Within the framework of Som-Inn Port’s open innovation pilot cycle, on November 15th, during the 3rd Co-innovation Workshop, Som-Inn Port’s innovation cells validated and prepared the presentation of their innovation proposals.
This represented the end of the first co-innovation process based on Design Thinking methodology, which has consisted of 5 working sessions spread over the first two Agoras and three specific workshops on Design Thinking.
In all these sessions, credit must be given to the efforts made by the innovation agents, representatives of Som-Inn Port’s member entities, who set aside part of their time at work on identifying opportunities for innovation and to collaborate with other entities to generate creative solutions for innovation in the Port of Tarragona’s services, processes and business models.
Som-Inn Port’s Design Thinking process
The Design Thinking process has followed the triple diamond methodology of Induct, the company specialising in open innovation processes , so called because the innovation cells have to diverge and converge up to 3 times during the process to make sure that the proposals finally presented to the innovation cells respond to real user requirements, as well as being in line with social, technological, market and consumer trends that are emerging beyond the boundaries of the Port Community.
In the first session of the Agora the innovation agents defined the innovation challenges they would like to work on during the innovation cycle, based on identifying various key users of the Port and their unresolved requirements. For this first Som-Inn Port pilot open innovation cycle the innovation agents selected five challenges, aimed at different types of users:
- Port employees.
- Users of the Port’s logistics companies.
- Carriers using the Port.
- Directors of logistics companies.
- Citizens of Tarragona.
Som-Inn Port’s challenge definition workshop
At the second session of the Agora, the innovation agents looked at the innovation challenges in greater depth and reformulated them, with the aim of including the perspective of the target user of each challenge (empathy), as well as an open vision of the technological, social or consumer trends that have an impact on each of the challenges (exploration).
This phase is particularly important for making sure that the cells work during the open innovation cycle in innovation challenges, which are aligned with the real needs of users and the latest trends.
Workshop on empathy and exploration as key elements of the innovation process
Then began the cycle of three co-innovation workshops using Design Thinking.
In the first workshop, the six innovation cells (there is one challenge that is dealt with in two cells) moved on definitively to the creation of ideas, using multiple creativity techniques, in order to provide a response/solution to the five challenges selected. The innovation cells came up with around 275 ideas in just two hours of work.
Som-Inn Port’s creativity workshop
In the second Design Thinking workshop, the innovation cells selected the idea that added the most value to the unresolved need of its end user. They then went on to detail it, using Induct’s “Cubbing methodology”, consisting of a reinterpretation of the “business model canvas” focused on initiating the innovation agents’ “maker” spirit.
End of the Workshop on creative concept development
Lastly, in the third workshop, the innovation agents took the opportunity to contrast their ideas with users they are targeting, and thus adapt some aspects of their proposals. Finally they prepared an “elevator pitch” and made a presentation of their proposals to the rest of Som-Inn Port’s innovation agents who took part in this workshop.
Workshop for validating with the user and presenting proposals
The entire development of this open innovation cycle can be monitored using the Som-Inn Port digital platform, which incorporates the challenges, the ideas, the work of each innovation cell, etc. This Platform is also used to connect the innovation agents of the various cells.
In addition, in this last session the innovation cells were able to count on the presence of José María Jiménez Pérez, the CEO of Hydrografica, an entrepreneur who was able to inspire the innovation agents and to convey to them the importance of the prototyping process in the innovation cycle, and also in the Port environment.
Presentation by the entrepreneur José Maria Jiménez
Next steps at Som-Inn Port: Design Sprint, it’s time for prototyping!
The end of the Design Thinking process represents an important milestone for Som-Inn Port, given that from now on Som-Inn Port’s member entities will decide what proposals to pass on for prototyping.
In effect, the prototyping process based on the Design Sprint methodology starts from now on. In three workshops the innovation cells can develop a minimum viable product from their idea and check it with the users who will have to use it.
The Design Spirit methodology was developed by the Google company. It consists of making the ideas tangible in a process in which the users of the ideas can interact with them and provide their feedback.
During the next Agora on November 28th, the innovation cells will present their proposals to the Som-Inn Port entities and innovation agents and will be able to decide which proposals they want to involve in the fast prototyping phase.
We look forward to continuing counting on everyone’s involvement and effort in order to continue making the Port of Tarragona a benchmark port in matters of innovation.
