Design Thinking presented by PMI Singapore

Have you ever faced a major problem on a project? Now more than ever, we need innovative ways to solve problems and get results. Design thinking and project management are a beautiful partnership and just may be your secret weapon. Not only is Design Thinking a trigger for innovation, but it also drives fast and effective solutions for a multitude of challenges inside major brands around the world. It can do the same for you!

Some project managers naturally employ design thinking principles (knowingly and unknowingly) whilst others could greatly benefit from them. Learn what you need to know about design thinking to improve your skills as a project manager in the real world. In this session, our Design Thinking subject matter expert will answer what is design thinking, where it is implemented, when it can be used, who uses it, why design thinking is important and how it can be beneficial to you. You will work with a partner to practice design thinking principles in a fun, interactive exercise. We will connect the dots to integrate design thinking and project management. Finally, you will engage in a self-assessment exercise to explore where you are already using design thinking and/or could start using design thinking immediately on the job.

In this session, we will present a design thinking primer for project managers and answer the following questions:

• What is Design Thinking?
• Where can Design Thinking be used?
• When is a good time to use Design Thinking?
• Who is using Design Thinking?
• Why is Design Thinking important?
• How can Design Thinking benefit us?
• How do we become design thinkers?
• How does Design Thinking integrate with Project Management?

Learning Outcomes:

• Discover Design Thinking Fundamentals, a popular thinking and problem-solving methodology successfully employed by major corporations and brands around the world;
• Appreciate how Project Management and Design Thinking fit together beautifully;
• Take away strategies to innovate and improve your projects as well as the project experience;
• Acquire a simple, practical framework to solve the many small challenges that arise on projects faster and before they impact project outcomes;
• Self-assess what aspects of design thinking are already working and/or create a plan to implement new elements on-the-job tomorrow.

After attending, you will be able to:

• Confidently discuss the concept of Design Thinking;
• Use the design thinking steps to support your team and improve your projects;
• Reflect on where you may already be employing elements of design thinking and create a personal action plan to apply design thinking on the job;
• Have another great tool in your toolbox!

Presentation and Discussion Method: Please have your video on for the Speakers to interact with you, for you to meet your breakout partner and work on the exercises more effectively with them.

About the Speakers:

Dawn Mahan, PMP (LinkedIn) Founder PMOtraining.com, International Speaker, Award-winning Consultant

Dawn is a dynamic international speaker, award-winning consultant, chief gamification geek and founder of PMOtraining. She is sole inventor of ProjectFlo®, which makes learning PMI PMBOK Guide fast, easy and fun! She works with C-level leaders, business owners in growth mode, PMO Leaders and project managers at all levels. Her work in preparing young professionals in the YearUp program for internships at major companies has been featured in Morningstar, Yahoo! Finance and more. She loved her job as a PMO Leader / Change Agent in a Fortune 50 and also enjoyed working with many clients, across industries as an IT / Business consultant.

In 2009, Dawn left a Fortune 50 company to start her first project management consulting and training company. In 2017, she launched PMOtraining.com to expand her unique approach to the digital realm. Through her signature programs, she loves helping high integrity, ambitious professionals who care about people get to the next level in their career faster and with less stress. Look for her upcoming book: Accomplish More. Stress Less.The Practical Guide to Driving Successful Projects.

She holds an AS in Actuarial Science and BS in Mathematics, is a STEM advocate and was recruited to the American Lung Association’s Philadelphia Leadership Board because of her project management skills. She built houses with Habitat for Humanity in Cambodia and is currently quarantining in Florida Keys. She can’t wait to get back to Singapore in person.

J.K.Chua, MBA (LinkedIn) Business Strategyzer / Design Thinker, International Speaker, Best-Selling Author

J.K. worked in U.S. telecommunications and multinational companies for 28 years before reinventing himself. Since 2008, J.K. has enjoyed becoming an entrepreneur, best selling author and motivational speaker. He has extensive experience in sales, sales management, strategic selling, marketing, customer service, product development and product management and spent many years driving the business for U.S. Fortune 500 companies in Asia and the Middle-East North Africa (MENA) region.

J.K. combines MIT Sloan School of Management’s Approach to Design Thinking, Singapore Ministry of Communications and Information’s Certification on Implementing Design Thinking and his unique business experience to help businesses leverage Design Thinking to drive innovation in product, service and experience design.

J.K. runs sales immersion, customer engagement, business consulting and design thinking workshops for his customers to sharpen their competitive edge. He is a Certified Professional Coach and mentors corporate warriors and business owners to succeed in their business by fast tracking their learning curve and avoiding common pitfalls.