We Are:Engaging Sessions and Workshops

Facilitators specializing in design thinking techniques proven to get organizations to collaborate and as a team get to new, breakthrough, status-quo challenging (and profitable) ideas, faster. We focus on developing the next practices; disrupting the thinking by you, your people and your industry.

We are Accelerators of Creativity, Action and Change.

Who We Are

Depending on your organization’s specific goal, challenge or problem,

SeriouslyCreative can design and deliver dynamic and engaging sets of activities

to get your team to the solutions you seek, faster.

Our  Design  Driven  Approach.(or,  the  method  to  our  madness)We know that innovation doesn’t happen by chance. It isn’t a matter of luck or being surrounded by black turtle neck creative gurus. Innovation can be managed, directed and produced when needed. Though not the linear process we are used to in business it does have rules, a basic direction and some best practices. We use our innovation methodology called IDEA Engineering which brings together the best of foundation processes in Innovation like Osborn-Parnes CPS, PDCA, AcceleratedInnovation,ThinkX as well as Design Thinking principles.

The key mindset and practices in our method are the same as those that drive innovation at some of the most recognized innovative companies like Herman Miller, Apple, Google, Red Bull, Virgin and Gore. This approach promotes collaboration and guides teams from discovering the roots of the problems right through commercialization of human centric solutions.

I D E A

engineering

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IDEA Engineering (our DESIGN THINKING approach) is an iterative process and thrives on feedback and learnings but generally flows through four phases. The first phase is Investigating for Insights (INVESTIGATE) to immerse teams in the challenge, discover opportunities and reframing so that what you set out to solve is worth solving.  Teams also need to Design Ideas (DESIGN) where they are given free range to develop multitudes of ideas that are then recombined and connected to make high potential concepts.  These are then Examined for Applicability (EXPERIMENT) as concepts are ramped up and improved against existing criteria so that they have the best chance of success.  Finally these potential solutions are Prototyped and Modified (ACTIVATE) based upon real world learning and then launched better prepared to take hold.  Through these four phases we know that teams must modulate between learnings and creating – divergent and convergent focuses – and harness diverse perspectives that feed the ideas.

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ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS/TEAMBUILDING SESSIONS

Alternative #1

Brain Lab45 mins-1.5 hours

Language: Spanish or English

WHAT:  IceBreaker/Workshop

TIME: 45 mins. - 1. 5 hours

Part 1. Know Powers - Discover how thinking styles impact personal and professional success. Use those discoveries to improve leadership and mage high performance teams of diverse thinkers. Based on proven research designed to increase creativity and innovation. To do this we will have the team do a dynamic Ice-Breaker exercise called the Brain Lab. This dynamic, gets participants out of their seats and into each others head as they learn about the strengths and weaknesses of their thinking styles, how to create and manage high performing collaborative teams and how to identify pit falls that stifle group creativity and problem solving.  

Participants will discover their personal power (thinking style) and how leveraging diversity makes powers reach their maximum potential.

Part 2 - Know Method - Participants will learn how to best use their newly discovered brain power through an aligned process. IDEA Engineeriing™. This process is used by some of the most recognized innovative companies like Herman Miller, Apple, Fellows, Google, Motorola and GE, as it promotes collaboration and guides teams from discovering the roots of the problems right through commercialization of solutions.

Brain Lab

For Offsite Sessions:AV NEEDS/Not Included: A projector /screen and AUDIO system is required. Sound system must have audio jack so we can play audio from a laptop.   Depending upon space we may need wireless microphones. SPECIAL SETUP NEEDED. Please talk to our coordinators for details.

Alternative #2

Radically Collaborative2.5 hours

Language: Spanish or English

WHAT:  Marshmallow Challenge + Brain LabTIME: 2.5 hours

Success in business today is about collaborative teams that can rapidly come together to solve problems, design new ideas and overcome any challenge by outpacing, outworking, out thinking and out creating the competition.  We call this radically collaborative and it is the driving force behind fast moving, innovation driven and highly competitive companies today.  

THE MARSHMALLOW CHALLENGE throws teams into a fast paced and competitive exercise where they are tasked to build the highest marshmallow tower with spaghetti, string and tape in 18 minutes.  Done with hundreds of thousands of participants around the world, this exercise's compilated results show that the people we think should work best together - MBAs, business leaders, executives - do consistently bad while kindergartners do consistently well.   

Thought simple the learnings are profound:  1) we need to worry less about expertise, hierarchy and other trappings of bureaucracy and instead quickly collaborate with people from around the organization with a shared focus on delivering results 2) we need to be experimental and be willing to take smart risk by trying things out often and early rather than theorizing what will work from the conference room.  Success in today's business is proven through a bias towards action where we are willing to test, take small risks and be iterative rather than rigid.  3) as things get more stressful in business and more is on the line, as we push harder for greater results, the importance of strong functioning teams with this forward thinking and collaborative mindset is amplified.  Functioning teams rise to the occasions while traditional teams tend to crumble under pressure puting goals at risk.  

