Recommended structure for individual Design Thinking in Marketing Assignment.
| OUTLINE | SOURCES |
| 1. Introduction – Provide a brief overview of the firm. Clearly state the key issue they face directly related to the context of the marketing activity you will focus on. Provide secondary research information and statistics to support and justify that this is a critical marketing issue for the firm (this may include value, image, ROI, loyalty, changes in trends or behaviours and competitive position, external environmental factors for eg). This will help to define the scale (how large) and scope (how broadly it may be affecting the wider company ie across other areas of operation outside of marketing, or the industry to which it belongs). For a large, globally operating company, try to define one strategic business unit (e.g. instead of Apple, look only at iTunes) and country of operation to help narrow down sources of information. | Secondary sources – statistics from Library databases (Statista, Passport etc), current and credible news articles, industry relevant journal research findings etc.
Use as few online only, non-journal based sources as possible; limit the amount you use the company’s own website content too. |
| 2. Do not define Design Thinking, assume the reader understands the basics.
Explain why and how applying DTP could be useful to address the marketing issue described above. Briefly outline what are the broader business implications (ie why are improvements needed and how could solutions create new value for the firm, what would happen if they did nothing)? Do you foresee any financial, technological or people skills related challenges, which might reduce the capability for the firm to apply DTP? |
Cite from as many industry related journal articles as possible (use the filters: peer reviewed, full text, publication date 2010-2020, academic journals, marketing related etc) to refine your results. Use the Library subject guides databases to search as well as Google Scholar. AVOID general web searches. Look at the recommended references, reading lists and websites from lecture materials. |
| 3. Explain how members of the marketing team inside your firm could implement each of the design thinking process stages (problem definition, empathy, ideation, prototyping and testing) and tools (e.g. depth interviews, empathy maps, journey maps, brainstorming etc) to develop a solution to the problem. Explain how adopting a design thinking approach could be applied to the scale and scope of the marketing issue described above.
Consider the needs of your defined user – what impact could DTP improvements have on them (pros and cons)? Identify which and how other user groups might play a part in implementing the DTP stages as well (internal, external, experts, etc.)? Explain how your DTP suggestions apply to and affect (pros and cons) BOTH online and offline modes of delivery of the marketing activity, to your user. Remember: you are not trying to define the solution, you are recommending HOW your firm could try to investigate and develop some solutions by using DTP. |
Use the Library subject guides database to find credible examples of case studies about your firm or a similar firm in the same industry. AVOID past student papers online, free images, paper mills, blogs and company sites which sell related solutions. If a suitable case study does exist, do not simply cut and paste content from it!
CONTINUED OVER… |
| 4. Convince the reader of the potential benefits of using the design thinking process and tools to identify the optimum user solution. | Use critical analysis to show both pros and cons of your DTP approach suggestions and reinforce your points with citations, references and/or quotes. Use library writing skills guides: h |
| 5.Recommend 4 key actions the firm could take as a result of applying the DTP approach. These should be SMART and clearly identify if they are practically implementable for the firm (in terms of financial, technological or people skills related capability).
Remember, this is the last thing the reader sees; make it a highlight of your work. (If you are running out of word count, use a table). |
This is mainly based your own analysis and informed opinion (ie what you’ve read and cited earlier has helped you come to these conclusions). |
| 6.Appendices – you should include any persona profile, user experience map, customer journey map images here. Make sure you refer to these within the main body of the essay. Do not use this as a dumping ground for “extra” content you did not have space for! | Create your own images; be wary of taking pre-created images from the internet and dumping them here. |
| 7.Check your own work against the marking criteria and review your Turnitin match before submitting it. Ensure your referencing is correct. | Check Library guides: |
