WINSight // WIN x Giant Machines: Taking Action Workshop
On June 29th, WIN NY partnered with Giant Machines, a leading digital product studio, to host a hands-on design thinking workshop. We invited women to flex their ideation and innovation strategy muscles and help an early-stage Founder and CEO, Kristen Carbone, move from ideas to action.
This event revealed a more tactical, hands-on side of WIN compared to our more traditional panels over the past few months, and it proved to be a tremendous success. Members of the WIN and Giant Machines community were empowered to bring their unique skill sets and experiences to the table, put their innovation and strategy caps on, and get thinking!
HOW IT WORKED
Upon entering the workshop space, each attendee was assigned into small breakout groups who would be their new innovation and strategy colleagues for the 2-hour session. The evening took off after participants heard firsthand from Kristen about her company Brilliantly, an app-controlled warming wearable that was initially founded to help alleviate the extreme coldness felt by those who have undergone mastectomies/breast construction surgery. Upon the launch of its hero product, it turned out that Brilliantly garnered appeal amongst a much broader audience than initially intended, from breastfeeding mothers to those experiencing menstrual pain.
Kristen highlighted the mission of the workshop, which was for each of the breakout groups to identify and shape a value proposition that “gets investors most excited.” She emphasized her openness to exploring new ways of talking about Brilliantly, and “reimagining what its story could be.” One overarching question she left for the individual groups to tackle: “How do we expand without losing the essence of the cancer community Brilliantly was founded upon?”
KEY ACTIVITIES
Identifying what Brilliantly’s new value proposition might be and why
Identifying risk assumptions correlated to the new value proposition
Shaping a plan to validate and test assumptions
Giant Machines could not have set up each of the breakout groups for success more! Each team was provided with a workshop materials packet, providing them with valuable frameworks to help them move seamlessly through each of the three activities.
After each activity, teams had the chance to share out the ideas and strategies that they landed on. During the share outs, the Giant Machines team populated giant sticky note sheets in the back of the room with the new ideas and strategies discussed, which was super satisfying to see as the evening progressed.
From leading with a more science-backed and tech-enabled edge to positioning Brilliantly as a product to support anyone moving along the cancer journey, participants had a blast ideating together and getting real-time feedback from the Founder and CEO herself.
TOP TAKEAWAYS FROM OUR SHARE-OUT
Collated by the Giant Machines team
Functionality is key.
Workshop participants were most interested in validating what functionality of the product is most important to users. Participants explored the featured case study, Brilliantly, from a business standpoint, but also from the perspective of potential customers themselves. They opened up the question of, “If I were buying this, what would I have questions about?” This question drove what they thought should be prioritized for potential customers and the market at large.
We love exploring new business model ideas!
While not the original goal of the workshop, participants were constantly generating new avenues for Kristen – Brilliantly’s founder – to explore for the future of her product and business. There was a resounding interest in exploring B2B options, for example, gifting / covering Brilliantly Warm under health insurance or a corporate employee benefit. The group also explored the opportunity of incorporating a “buy 1, give 1” element into Brilliantly’s business model.
There are multiple potential directions for future growth.
Stepping into the shoes of potential customers also enabled the group to think deeply about how Brilliantly’s value proposition might lend itself to other use cases. Brilliantly shared that many of its customers were using its product in new ways, beyond the original intention of delivering full-body warmth. This triggered many conversations about specific parts of the body to target, as well as different situations in which portable warmth would be a benefit.
OUTCOME
Participants walked away from the workshop with a new set of tools and frameworks (provided by Giant Machines) to help them identify and shape strong value propositions, better prioritize risky assumptions, and build a plan to validate assumptions. Many took pictures of the handouts and frameworks used during the workshop, and echoed sentiments to use them in their respective workplaces!
Participants left the room feeling like they had the chance to flex their ideation, innovation, and strategic muscles, as well as tangibly help an entrepreneur solve a real, critical business problem.
Above all, throughout the evening, the room was brimming with excitement, passion, and energy. “I’m having so much fun brainstorming,” said Melissa, a participant in one of the breakout groups.
Thank you to all who came and to our partners at Giant Machines. We expect to have more workshop style sessions like this one in the coming months, and hope to see you at our next event.
Written by Makena Naegele, NY Programming Lead & Innovation Strategist & Capgemini
Contributions from the Giant Machines Team