Radically Collaborative

Radically Collaborative - continuedTHE BRAIN LAB then shows these same people why they are the right people to achieve outstanding goals provided they are willing to collaborate.  Through a dynamic card game people learn their team problem solving and innovation thinking style.  These four biases often lead people into conflict when they need to collaborate but when exposed, harnessed and used in a specific order amplify a teams ability to take on large challenges, develop innovative solutions and work across departments, functions and levels.  This simple realization transforms teams and helps them not only understand their own needs in a team setting but how to work better with others in pursuit of a goal.

The overall walk away from these combined exercises are that today collaboration is what sets one company apart from another; that it takes a very diverse teams of experts, non-experts, insiders and outsiders, senior and junior; that a bias towards action helps us take the smart risks that push us ahead of competitors and that each of us comes ready to contribute to the efforts if only we are willing to use all of our brains and talents along with those of the people in the race with us.

Brain Lab

For Offsite Sessions:AV NEEDS/Not Included: A projector /screen and AUDIO system is required. Sound system must have audio jack so we can play audio from a laptop.   Depending upon space we may need wireless microphones. SPECIAL SETUP NEEDED. Please talk to our coordinators for details.

Alternative #3

Creative Jumpstart2.5-4 hours

Language: Spanish or English

Part 1. Know Brains with the BRAIN LAB Discover how thinking styles impact personal and professional success. Use those discoveries to improve leadership and mage high performance teams of diverse thinkers. Based on proven research designed to increase creativity and innovation. To do this we will have the team do a dynamic Ice-Breaker exercise called the Brain Lab. This dynamic, gets participants out of their seats and into each others head as they learn about the strengths and weaknesses of their thinking styles, how to create and manage high performing collaborative teams and how to identify pit falls that stifle group creativity and problem solving.  

Participants will discover their personal power (thinking style) and how leveraging diversity makes powers reach their maximum potential.

Part 2 - Know Process - IDEA EngineeringParticipants will learn about bringing their brain participation into an aligned process. AcceleratedInnovation™ is an award-winning process used by some of the most recognized innovative companies like Herman Miller, Apple, Fellows, Google, Motorola and GE, as it promotes collaboration and guides teams from discovering the roots of the problems right through commercialization of solutions.

We also apply what has been learned from over twenty five years of ideation sessions using this process as well as what neuroscience, sociology and business creativity research have show us to be true about collaborative problem solving.

GET YOUR TEAM TO:•Discover their Brain Power (thinking style)•Learn how Innovation Really works - (process)•Improve their Brainstorming Capabilities (techniques)•Collaborate to Innovate - work against a real team goal

Creative Jumpstart (continued)Inspiring Solutions

Part 3 - Know Techniques, It’s all in the wrist? Yes, there is a lot of writing, but there is also a lot of collaboration. We will share with the team two techniques that make sure everyone participates, that all ideas are written down and that thinking is focused around well devised series of probing questions that expand thinking and possibilities. We also make sure that people have a healthy amount of fun. Contrary to popular assumption, seriousness in planning is actually counterproductive and teams who are having fun think up braver and better ideas and are willing to collaborate with co-workers.

Part 4 - Collaborate to Innovate. Let’s put, brains, process and techniques together to work against a real team goal. We will facilitate a short version of a brainstorming using the two learned techniques and see how it all comes together. We incorporate music, fun and a whole lot of Post it Notes to the mix to ensure a very fun, colorful and inspiring and productive session. We guarantee at least one hundred ideas toward a real goal... It’s a Promise!

Creative Jumpstart (continued)Inspiring Solutions

GET YOUR TEAM TO:•Discover their Brain Power (thinking style)•Learn how Innovation Really works - (process)•Improve their Brainstorming Capabilities (techniques)•Collaborate to Innovate - work against a real team goal

For Offsite Sessions:AV NEEDS/Not Included: A projector /screen and AUDIO system is required. Sound system must have audio jack so we can play audio from a laptop.   Depending upon space we may need wireless microphones. SPECIAL SETUP NEEDED. Please talk to our coordinators for details.

PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS/ACTIVE PARTICIPATION WORKSHOPS

ONE DAY hands-on participation workshop that gets participants to understand how innovation works, clarifies their role in it and boosts the individual's creative problem solving confidence.  In addition, it teaches them techniques to lead and manage innovation as they actively apply learnings to a real world challenge or goal.

They will learn to:•Generate new, different and disruptive ideas•Save time by learning an approach and techniques that will get them thinking smarter, better and faster•Improve teamwork and collaboration among customers and team members•Increase productivity and profitability•Lead creative problem solving sessions by utilizing techniques that will get them and their teams to produce more and better solutions faster

TWO DAY workshops include a more in depth look at techniques combining training with a facilitation that puts learnings into practice against a real business goal challenge or problem.

