Create a Concept

Post all your ideas

Put your ideas up on a wall or spread out on a table for everyone to see.

Combine similar ideas

Move similar ideas together to form groups. Discuss good aspects of the ideas. On a sticky note, label these groups based on a theme or pattern.

Build ideas into one solution

Now, look at the various groups of ideas and see how you can bring a few of them together to form a cohesive concept. Don’t focus on the details of the solution yet. Maintain a high-level perspective. You want a robust concept that addresses the problem you’re trying to solve.

Check your concept

Refer back to your How Might We question from How Might We activity and criteria from MoSCoW activity. Are you addressing the problem? Are there elements missing in your concept? What else can you add or remove to improve your concept?

Tip

Embrace iteration. You’ll form some concepts that don’t work out the first time. Keep exploring different directions and check whether you’re solving the problem.

Invent scenes

A scene is a situation in which the character representing the product or service will be taking action or making a decision. Have each person write down 1-3 scenes, one scene per card. Share them with each other and group the common ones. Discuss and decide on 3 scenes to use.

Setup the questions

Create 3 spaces on a whiteboard or use 3 sheets of the large easel pad paper.

Write down these 3 questions, one per space or sheet:

• What am I like?
• What are my values?
• What makes me different?

As an option, use 2 extra spaces or sheets for 2 additional questions:

• What is my community?
• What is my fight?

Describe the character

For the first question, “What am I like?”, you will describe what the character would look like.

Draw a character in the middle of the sheet to represent the product or service. Then, write characteristics, adjectives, or phrases, that describes the character. Write one idea per sticky note. Add these sticky notes around the drawing. Select the top three adjectives that best describes the product or service. Refer to Dot Voting activity for voting techniques.

Define the character's values

For the second question, “What are my values?”, you will describe the character’s actions and responses to define the underlying values.

Take the scenes from step 5 and discuss what the character would say or do in those situations. Write down what the character’s actions and response are in the scene; one actions or response per sticky note. Discuss within the group what the underlying values of those actions are. Write each of the values on a sticky note.

Define the character’s uniqueness

For the third question, “What makes me different?”, you will define how the character is different from other characters in the community.

Draw the character in the center of the sheet. Write down a few ideas answering what makes it stand out, what are the strengths and weaknesses, and why someone would want it on their team or as a friend. One idea per sticky note. Add the note to the large sheet.

Add more details

These next two questions are optional. They will help the team think through more details about the product or service.

For “What is my community?”, you will consider the ecosystem point of view. Draw the character in the center. Write down ideas for who the character spends time with and what the relationships are between the different actors. How do they influence each other?

For “What is my fight?”, you will consider the purpose and motivation of the character. Write down ideas for what motivates it, what does it do for others, and what obstacles does it have?

Share the character

Take a step back and summarize the overall character with each other. Discuss how the character traits, values, and behaviors may influence specific features or functions of the product or service.

Continue to refine and iterate as you validate the solution with users.