Issue 58: Strategy Beyond Covid
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re considering how design thinking will be critical for the post-pandemic landscape – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
Strategy Beyond Covid
As we ease into another week of our new reality, governments around the world are busy working on strategies for what’s next. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum held a virtual cabinet meeting last week where he directed officials to develop a national strategy for the post-Covid-19 era. Sheikh Mohammed stressed the importance of engaging local, regional, and international experts in crafting the country’s approach to re-energizing the country and the economy. This mammoth task will be achieved through hard work and innovative approaches to problem-solving such as design thinking.
Redefining innovation: Over the past decade, the UAE has created one of the most vibrant knowledge economies in the region. Through top-down leadership, impressive investment in digital infrastructure, and a willingness to engage the innovative spirit that sits at the core of Emirati identity, the country is ready to face the challenge that Covid-19 has created. In our view, the components involved in building our knowledge economy will be critical for our post-Covid-19 strategies. But how do we integrate the ideas into one framework? That’s where design thinking comes in.
Thinking outside of the box: What exactly is design thinking? It’s a way of designing new products, services, or initiatives that meet communal goals by following a structured approach to collaboratively brainstorming, designing, prototyping, refining, and ultimately implementing solutions. While this definition sounds like a mouthful, the concept is relatively straightforward. Through collaboration as well as prototyping, solutions are found. In the last edition of Backstory, we explored the power of failure in meeting challenges. Design thinking creates a controlled environment where we can quickly learn from failure to arrive at new solutions.
New thinking: As Sheikh Mohammed said during the last week’s cabinet meeting: “A whole new world is waiting for us and this new world needs new tools and new priorities.” In order to realize this new world, we need to start by working together to identify the changes required to protect the strength of the country and economy. Once those changes are identified, we can move swiftly to prototyping solutions for the post-pandemic landscape. This will require participation from all sectors of society, but through the proper application of design thinking, we can realize the power of the new tools at our disposal.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
This week, we’re asking how you have incorporated design thinking into your workflow. What does prototyping mean to you? Get in touch across our social media channels @xische with your thoughts, feelings, and tips. Or drop us a line and just say hello.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“At some point, if you’re lucky, you realize you’re not the story, you’re part of the story. The story is much bigger than you.”
– Maynard James Keenan, musician
COVID19 STORIES
We are passionate about telling human stories. Now more than ever, those stories involve you. Covid19 Stories is a showcase of words, photos, and videos of our global community designed to celebrate shared experiences from this time of isolation. Powered by Empowering through, this exhibition is a dynamic and living testament to the historic moment we’re living through. Visit Covid19 Stories to share your story today.
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
The power of storytelling: Now more than ever, stories are the glue that keeps people together. With much of humanity in some form of lockdown to defeat the coronavirus, the natural communal element of our lives has vanished. Our ability to gather together, which is foundational to what makes us human, has transformed. Writing in Gulf News, Danish Farhan outlined how businesses need to (re)discover the power of storytelling to get through this challenging time and remain on top.
Essential creatives: Just as we’re looking out for all sectors of society and the economy, we must remember to pay special attention to our creatives. They are a vital part of the global economy and our local economy in the UAE. Over the past two decades, local culture has taken its seat on the global stage. We are now producing some of the world’s finest artists, filmmakers, writers, and cultural visionaries. In the latest article published by Xische, we explored how we can help creatives get through the Covid-19 pandemic so they can continue to inspire us in new and exciting ways.
A MESSAGE FROM SMART LABOUR
Smart learning. The Covid-19 pandemic has created unprecedented economic hardships for all sectors of society including blue-collar workers. SmartLabour is an app-based smart learning tool designed to improve the lives of millions of blue-collar workers. Workers learn critical life skills, win rewards, and can share tips through voice notes in their native language. During these uncertain times, please visit Smartlabour and consider supporting their vital work. Together we can make the lives of millions happier and smarter.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
Cities will change forever: The Covid-19 pandemic has hit global cities hard. From New York to London, our cities are the focal points of the outbreak. As a result, cities are changing and the changes will likely last. Take Milan, as The Guardian highlighted in a recent piece. The northern Italian city has turned 35 kilometers of streets over to cyclists and pedestrians in order to create space for social distancing. Urbanists have requested such a transformation for years and it seems Covid-19 was the catalyst for this much-needed change.
Coronavirus and big tech: You might not know Margrethe Vestager but you should. She is one of the most powerful people in technology. As the European Union’s competition commissioner, Vestager is on the frontlines of Europe’s approach to consumer protection and data rights. This week, she spoke with the New Yorker about how tech regulation will transform after the Covid-19 pandemic. TL;DR: get ready for some major changes when the crisis eases.