NOTE: Workshop is given in English, with Spanish interactions. Facilitator speaks English mainly. Speaks and undersands most Spanish.

BETTER BRAINSTORMINGWHAT:  Learn to Brainstorm Better through the use of Design Thinking Techniques and MethodologiesTIME: 1 or 2 daysTARGET AUDIENCE: Creative Problem Solving DOERS and Champions - People who are presented with challenges to solve or have to come up with ideas or solutions on a regular basis.

Participants will learn:•How to use game mechanics to get people to the point and get them engaged•How to structure agendas that make time productive without making meetings too restrictive•How to use simple rules to streamline conversations, stop unproductive lines of conversation and keep

everyone on track•How to create a culture of information sharing and commitment to action•How to maintain momentum between meetings•Examples of new ways of meeting and coordinating follow up given like the 15 Minute StandUp Meeting

and No Email Fridays. 

The average office worker spends around 16 hours in meetings a week and most of these are about the same - boring, unproductive, contentious and generally a waste of time. In some cases, even an interruption to the work at hand.

On the other hand, meetings are a “necessary evil”. So, how do we make these meetings value adders where people share information, engage with strategy, align actions and leave more energized that when they walked in? 

PRODUCTIVE MEETINGSWHAT: Making Meetings Productive, Engaging and a Launchpad for Great ActionsTIME: 2.5 hoursTARGET AUDIENCE: Managers, coordinators or supervisors who must organize, lead and facilitate meetings on a regular basis. 

NOTE: Workshop is available in Spanish or English.

Participants will learn:· How to prepare the right presentation for the right audience· How to combine skills of storytelling with evidence to create engagement· How to make complex issues concrete and understandable· How to organize, refine and simplify you message so it is memorable and impactful.· How to design slides and supporting materials that support your message· How to make numbers and data understandable· How to make presentations actionable and starting points for value adding conversations · Examples used from people like Steve Jobs, TEDTalks and other recognizable presentation influencers.

In a world of big data and immense complexity, where decision must be made quickly before competitive advantage fades; presenting information, getting everyone on the same page and making well informed and collaborative decisions is key to success.  Today's leaders succeed not by controlling but by building influence through their messages and ability to align action and this means that your ability to present is crucial.  But too often, despite your efforts, people are not engaged, do not understand and momentum is lost.  It doesn't have to be this way.  

ENGAGING PRESENTATIONSWHAT: Engaging Presentation Skills in the Age of Complexity, Chaos & Light-Speed BusinessTIME: 2.5 hoursTARGET AUDIENCE: Professionals in sales, creative, marketing, communications, HR, executives, management and who must present often and persuade others on concepts or ideas.

NOTE: Workshop is available in Spanish or English.

Participants will learn:•How the old tools of consumer data like focus groups and surveys mislead many efforts.•Why customer centric is the wrong focus and why human centric is the right lens to guide improved performance.

•What the role of discovery and customer insight development is in problem solving, planning and innovation.•How to create sustained competitive advantage out of human insight•What are the phases and focuses of human centric problem solving - from problem definition to re-framing.•How to identify problems to be solved and how to develop insight•How to develop internal discovery teams that constantly seek value adding insights.

•How to organize and lead consumer discovery projects including how to budget for time for projects.•What are the top tools of human centric research and how to deploy them including customer journey mapping, value mapping,

affinity diagrams, personas, customer empathy interviews, day in the life studies, analogous studies and more.•How to develop insights from collected information in facilitated Insight>Unpack(tm) sessions.•How to create a culture of human centric design and discovery that feeds competitive advantage.

•Which organizations have employed human centric design including P&G, Red Bull and Mayo Clinic. 

Too often organizations make decisions based upon grand assumptions about customer needs.  Today’s organizations must get closer to consumers and challenge everyone to dig deeper into real consumer experiences.  This means getting out of the office, experiencing the customers journey and constantly learning with an eye towards empathy and insights.  These organizations develop stronger foundations for decision making, work from insights that drive innovation and customer loyalty and outpace competitors by being more agile, better informed and faster to market.

HUMAN CENTRIC DESIGN THINKINGWHAT: Learn How to Become a Human Centered, Problem Solving & Fast Moving Firm.TIME: 2.5 hoursTARGET AUDIENCE: Professionals in marketing, sales, streategy, communications, executives, managers anyone looking for better ways to gain deeper consumer knowledge.

NOTE: Workshop is available in Spanish or English.

