Anarchybox – Personal Innovation Kit
I added storytelling and fun through design to the idea of this personal innovation kit.
Product
The Anarchybox is a personal innovation kit created by The Techno Creatives. It’s a methodology enabling every employee to submit and validate their own ideas. No gates. No bureaucracy. No Jurys.
Role
Digital Product Designer & Design Lead @The Techno Creatives
- Strategy, Innovation, Storytelling and Writing
- Designed and assembled box and contents
- Internal user testing
Team
Jiaojiao Xu (Digital Product Designer)
Martin Persson (Strategy Lead)
Jessica Ekdahl (Strategy Manager)
Timeframe
1 months // 2022
Design for
Analog
HIPPO = Highest Paid Person’s Opinion
The improvement
Your idea ignored explored
Employees have really good ideas. Maybe to make work more efficient, better, cost effective – you name it! But guess what, the idea never gets anywhere. Sometimes an idea needs a little bit of help. That is where the Anarchybox comes in. An employer would by X amount of boxes, have them laying around and any employee can take one. When an employee then uses this box The Techno Creatives will get involved. They will help with some innovation strategy magic to make this idea a tangible reality to be presented.
This box is not here to restructure an organisation. Plug in, plug out – no biggie! No reorganisation or process is needed from the employers end. It is a small investment to pay for a potential big reward outcome.
Process
Understand
A good idea doesn’t matter if nobody gets it
We had a version 0.1 that was very quickly made and there was lots of passion that went in. That passion meant saying everything, everywhere. As an outsider I could immediately pin point what was not working out. We tried to kill too many birds with one stone with our communication style and explanations on what the box is. This made it hard for the user to know what to do and what actions to take, even so far as to them not thinking the box is for them.
What do we say to the god of giving up? Iterate! I mapped out the different users: Buyers and Box Users and their goals and needs. The Buyer wants to know what it is and the benefit, the return, the cash. The Box User wants to be heard and get their idea across. I focused my attention more to the box itself and the Box User.
Key takeaways
- There are 2 different user types that have completely different interactions with the concept and we need to design for both of them in their right context
- People are overwhelmed by information and are not sure what to do and where to start
- People are not inclined of taking the box because they are are not sure if it’s for them – how can we lower the threshold?
Design
Rebelling with style and story
I restructured the box and contents, by making clear step-by-step instructions, choosing materials, colors and sizes for different content so the user can differentiate between information and actions. I included a work sheet so a user can reflect on their own idea and fill it out a bit more before meeting The Techno Creatives. The outside of the box is now more exciting and daring.
I also created the small teaser box that should make people curios about the Anarchybox. I 3D-printed a Hippo and made it ”an ideas biggest fear”, making a reference to the Highest Paid Persons Opinion (short: H.I.P.P.O.). The thought was to make many of those and leave them at workplaces or bring them to meetings with stakeholders.
Outcome
Impact
This honestly is a super cool box. I really am proud of the storytelling and narrative. We are now doing a test run, and collect feedback with buyers and internally. I love the analog aspect of it, shows you that not all solutions need to be digital.
– Whoever stumbles across the box can’t help but open and explore
– The box has been received very well internally
I learned to
- Design an experience like a boardgame with step-by-step instructions and different materials
- Tell a story and make the box come to life with it’s own personality and charm
