Coach Reflections: Synthesis: Where do we go now?

In this article I want to write about one of the most critical stages in the Design Thinking Process and also one of the trickiest from a coaching standpoint: POV and Synthesis.

The POV is always challenging for the coach as he is in charge to decide in which direction he guides the team. Often the found needs and insights are far away from the challenge. Therefore the coach needs to keep in mind three dimensions of the Design Thinking, Workshop Outcomes: Team Interests, Stakeholder Interests and the quality of the Need + Insight Tension.

Usually it also depends on the workshop the coach is working on.

Content WS

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If it is a content workshop it is important to keep the interests of the stakeholders in mind while the interests of the team can be less important. The coach should motivate the team to go for the best and most interesting insights but even more important to keep them also in touch with the interests of the business stakeholders.

Idealistic Team and Method WS

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This is where the coach can lead the team in idealistic environment like a plain method workshop. The coach can give the team the possibility to go for crazy extrem users, and move far from the original question. The team can follow their own interests to explore the openness of Design Thinking.

The reality of this decision making process as a Design Thinking Coach is is in reality more blurry then described above. It also depends on the way you see yourself as a coach. A coach can be a neutral or a  or a consulting trainer. 

What are your thoughts about it and your experiences with this topic? I believe it is important to talk about this topic and the expectations regarding to the coach with the customer and agencies before hand. This gives the facilitator the best opportunity to guide the team in the desired direction. 

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