About the Facilitators

THE SERIOUS ONEANGIEMILLE LATORRE, CHIEF BUTTON PUSHER + IDEA ACTIVATOR

After several years in the tourism industry in 2001, Angiemille made the transition to Advertising and Promotions for agencies such as PopuliCom and Lopito Ileana & Howie. There, she was responsible for accounts such as AT&T, Rums of Puerto Rico, Department of Economic Development and Commerce, Hershey’s, Gerber, Maybelline, Garnier and L’OREAL Paris, among others.

In 2006 Angiemille, along with Dana Montenegro her husband and partner, founded SeriouslyCreative, a consulting firm specialized in the use of design thinking methodologies and accelerated innovation techniques to get clients the ideas and solutions they seek.

In late 2008, they opened SeriouslyCreative Space, a unique offer in Puerto Rico of a non-traditional innovative space for meetings, trainings and corporate events.

More recently, in 2009, SeriouslyCreative launched locally their products of trainings and facilitations, which had before then been offered to clients in Latin America, the US and Europe.

She is an active member of the Sales and Marketing Executives Association, Society for Human Resource Management , Puerto Rico Convention Bureau and Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association, as well as Board Member of Boys and Girls Clubs Puerto Rico and Instituto para el Desarrollo de la Juventud. In 2013 she was awarded as Business Person of the Year by the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce and was in Caribbean Business list for Women to Watch. Most recently in July 2014 she was featured in the cover of INDICE newspaper in their Women Leaders section.

THE CREATIVE ONEDANA MONTENEGRO, CHIEF INNOVATION CATALYST + IDEA ENGINEER

Over the past 15 years, Dana has worked in diverse creative fields in marketing, innovation, brand design, and management.

As Driver of Culture, Innovation and Inspiration for Red Bull Energy Drink in Latin America, Dana launched the brand’s unique marketing initiatives throughout the region and worked with various teams worldwide to develop new and innovative projects.  He also lead the company’s efforts in creating new projects from visual arts events in Berlin, Germany to student outreach programs in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In 2008, Dana launched SeriouslyCreative - an idea, innovation and creative problem solving consultancy with a collaboration and executive meeting space available for rent.  At SeriouslyCreative, Dana’s main focus is on creative problem-solving processes and techniques designed to maximize the potential of an organization's most valuable resource: their PEOPLE.  With sister company Inotivity, based in Boston, SeriouslyCreative recently launched IDEA Engineering™ - a unique solution design process to guide people to constant innovation and growth.

Dana’s expertise, drive, and engaging delivery has turned him into one of the most sought out speakers in this area.  From events such as TEDx San Juan, to keynotes in meetings and conventions on themes such as "Driving Change, Radically Collaborative and Creating Innovators", Dana’s presentations have resonated with audiences throughout the globe.

In short, Dana is a right brain thinker, innovation advocate, creative problem-solver, and an engaging and passionate speaker.  He is a challenger of the status quo and the go-to expert for

Design Thinking/IDEA EngineeringProblem SolvingBrainstorming

Strategic PlanningHuman Centric Deep DivesOrganizational Journeys

ManifestoInnovation Driven Cultures

Change ManagementIntrapreneurial Skills & Cultures

LeadershipMotivation & Inspiration

Startup SessionsAmazing Race

Superhero AcademyTeambuilding

Creative JumpstartContent Driven Meeting Production

Executive CoachingKeynote Speaking

and so much more....

also by seriouslycreative

facilitations -- workshops -- creative space -- meeting production

MEETINGS DON’T HAVE TO BE A PAIN.MEET AT SERIOUSLYCREATIVE

• One great space with over 1,300 sq. feet of open concept, 23 feet high ceilings and opens doors to a gorgeous plaza in the heart of Santurce

•Varied untraditional seating such as sofas, chairs, ottomans... very much like a family room at home

•Mounted Projector and 8 foot wide screen •42" LCD on rolling cart•Audio system + 2 wireless microphones•DVD Player•Fully equipped fridge with unlimited service for the group•Basic office supplies such as pencils, paper, pens, markers,

scissors, post its, and more...•WiFI•Breakout opportunities outside•Familiar and personal service•Cable TV, Collection of Board Games, Wii and Netflix•Parking included in the price•No tips or special charges

“I cannot say enough about Angie and Dana, they are both very enthusiastic, creative and professional people. Their mission is always to push the team to find great ideas, to challenge assumptions and think

out of the box. They bring great energy to the table and engage all team members when facilitating as they use a very dynamic approach to moderation and facilitation.”

About our Fans

OVER 150 CLIENTS AND GROWING

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our services. We look forward to answering any questions you have and getting started on your innovation plans.

Contact us:

USA and Canada

Jorge Martinezemail: jmartinez@fusiondc.comtel: 202.498.1104  

WEB SeriouslyCreative.comFACEBOOK WeAreSeriouslyCreativeYOUTUBE SeriouslyCreativeTV

Puerto Rico, Latin America and Europe

Angiemille Latorreemail: angie@seriouslycreative.comtel: 787.467.0919