections for a successful career as an entrepreneur ?

Reframing the Problem Statement

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Ecosystem analysis

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Ideation

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3 ideas

i. the most practical idea (one that could be easily implemented)

Pedo-preneur

Normally I feel while we pursue our dreams we forgot to maintain a healthy work life balance. Its so important to be fit and healthy. Moreover to sustain as a entrepreneur you need to also have courage, gut , determination and perseverance. I think this can be achieved through various outdoor activities. It’s a app which connect you to relevant people ( similar people who are pursuing same ideas, VC’s, experts, relevant blogs , portals, upcoming ideas and future perspectives ) provided you finish monitored outdoor tasks . Which can be hiking , camping, cycling, running, walking……as this will be a group activity, there would be serendipitous connections which will be developed over time both in person and through virtual medium, which would have never happened ever before. You also learn a lot during the process about life, different perspectives. Also you collect points and rewards at the end of the day with relevant information which is customized to your career needs aspirations and Goals.

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ii. the most disruptive idea (one that would make a huge impact, regardless of how feasible or affordable it is)

Senso R–

Every week you need to take a lemon tart ( or anything you like from a nearby sensomatic bakery – coffee shop) it contains edible sensors. It goes inside you understand your neural networks , your need ,aspirations, development ,fear anxiety. It then connects to your sensors on phone which will be loaded with web bots ( emotional virtual robots) and then bring you relevant information and connections over a period of time till the sensor is digested.

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iii. your favorite idea (one idea that you are excited about for whatever reason... you don’t have to justify why)

Pedo-preneur

Described earlier……

Crystal Ball

Bringing fairy tale back……. A extremely personal experience…….