University of Virginia 

 Design Thinking for Innovation 

 Instructor : Nickie Ahmed 

 Prepared by : Nickie Ahmed 

 EMPOWERING ICT CONSUMERS DURING THE COVID-19 

 PANDEMIC : 

 REFLECTION LEARNING LAUNCH 

 Challenge     The consumers of communication services have rights and responsibilities when purchasing   and using regulated communication products and services in a market . The manager in charge   of consumer protection at the ICT regulator with a team of six staff are responsible for   safeguarding consumer rights and developing mechanisms to protect consumers in this sector .      The regulator has in place an effective consumer education and outreach program that seeks to   empower consumers with information that will enable them make informed purchase decisions   in the market . In addition , consumer protection mechanisms and regulatory interventions are   developed based on data and information from annual consumer behavior and trends surveys ,   customer satisfaction surveys and quarterly customer complaints reports .     Following the Covid-19 pandemic and a sharp reduction in operation costs at the regulatory   office , the division has no funds to continue executing it ’s mandate and furthermore , the   Government measures to mitigate the pandemic has also affected ability of the division to   execute consumer education and outreach activities . In addition , during this period , there has   been an exponential increase in the number of consumers leveraging technology as they work   from home or access e - learning for their children .      During this period it is noted that there has been an increase in consumer complaints that have   been escalated to the regulatory office seeing that the licensed communication service   providers have not been able address consumers concerns .     It is therefore crucial that the regulatory office develop a new initiative that will provide   consumers with information that they require to exercise their rights in the market .      Selection     Following a brainstorming session with the team , and in view of the need to develop a platform   that will enable consumers engagement at a low / minimal costs and will allow for great   improvements going forward , the manager leveraged the learning launch tool to progress the 

 implementation of a new idea . The learning launch tool being an experiment based tool will   enable the manger establish the truth about the assumption made on increased consumer   complaints viz consumer information ( The University of Virginia , 2020a ) . The manager , while   using this tool , will further execute quick engagement with consumers and facilitate testing   the   assumption that increase consumer complaints is as a result of lack of consumer information   ( The University of Virginia , 2020 ) .     The learning launch tool was selected seeing that it shall involve quick engagement with   consumers and testing of assumptions ( The University of Virginia , 2020a ) .      The teams idea to host a live interactive podcast session with consumers will enable the   regulator interact with consumers and disseminate consumer information . This tool has never   been used before by the regulator and neither has the regulator held podcasts to engage   consumers .      Application     The consumer protection team hypothesized that increased escalation of consumer complaints    to the regulator was occasioned by the lack of consumer information who are consequently not   able to exercise their rights .     The consumer protection team   prioritized the consumer concerns that were to be addressed   and further develop a methodology and mechanisms to engage consumers and establish the   extent to which free podcast application can be exploited in order to achieve this . The team   also undertook research on how to set up a live podcast .     The team shall further determine and plan the implementation of online publicity by leveraging   inhouse social media management team so as to maintain costs at minimum . The team shall   also facilitate the participation of consumers whose complaints were escalated to the regulator .   All staff members of the regulator shall also be in attendance so as to participate and give   insights after the end of the podcast session .     For the execution of a live podcast with consumers to be deemed to be great idea / true , it is   anticipated that the main reason why consumers of ICT must have been having trouble making   purchase decisions in the ICT market is due to lack of information .     Insight     Following the execution of the interactive live podcast with consumers , the consumer   protection department analyzed the data on the number of consumers who attended , actively   participated , and positive feedback indicating that the podcast is insightful . This data enabled   us conclude that the idea to have a live podcast with consumers was valid . Data on the rate of   decrease in the number of consumer complaints escalated to the regulator will further validated   the hypothesis that information gaps are the main source of pain point for consumers . 

