Challenge 

 I work for a financial organization as a consultant / coach and currently support a team that deals   with helping clients finance commercial vehicles , in their business name / capacity . We have seen a   sharp decline in the sales numbers , specifically for entrepreneurial clients . Through research , these   clients have told us they do not have the time to call in at a branch and complete all the documents   to apply for the commercial vehicle asset finance and would like to apply for this when they have the   time , and on the channel or platform of their choice and would like a simpler user - friendly solution .   After all , they are already our clients and we have their information on hand . The project team are   full - time employed , so they are 100 % committed in terms of time allocation . They have been   allocated the support of a technical team that will assist with the development of the solution when   they are ready . The scope of the project is to look at creating a digital application platform and   redesigning the process flow of the back - end work . This also stresses commercial viability , with the   intent of creating a digital platform with a straight through process , speed of approval and deal   closure and more digital traffic and interest . The team needs to understand the client friction or pain   points so that whatever the solution they come up with , addresses these . 

 Selection 

 The team has already undertaken some design thinking exercises , using various tools , as well as   done some research with customers . They have also mapped out the process flows , from a customer   perspective to understood what some of the pain points are that clients are experiencing and being   frustrated by . The learning launch tool is the ideal next approach for the team as it will allow them to   run some quick tests , in the real world , on ideas or prototypes that they have in mind . Right now , it ’s   about learning fast and testing their ideas or hypotheses . In the Carsten Ho video , he clearly stated   that the “ purpose of a learning launch is to get to the truth , to either confirm or disconfirm your   assumptions ” . 

 Application 

 As the team kicked off their initial learning launch , they focused on testing with users a mock - up   design of an app , for a hand - held device , that allowed entrepreneurial clients the ability to apply for   their commercial finance . They were testing the assumption that this was how these clients wanted   to do this and also the process of doing the application . They thought they had a great solution and   were bullish about putting this in front of clients . As they engaged with clients ( still online via teams   because of covid ) , they were very taken aback as this assumption was challenged or disproved . Yes ,   clients wanted to apply for the finance themselves , but they did n’t want a separate app to do this ,   they wanted to see it integrated in their current banking app – so they use a single sign - on and they   have a finance application tile to take them to the process . Other clients wanted to be able do this   through their online banking and do this via their laptop / desktop and not on a handheld device . In   addition to this , the clients also gave them feedback around a few additional features that they   thought would be pertinent in this solution . An incredible lesson for the team was learn quick , fail   fast and cheap . 

 The team took the learnings away and incorporated these into another iteration of this reviewed   process . They also learnt not to take the feedback personally but rather consider it a valuable review   to allow them to refine their work . For their next learning launch , they used a refined mock - up of 

 their solution and had created both an app option and an online banking option so they could test   the client ’s choice of platform as well . They incorporated herein some of the additional features and   refined flows , that the clients had recommended . Having these two options available allowed them   to validate their refined assumption of where clients wanted to apply for their finance . This also   validated that clients wanted to do it themselves . This really identified that the clients had a burning   need and that they would be willing to use their solution – asking when it would go live . This   validated for the team that this solution was much better than the current in - branch application   process . 

 This process of learning for the team is still ongoing and there are more learning launches planned .   This component of rapid learning and testing has been welcomed by the team and they are currently   iterating on their solution again so they can test with clients . 

 Insight 

 We perceive ourselves to be client centric , but unless we are challenged and go through learning   interventions like the learning launch , we do not see the world clearly or through the eyes of our   clients / users . The learning launch tool allowed us as a team to really connect deeper with our   clients / users by testing our assumptions with them . It may be uncomfortable to have assumptions   “ disproven ” in the beginning , but as we go away and analyse the output , we see and gain the true   value . This also allows us to see that we are not designing for ourselves , but rather for those that we   really want to use our solution to solve for a real problem or pain point . We should also not take   anything personally but rather see the true value in the feedback . The learning launch tool has   brought that value to me / us and also shown that its better to fail fast and learn quickly . The failure   component is where the magic of the learning happens . I addition to this we received feedback from   clients as to what they really wanted to see in the solution . This in itself is priceless and has   contributed to additional learning launches the team will commit to and will ensure that we embed   this approach in future projects . These insights allow us to me more effective . Design thinking opens   up a world of allowing us to think differently , offers us a vast array of tools to support and challenge   ow we do things , and let ’s us see that people are open to us testing concepts or ideas that are   roughly put together – we do not need to spend the money first – its about testing and learning and   refining . We will only do product design when we have done the learning and the testing . , 

 Approach 

 One of the things that I might consider in the approach before we do anything else is applying the   mind mapping tool / approach to us as the team , to help us work through the great amount of   systemic data collected by the team . This would need to be right at the beginning of a project   though as it really just helps us organise the data and see patterns and insights . Because of the   nature of what we are solving for though , I believe that the learning launch tool really was / is the   best for us to apply . Everything learned from the initial learning launches have realised some great   insights and we will continue to refine , with these learnings , what assumptions , or truths we want to   validate or disprove . After all , we want our client to use our solution because it meets their need to   solve their specific problem . If there is any else I may do , it may be working on ensuring we prepare   good open ended questions to ask during our learning launch , to get those deep insights from our   valuable clients . 


