The Business Canvas project was an unique and interesting experience for me. I have never been presented with the opportunity to “dissect” a business down to its parts in such a way that the business canvas helped walk us through. For this project, I worked in a team with Pia, Mimi and myself to tackling the business model of the HiVE Vancouver. As a team, we were assigned to work the Eesmyal Santos-Brault , the President of The HiVE Vancouver Society Board of Directors to find out more about the business model and what the HiVE was all about. Initially I thought the business canvas model was going to be a challenge to follow considering I have never used that type of model before, but surprisingly it ended up helping our team stay organized and collect a wide range of information. We begun researching the HiVE through its website and were able to collect a good portion of the data needed. The Business Canvas was a very useful tool and the “work in progress” feel of the canvas with the stickie notes provided a safe space we could take risks and not be afraid if it was the right answer or not. It was when we were trying to get in touch with our contact, that we ran into more problems. Our contact, Eesmyal, is a very busy man and is involved in various projects and businesses. We were unable to meet with Eesmyal until the day before the Canvas presentations that left me nervous and thinking that our project would not come together. Thankfully, Mimi was able to gain a lot of great information from Eesmyal and as a team, we were able to stick it out and produce, in my opinion, a thoughtful and creative Business Canvas to present to Eesmyal and the rest of the CEO’s and the d.studio class.
Throughout this process, we were able to learn how busy a ceo or director of a startup coming is and how valuable their time is. Other insights that were gained throughout this project, includes the importance of networks. By talking with Eesmyal, we discovered that a large majority of this company comes from his own personal contacts and his experience. A major insight that we discovered by working with the HiVE and Eesmyal, is that the HiVE has created a niche market in what before was looked over.
The market for “workspace” was not something I had not known of prior to this project. Eesmyal and team were able to carve out a new service that is tailed to the start-up business entrepreneur or small company looking to work in a collaborative environment. As mentioned in the readings “Design Thinking” by Tim Brown, surrounding yourself and collaborating with gifted thinkers, improvisers, and experimenters can break you out of your regular routine mold and help you work in a new frame of mind. The HiVE has incorporated that same idea of collaboration and innovation amongst a community.
Another key takeaway from the readings that I found to when reading the article “Design Driven Innovation” by Roberto Veranti was the idea of a design-driven innovation strategy. I found that before I knew about the HiVE and its collaborative workspace, I did not see that market as a missing part. Now after learning about the HiVE and viewing the amazing opportunities, creativity and ideas that come out of working in such a setting, I see this market as totally necessary and would expect it to have a place in every business center.
Overall, I had a positive experience working with my team, the HiVE and our contact Eesmyal. As a team, we were able to analysis the current business model and present Eesmyal with our recommendations for improvements in the area that gaps were present. Through the Business Canvas project, we were given the opportunity to step into the mind of a design thinker in business and were able to use different thinking strategies, tools and models to help better understand the business and what it takes to put together a successful business.
Brown, Tim. (2008). “Design thinking”. Harvard Business Review. 86(6), pp. 84-92.
Verganti, Roberto (2009) Design Driven Innovation. Introduction: Design Driven Innovation. pp. 1-16. Harvard Business Press.
Lockwood, Thomas & Thomas Walton, Ed. (2008) Building Design Strategy: Using Design toAchieve Key Business Objectives. Chapter 12: Visual Thinking: A Leadership Strategy. Pp 119-129. Allworth Press, New York .