iq! runs a business ideation process for a new digital business model

In 2 design sprints and 10 days to the API business model

Task

Development of a digital business model, which in the course of the digital transformation of a group has the potential to generate sales. Relevant as well as comprehensible added value for consumers were as much a focus as a user-centered approach and the social change of the present. As a briefing iq! created an intellectual approach of the customer.

Approach

iq! conceived an API business model in two respectively one-week Ideation and design sprints: In the first sprint, iq! developed an alternative business model, challenged against the original customer lettering, and prepared a decision-making base for the management. In sprint two, the business model proposed by iq! is further elaborated and continuously tested for acceptance in user tests.

Result

An API-based business model and a business vision with a 15-year horizon for a phase-based rollout were developed in several evolution stages. This vision places consumers at the center of a linked, context-based service and consumer world with the goal of sustainable value creation. In addition, a first prognostic assessment of potential business potentials took place.

Business Ideation: 2 design sprints à 5 days

A Design Sprint is a five-day process to answer critical business questions through design, rapid prototyping and testing the generated ideas together with consumers. This methodology radically shortens the long cycles in product and service development by providing valuable results and insightful findings within five days. This is achieved because design and ideation sprints combine the most efficient practices of business strategy, innovation, behavioral science and design thinking.

Monday: GOAL

Challenges relevant to society were identified in the sector of the client and the target groups were asked for acceptance. Finally, the contract and the related objectives were formulated for the remaining four days in order to be able to pursue these goals together.

Tuesday: RESEARCH

A time corridor for the sustainability of the business model was based on a period of 15 years. In this, growth and change were reflected by companies and first ideas were divided into this period.

Wednesday: DECIDE

The ideas developed at the lecture were categorized and evaluated together. It was then decided which societal challenges could be solved by the selected ideas and a solution for the prototype was selected in order to learn more about the needs of the consumers.

Thursday: PROTOTYPE

Three teams were formed: one for the organization of testers and for the creation of an interview arc, as well as one for the hardware prototyping or the prototyping of the digital applications, which are essential components of the new business model.

Friday: SURFACE

On the last day, consumer interviews were held under secrecy. The research fields for the second sprint were then defined from the findings. The API specifications were evaluated and discussed as to which challenges are solved with the API.

A long-term vision as a result

At the end of the first sprint, a business vision emerged, which had a review period of 15 years and provided a phase-wise rollout in several stages of evolution. This vision places consumers at the center of a linked, context-based service and consumer world with the aim of creating sustainable added value – both for the company and for consumers.

Determination of internal and external touchpoints

In the second sprint, the weekday was the development of a convincing product prototype with developers as a focused upstream target group. The API and service design as well as touchpoint examples and applications have been developed.

In group work, services were developed in detail and related API examples were categorized and clustered. Subsequently, these clusters were refined, expanded, cross-linked and re-critically tested. This was followed by a full-day prototyping session so that another user test could be carried out on the last day.

Review of Use Cases

Iterate, test and iterate again – and you need to do it fast! The digital world is characterized by a rapid development of products, services and business models that are permanently critically examined and further developed on a daily basis with the aim of optimization with the involvement of the users. Even if technological development is linear in human perception, it is nevertheless exponential.

Evaluation of business potentials

The project was rounded off by a first prognostic assessment of potential business potentials. This analysis included a SWOT analysis, a market review as well as the organizational necessities on the part of the client in the implementation of the new business model.

Business Ideation for a new digital business model