 Analysis of data on attendance and feedback information from consumer who declined the   invitation to attend the podcast session provided insights on areas that require improvements   in the dissemination of information via the podcast sessions . The analyzed data further   endorsed the idea to hold a live podcast was not a good idea .     Further still the positive feedback from the executive management and staff members at the   regulatory office went a long way in securing funds to execute programmes and further   endorse   the podcast idea .      Approach     An alternative approach would seek to leverage the mind mapping tool . The tool will enable   the consumer protection team highlight the patterns and insights from large quantities of data   drawn from annual consumer behavior and trends surveys , customer satisfaction surveys ,   quarterly customer complaints reports and reports of previous consumer education outreach   activities ( The University of Virginia , 2020 ) .     The consumer   protection teams hall gather all the relevant data and information and avail it a   large hall to show case it to relevant stakeholders ( consumers , licensees , staff et.c . ) . Due to the   government measures on social distancing , they shall schedule the various stakeholder groups   and request them to note all the important staff and notable information . The team shall then   engage the stakeholder through an online collaboration board so as enable stakeholders share   there insights and collaborate to identify trends and linkages .     Through the use of this tool , the relationship between the regulator and stakeholders will be   strengthened as it shall also serve as a platform to collaborate and resolve a common problem   The University of Virginia ( 2020 ) . 

 References 

 The University of Virginia ( 2020a ) . Darden School of Business Coursera course : Design 

 Thinking for Innovation . Available at : https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design- 

 thinking - innovation / lecture / F04r6 / learning - launch - tool ( Accessed : 15 October 2015 ) 

 The University of Virginia ( 2020 ) . Darden School of Business Coursera course : Design 

 Thinking for Innovation . Available at : https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design- 

 thinking - innovation / lecture / lsFRa / mind - mapping - tool ( Accessed : 15 October 2015 ) 


EMAIL: 
ID_NUM: 
NAME_STUDENT: Nickie Ahmed
PHONE_NUM: 
STREET_ADDRESS: 
URL_PERSONAL: 
USERNAME: 

### Task: You are a PII (Personal Identity Information) Detection. Given a essays written by students, you have to identify ONLY the following:
NAME_STUDENT - The full or partial name of a student that is not necessarily the author of the essay. This excludes instructors, authors, and other person names.
EMAIL - A student’s email address.
USERNAME - A student's username on any platform.
ID_NUM - A number or sequence of characters that could be used to identify a student, such as a student ID or a social security number.
PHONE_NUM - A phone number associated with a student.
URL_PERSONAL - A URL that might be used to identify a student.
STREET_ADDRESS - A full or partial street address that is associated with the student, such as their home address.
### Input: University of Virginia 

 Design Thinking for Innovation 

 Instructor : Nickie Ahmed 

 Prepared by : Nickie Ahmed 

 EMPOWERING ICT CONSUMERS DURING THE COVID-19 

 PANDEMIC : 

 REFLECTION LEARNING LAUNCH 

 Challenge     The consumers of communication services have rights and responsibilities when purchasing   and using regulated communication products and services in a market . The manager in charge   of consumer protection at the ICT regulator with a team of six staff are responsible for   safeguarding consumer rights and developing mechanisms to protect consumers in this sector .      The regulator has in place an effective consumer education and outreach program that seeks to   empower consumers with information that will enable them make informed purchase decisions   in the market . In addition , consumer protection mechanisms and regulatory interventions are   developed based on data and information from annual consumer behavior and trends surveys ,   customer satisfaction surveys and quarterly customer complaints reports .     Following the Covid-19 pandemic and a sharp reduction in operation costs at the regulatory   office , the division has no funds to continue executing it ’s mandate and furthermore , the   Government measures to mitigate the pandemic has also affected ability of the division to   execute consumer education and outreach activities . In addition , during this period , there has   been an exponential increase in the number of consumers leveraging technology as they work   from home or access e - learning for their children .      During this period it is noted that there has been an increase in consumer complaints that have   been escalated to the regulatory office seeing that the licensed communication service   providers have not been able address consumers concerns .     It is therefore crucial that the regulatory office develop a new initiative that will provide   consumers with information that they require to exercise their rights in the market .      Selection     Following a brainstorming session with the team , and in view of the need to develop a platform   that will enable consumers engagement at a low / minimal costs and will allow for great   improvements going forward , the manager leveraged the learning launch tool to progress the 

