If you don’t know where you’re going, you might not get there. Use Hills to clearly state your purpose in terms of user and market value.

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When it comes to Design Thinking, we, at the DTTT, refer a lot to IBM Enterprise Design Thinking Courses. This is one of the essential templates every business should familiarise themselves with.

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When you might need this template

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Hills describe something a specific user is enabled to do, not a specific implementation - if you have a challenge or need to find a quick solution to help you boost your productivity, for example. They give teams the creative space they need to come to breakthrough ideas, without the need for detailed requirements. Write Hills at the beginning of a project or initiative, after you’ve identified the real needs of your users.

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We suggest 30 to 60 minutes to run this activity. The basic rules are the usual ones when it comes to co-design:

• Write before you speak.

• Bad ideas don't exist

• Keep the users always at the centre of the attention

• Everyone is a designer and participate

• Stay engaged

• Respect the timing

• Be constructive when you say no

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Instructions

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1. Set up the activity

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Get the "Who", "What", "Wow" template printed in a large size on a wall or big table or use the digital template on Mural. Prepare large sticky pads and markers for everybody or do a quick run-through on how to use Mural.

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2. Brainstorm the building blocks

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Diverge on many ideas for each section and quickly share them with your teammates. Build off of others’ ideas, but focus on quantity over quality and avoid drifting into features or talking about implementation details. Imagine the example is filled in by a vineyard estate.

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3. Put the pieces together

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Build sentences using your ideas for “Who,” “What,” and “Wow.” Draft them quickly and begin to mix and match, until you’ve found a combination that seems to describe your intention for your user.

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4. Edit, refine, and iterate

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Get a fresh pair of eyes to read your drafted Hill and give feedback. Remember that your Hills will evolve based on your continued understanding of the problem and your users.

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Download the Hills Template below ⤵️