Design Thinking for insurance: the need
The insurance sector is being reshaped by innovation that comes from data, new distribution channels, e-commerce, cyber security, the sharing economy and new service ecosystems. The people working on the business side of the company have the opportunity to turn insights, experiences and problems into concrete innovation proposals.
The most common risk is choosing a digital tool before understanding the customer's need, so initiatives end up disconnected from the value they generate. On top of that, innovation courses are often theoretical, and people go back to work with fine general ideas and little to apply.
For HR and L&D the question becomes: how do you train a large audience in just a few hours, giving them a shared method and concrete ideas to start from, while strengthening teamwork at the same time?
How we worked: an innovation workshop for the insurance sector
We designed a one-day workshop that combines an analysis of innovation dynamics in the insurance sector with Design Thinking. These are the advantages of how it is built:
- A clear context before ideating. An interactive presentation retraces innovation in insurance, from the past to today's digital technologies, and draws from it the criteria for designing services: customer centricity, customer journey and value proposition.
- Beyond the innovation = technology equation. The programme keeps the systemic nature of the topics and treats digital technologies as an enabler, not the goal: the starting point is value for the customer.
- Learning by doing. On a challenge defined in a participatory way, participants work in subgroups with structured tools, present their outputs and receive feedback. The method is learned by applying it, in a people-centred, action-oriented approach.
- A more efficient innovation process. Continuously integrating customer needs helps generate concepts for products, services and business models in just a few hours.
- Immediate application to one's own context. Ideas come from the teams' own work, on topics close to their role, and can be used straight after the day.
- Teambuilding included. Working together on a shared challenge, in spaces organised by subgroup, strengthens relationships and engagement.
The results of the Design Thinking workshop
- Over 50 people trained in Design Thinking, with immediate application to their own context.
- Teambuilding and participant engagement.
- 8 innovative ideas generated by 8 teams.