Instructions: 1. Explain the concept of an empathy interview: Participants will pair up (if possible) and take turns asking each other open-ended questions about a particular experience, such as their favorite shopping experience, a recent travel journey, or any other relevant topic. 2. Emphasize that the goal is to actively listen and understand the emotions, needs, and pain points of their partner. 3. Allow 5-7 minutes for the interviews. 4. After the interviews, encourage participants to briefly share their partner's experience with the group, focusing on what they learned about their partner's perspective. Conclusion: - Summarize the key takeaways from the webinar, emphasizing the practical value of design thinking for SMEs. - Encourage participants to explore design thinking further and start applying its principles within their organizations. - Share additional resources, such as recommended readings or tools, for those interested in delving deeper into design thinking.

1. DesignThinking forSMEs:
Driving Customer-Centric Innovation
inAfrica

2. Introduction
IcebreakerActivity:The EmpathyInterview
Introductionto DesignThinking
SMEsThat Use DesignThinking Can Gain a CompetitiveAdvantage By
The EmpatheticApproach
The DesignThinking Process forSMEs
PracticalTips forImplementing DesignThinking
Success Stories
Conclusion

3. Introduction
Welcome to this webinar on design thinking for SMEs. In
this session, we will discuss the importance of design
thinking for small businesses, the key stages of the
design thinking process, and practical tips for
implementing design thinking in an SME setting.
We will also share some success stories of SMEs that
have used design thinking to innovate and enhance their
customer experiences.

4. IcebreakerActivity:The Empathy
Interview
We're starting off with an icebreaker to get to know the
empathy aspect of design thinking. Pair up with
someone you don't know and take turns being the
interviewer and interviewee.The interviewer will ask
about experiences with a product/service and the
interviewee should give specifics about their needs,
challenges, and emotions.After everyone has had a
chance to be interviewed, we'll come back together to
discuss what we've learned.

5. Introductionto DesignThinking
Design thinking is a human-centred approach to
problem-solving.
It is a process that involves understanding the needs of
users, brainstorming solutions, and prototyping and
testing those solutions.
Design thinking is often used by large companies to
develop new products and services. However, it can also
be a valuable tool for SMEs.

6. SMEsThat Use DesignThinking
Can Gain a Competitive
Advantage By
Creating products and services that meet the needs
of their customers
Innovating and staying ahead of the competition
Improving their customer experience
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7. The Empathetic
Approach
As a designer, I need to remember
that my users are real people with
real needs.
To understand them, I need to
practice empathy.
I can do this by conducting
interviews, focus groups, usability
testing, or observing my users in
their natural environment.
Doing so will help me create
meaningful products and services
that will truly benefit my users.

8. The DesignThinking Process forSMEs
The design thinking process is iterative.This means that you will go back and forth between the stages, refining your
solution as you learn more about your users.

9. PracticalTips forImplementing Design
Thinking
HereAre Some PracticalTips for Implementing DesignThinking in an SME Setting
Start small.
Don't try to do too much at once. Start with a small project that you can complete in a short period of time.
Get buy-in from yourteam.
Make sure that everyone on your team is committed to the design thinking process.
Be flexible.
The design thinking process is not linear. Be prepared to change your plans as you learn more about your users.
Celebrate successes.
Take the time to celebrate your successes, no matter how small.This will help to keep your team motivated.
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10. Success Stories
There are many examples of SMEs that have used
design thinking to innovate and enhance their customer
experiences.
Here are a few success stories:
Twaice
a software platform that helps businesses reduce
energy consumption using design thinking. It's easy to
use and provides value to large corporations.
Afrizal Mobile
a small company that creates tailored mobile apps for
African businesses using design thinking to understand
our users' needs.
Akili Dada
use design thinking to understand the needs of African
girls and develop programs that help them succeed in
school.
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11. Conclusion
Design thinking is a powerful tool that can help SMEs to drive innovation and create customer-centric solutions.
By following the tips in this webinar, you can start using design thinking in your own organization today.
Thank you for attending this webinar. I hope you found it informative and helpful

SummaryLink
https://youtu.be/_WI3B54m6SU?si=DikvyuCbEqL8H4sR