EMAIL: 
ID_NUM: 
NAME_STUDENT: 
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: Challenge 

 I work for a financial organization as a consultant / coach and currently support a team that deals   with helping clients finance commercial vehicles , in their business name / capacity . We have seen a   sharp decline in the sales numbers , specifically for entrepreneurial clients . Through research , these   clients have told us they do not have the time to call in at a branch and complete all the documents   to apply for the commercial vehicle asset finance and would like to apply for this when they have the   time , and on the channel or platform of their choice and would like a simpler user - friendly solution .   After all , they are already our clients and we have their information on hand . The project team are   full - time employed , so they are 100 % committed in terms of time allocation . They have been   allocated the support of a technical team that will assist with the development of the solution when   they are ready . The scope of the project is to look at creating a digital application platform and   redesigning the process flow of the back - end work . This also stresses commercial viability , with the   intent of creating a digital platform with a straight through process , speed of approval and deal   closure and more digital traffic and interest . The team needs to understand the client friction or pain   points so that whatever the solution they come up with , addresses these . 

 Selection 

 The team has already undertaken some design thinking exercises , using various tools , as well as   done some research with customers . They have also mapped out the process flows , from a customer   perspective to understood what some of the pain points are that clients are experiencing and being   frustrated by . The learning launch tool is the ideal next approach for the team as it will allow them to   run some quick tests , in the real world , on ideas or prototypes that they have in mind . Right now , it ’s   about learning fast and testing their ideas or hypotheses . In the Carsten Ho video , he clearly stated   that the “ purpose of a learning launch is to get to the truth , to either confirm or disconfirm your   assumptions ” . 

 Application 

 As the team kicked off their initial learning launch , they focused on testing with users a mock - up   design of an app , for a hand - held device , that allowed entrepreneurial clients the ability to apply for   their commercial finance . They were testing the assumption that this was how these clients wanted   to do this and also the process of doing the application . They thought they had a great solution and   were bullish about putting this in front of clients . As they engaged with clients ( still online via teams   because of covid ) , they were very taken aback as this assumption was challenged or disproved . Yes ,   clients wanted to apply for the finance themselves , but they did n’t want a separate app to do this ,   they wanted to see it integrated in their current banking app – so they use a single sign - on and they   have a finance application tile to take them to the process . Other clients wanted to be able do this   through their online banking and do this via their laptop / desktop and not on a handheld device . In   addition to this , the clients also gave them feedback around a few additional features that they   thought would be pertinent in this solution . An incredible lesson for the team was learn quick , fail   fast and cheap . 

 The team took the learnings away and incorporated these into another iteration of this reviewed   process . They also learnt not to take the feedback personally but rather consider it a valuable review   to allow them to refine their work . For their next learning launch , they used a refined mock - up of 

 their solution and had created both an app option and an online banking option so they could test   the client ’s choice of platform as well . They incorporated herein some of the additional features and   refined flows , that the clients had recommended . Having these two options available allowed them   to validate their refined assumption of where clients wanted to apply for their finance . This also   validated that clients wanted to do it themselves . This really identified that the clients had a burning   need and that they would be willing to use their solution – asking when it would go live . This   validated for the team that this solution was much better than the current in - branch application   process . 

 This process of learning for the team is still ongoing and there are more learning launches planned .   This component of rapid learning and testing has been welcomed by the team and they are currently   iterating on their solution again so they can test with clients . 

 Insight 

 We perceive ourselves to be client centric , but unless we are challenged and go through learning   interventions like the learning launch , we do not see the world clearly or through the eyes of our   clients / users . The learning launch tool allowed us as a team to really connect deeper with our   clients / users by testing our assumptions with them . It may be uncomfortable to have assumptions   “ disproven ” in the beginning , but as we go away and analyse the output , we see and gain the true   value . This also allows us to see that we are not designing for ourselves , but rather for those that we   really want to use our solution to solve for a real problem or pain point . We should also not take   anything personally but rather see the true value in the feedback . The learning launch tool has   brought that value to me / us and also shown that its better to fail fast and learn quickly . The failure   component is where the magic of the learning happens . I addition to this we received feedback from   clients as to what they really wanted to see in the solution . This in itself is priceless and has   contributed to additional learning launches the team will commit to and will ensure that we embed   this approach in future projects . These insights allow us to me more effective . Design thinking opens   up a world of allowing us to think differently , offers us a vast array of tools to support and challenge   ow we do things , and let ’s us see that people are open to us testing concepts or ideas that are   roughly put together – we do not need to spend the money first – its about testing and learning and   refining . We will only do product design when we have done the learning and the testing . , 

 Approach 

 One of the things that I might consider in the approach before we do anything else is applying the   mind mapping tool / approach to us as the team , to help us work through the great amount of   systemic data collected by the team . This would need to be right at the beginning of a project   though as it really just helps us organise the data and see patterns and insights . Because of the   nature of what we are solving for though , I believe that the learning launch tool really was / is the   best for us to apply . Everything learned from the initial learning launches have realised some great   insights and we will continue to refine , with these learnings , what assumptions , or truths we want to   validate or disprove . After all , we want our client to use our solution because it meets their need to   solve their specific problem . If there is any else I may do , it may be working on ensuring we prepare   good open ended questions to ask during our learning launch , to get those deep insights from our   valuable clients .
### Output: 