THE ART & SCIENCE OF
PROBLEM-SOLVING & INNOVATING
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Submit a winning-entry to any innovation competition by leveraging 20+ problem-solving tools
overview
overview
This web-portal provides a comprehensive set of self-learning resources that enable students to learn the art and science of problem-solving & innovating - key skills needed for submitting a winning entry to any innovation competition (including the ATL Marathon competition conducted by Atal Innovation Mission every year).
Specifically, the learning content on this portal will help students understand how to conduct primary and secondary research to understand the problem-domain better; how to come up with a point-of-view and articulate the problem-statement clearly; ideate to come up with solution alternatives and shortlist the most suitable one; build a working prototype to demonstrate the working of the shortlisted solution; test the prototype with end-users, gather feedback, and refine the solution; differentiate the solution from that of competitors; build a business model to determine the business viability; and pitch the innovative solution to jury members effectively. Basically, students get to learn everything needed to submit a winning entry to an innovation competition.
This portal illustrates how to innovate step-by-step with the help of a case study and by using several examples. It exposes students to 20+ different problem-solving tools & techniques encompassing the 5-stages of design-thinking approach. Students can freely download templates of the problem-solving tools and leverage them in their own innovation projects. This portal also offers quizzes, assignments & challenges that students can complete and submit to demonstrate their understanding of the topics.
learning modules
learning modules
You can learn all about the art and science of problem-solving and innovating through the following 8 learning modules:
Module 1: Know the Basics
Learn about a few basic things necessary for participating effectively in an innovation competition. Specifically, learn the differences between idea, invention & innovation, innovation-types, and the criteria that a good innovation has to satisfy. Also, learn what it takes to innovate using well-known problem-solving approaches & processes.
Module 2: Use a Problem-solving approach
Get familiar with 'Design Thinking', a human-centered approach for creative problem-solving. Understand the different stages of design thinking process and what's involved at each stage. Learn how to bring rigor to problem-solving and innovating through a 20-step process that expands on the design-thinking approach.
Module 3: Uncover Problems
Observe, analyze, uncover & identify problems faced by people around you using observation, analysis and interviewing techniques. Construct User Personas to gain better understanding of the users' goals, pain points and behaviors.
Module 4: Empathize with People
Research the problem domain in depth by putting yourself in the shoes of the affected persons and experience the problem first-hand; shadow people through the day and come up with a day-in-the-life scenario to understand their challenges better; compare existing solutions used by people; and create an Empathy map to highlight what the affected people think & feel, hear & see, say & do, pain they experience, and the gain they look forward to.
Module 5: Define your Point-of-View
Conduct secondary research, come up with your point-of-view, and articulate the problem statement you wish to pursue further.
Additionally, explore products & solutions, tools & technologies out there in preparation for the ideation stage.
Module 6: Ideate & Innovate
Ideate to come up with multiple solution alternatives for the chosen problem, prioritize promising solutions over others, shortlist the most promising solution for prototyping, and come up with a solution one-pager to clearly articulate your solution to the identified problem.
Module 7: Implement & Test
Design, build and test a prototype of your innovative solution using physical or virtual prototyping resources & tools; get your users to use your prototype and gather feedback for improving your prototype using a user feedback form.
Module 8: Submit a Winning Entry
Learn what it takes to submit a winning entry to an innovation competition such as ATL Marathon, Youth Ideathon, etc. Know key pitfalls to avoid in submitting your entry to an innovation competition.
This online self-learning resource has been designed and developed by Mr. Kiran Kumar H. S., Regional Mentor of Change – Karnataka, to support ATL Students, Teachers, and Mentors of Change across the country associated with the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Government of India.
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