Design Thinking and the Future of Work

Last Friday, May 11, the SABF had its first talk session in 2018. The organizers of Impacto Digital* gave a workshop on the use of Design Thinking, where attendees were able to test their creativity and innovation to create solutions to a problem, experiencing first-hand the benefits of an incremental and effective way of working.

The speakers Alfonso Aguilera (founder and CEO) and Martín Poncio (Strategy Leader) proposed design thinking as a possible solution to the “Future of Work” and how technology is modifying the way we work. Some agencies believe that new technologies will displace more than 60% of our current jobs, while others talk about a 40%. Although we are not sure how technology will impact our everyday life, we know that great changes are coming. The challenge: To make young people protagonists in the works of the future, intrinsically related to the subtopics of this edition “In tune with technology”, “Systems facing obsolescence” and “Leading in the unknown”.

As Alfonso stated, innovating is not changing. To innovate is not to relate everything to technology, just because. To innovate is to solve some problem through the best available tools.

In this way, in a ludic and reflective afternoon, the speakers raised some fundamental questions to understand the reality that surrounds us, encouraging the participants to change their paradigm. If there is too much planning, there is a lot of expenditure of resources and we end up working on the same mental model. It is necessary to test the ideas and not to remain with a “perfect” theoretical one. Among the most resonant statements: “Try fast, to fail fast”.

*Impacto Digital is an NGO that seeks to articulate companies, organizations, and universities to develop technological solutions with great social impact. You can contact them for more information about their program at hola@impactodigital.org.