 implementation of a new idea . The learning launch tool being an experiment based tool will   enable the manger establish the truth about the assumption made on increased consumer   complaints viz consumer information ( The University of Virginia , 2020a ) . The manager , while   using this tool , will further execute quick engagement with consumers and facilitate testing   the   assumption that increase consumer complaints is as a result of lack of consumer information   ( The University of Virginia , 2020 ) .     The learning launch tool was selected seeing that it shall involve quick engagement with   consumers and testing of assumptions ( The University of Virginia , 2020a ) .      The teams idea to host a live interactive podcast session with consumers will enable the   regulator interact with consumers and disseminate consumer information . This tool has never   been used before by the regulator and neither has the regulator held podcasts to engage   consumers .      Application     The consumer protection team hypothesized that increased escalation of consumer complaints    to the regulator was occasioned by the lack of consumer information who are consequently not   able to exercise their rights .     The consumer protection team   prioritized the consumer concerns that were to be addressed   and further develop a methodology and mechanisms to engage consumers and establish the   extent to which free podcast application can be exploited in order to achieve this . The team   also undertook research on how to set up a live podcast .     The team shall further determine and plan the implementation of online publicity by leveraging   inhouse social media management team so as to maintain costs at minimum . The team shall   also facilitate the participation of consumers whose complaints were escalated to the regulator .   All staff members of the regulator shall also be in attendance so as to participate and give   insights after the end of the podcast session .     For the execution of a live podcast with consumers to be deemed to be great idea / true , it is   anticipated that the main reason why consumers of ICT must have been having trouble making   purchase decisions in the ICT market is due to lack of information .     Insight     Following the execution of the interactive live podcast with consumers , the consumer   protection department analyzed the data on the number of consumers who attended , actively   participated , and positive feedback indicating that the podcast is insightful . This data enabled   us conclude that the idea to have a live podcast with consumers was valid . Data on the rate of   decrease in the number of consumer complaints escalated to the regulator will further validated   the hypothesis that information gaps are the main source of pain point for consumers . 

 Analysis of data on attendance and feedback information from consumer who declined the   invitation to attend the podcast session provided insights on areas that require improvements   in the dissemination of information via the podcast sessions . The analyzed data further   endorsed the idea to hold a live podcast was not a good idea .     Further still the positive feedback from the executive management and staff members at the   regulatory office went a long way in securing funds to execute programmes and further   endorse   the podcast idea .      Approach     An alternative approach would seek to leverage the mind mapping tool . The tool will enable   the consumer protection team highlight the patterns and insights from large quantities of data   drawn from annual consumer behavior and trends surveys , customer satisfaction surveys ,   quarterly customer complaints reports and reports of previous consumer education outreach   activities ( The University of Virginia , 2020 ) .     The consumer   protection teams hall gather all the relevant data and information and avail it a   large hall to show case it to relevant stakeholders ( consumers , licensees , staff et.c . ) . Due to the   government measures on social distancing , they shall schedule the various stakeholder groups   and request them to note all the important staff and notable information . The team shall then   engage the stakeholder through an online collaboration board so as enable stakeholders share   there insights and collaborate to identify trends and linkages .     Through the use of this tool , the relationship between the regulator and stakeholders will be   strengthened as it shall also serve as a platform to collaborate and resolve a common problem   The University of Virginia ( 2020 ) . 

 References 

 The University of Virginia ( 2020a ) . Darden School of Business Coursera course : Design 

 Thinking for Innovation . Available at : https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design- 

 thinking - innovation / lecture / F04r6 / learning - launch - tool ( Accessed : 15 October 2015 ) 

 The University of Virginia ( 2020 ) . Darden School of Business Coursera course : Design 

 Thinking for Innovation . Available at : https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design- 

 thinking - innovation / lecture / lsFRa / mind - mapping - tool ( Accessed : 15 October 2015 )
### Output: 