Observation Chart is a tool that helps us document our observation about a scenario or situation in a structured way.  We can capture our observations pictorially (sketches, diagrams, pictures), or in text.

When observing, we have to absorb the facts as they are while suspending judgement about what we are observing.  If we judge while we are observing, our bias and prejudices may interfere within our observation and cloud the observation itself.  

Once we have completed our observation and recorded the same, it is time to question our observation and analyze it.  We repeatedly ask questions such as "why", "who", "what", "when", "how", and "where" regarding our observation.  When we critically question & analyze our observation, we may be able to draw inferences about the observed situation or scenario.  Observation Inference Chart helps us draw your inferences about a situation or scenario we have observed earlier.  For e.g., we may be able to identify problems faced by people in the situation or scenario we observed.

User Interview questionnaire is a set of questions we need to prepare before we talk to users.  The questionnaire helps us structure our questions so as to gather as much information as possible from our interaction with the user.  The questionnaire also has space for us to record responses from users.  We can also send the questionnaire to a user by online or offline means and request them to fill it up and send it back to us.

A user persona is a virtual representation of people whose problems we are trying to understand.  User persona help us have a better understanding of the users' goals, pain points, behaviors, and other demographic information.  After we talk to users, we can create personas about specific users to understand them, their situation, problems and challenges better.

A Day-in-the-Life is a type of study where the researcher follows and observes a user through a typical day.  The objective of this activity is to understand the routine and typical activities of a user performs by mere habit and that the user performs subconsciously.  The purpose of this method is to elicit the different interaction points of the user and the solution in the context of their life.  A Day-in-the-Life also helps the us gain insight into the needs, behaviors and goals of the user. 

User journey maps can help you illustrate the overall experience a user has with a service, a physical or a digital product. A journey map can help you  in different ways when it comes to improving and optimizing the user experience. 

Comparison Chart is a tool that helps us compare one or more options with each other.  The comparison between the options may be made on the basis of pros and cons, advantages or disadvantages, or features, or some other comparison criteria.

Experience Log is a tool that helps us document our experiences about a scenario or situation in a structured way.  We can capture our experiences pictorially (sketches, diagrams, pictures), or in text.

An empathy map is a visualization tool that can be used to articulate what we know about specific users better.  It helps you to organize information we have gathered about people into the following heads:

1. How do people think & feel?

2. What do people hear from others?

3. What do people see others doing?

4. What do people say about the problem they are facing?

5. What pain are people experiencing due to the problem?

6. What do people intend to gain from a solution to the problem?

Research reports are recorded data prepared by researchers or statisticians after analyzing information gathered by conducting organized research, typically in the form of surveys or qualitative methods. Ideal research reports are accurate in the documented information with a clear objective and conclusion. 

Point-of-View (PoV) is a written, actionable statement that expresses the problem that we are trying to address. Crafting a POV statement gives a clear direction for us to come up with a solution. 

It has the format:  

<User name> needs a way to <....verb ....> because <....insight gained....>

A good POV will allow us to ideate and solve your problem in a goal-oriented manner – keeping the focus on our users, their needs and our insights about them. 

Products & Services Evaluation Sheet enables us to evaluate one or more off-the-shelf products or services against a set of evaluation criteria.  The product or service that best meets the evaluation criteria can be shortlisted for further use.

Technology Evaluation Sheet enables us to evaluate one or more technologies against a set of evaluation criteria.  The technology that best meets the evaluation criteria can be shortlisted for further use.

Mind Map is a tool / technique that can help us identify and organize various solution alternatives in an easily understandable fashion.  A mind map involves writing down a central theme and thinking of new and related ideas which radiate out from the center. By focusing on key ideas written down in our own words and looking for connections between them, we can map knowledge in a way that will help us better understand and retain information. 

Prioritization Matrix is an XY chart where X and Y axis represent prioritization factors along which we wish to prioritize candidates (for e.g., tasks, activities, problems or solutions).  The candidates are placed at different coordinates on the XY chart depending on their alignment with the X and Y factors.  This helps us prioritize those candidates that align well with our prioritization factors.

Decision Matrix enables us to evaluate multiple candidates (e.g., solution alternatives) against a set of evaluation criteria and assign a score to each candidate being considered.  The scores for each candidates are then added up to arrive at the total score.  The candidate with the highest score is then shortlisted for selection.  An advanced form of the Decision Matrix uses weighted-scores instead of simple scores.  In this case, each criteria is given a weightage, and the scores are multiplied with the weightage to arrive at the total score.

The Solution One-Pager allows us to capture important details of our solution in a clear and concise way.  It helps us gain clarity about the solution by forcing us to articulate the need, problem or challenge being addressed, the users whose problems are being addressed, the solution being proposed to address the problem, and the benefits of the solution to the users. 

The Prototype Resource Materials List allows us to identify and make a list of various resource materials, products, and building-blocks needed for building a working prototype.

User Test Plan is a tool that helps us plan the testing of the prototype we have built.  It forces us to identify the number of prototypes that will be used for testing, the users who will be given the prototypes to test, the location where the prototype will be tested, the duration for which the prototype will be tested, along with many other details that help us plan the testing activity for maximum effectiveness.

User Test Report is used to record details pertaining to the testing activity such as number of prototypes actually tested, duration for which the test was conducted, how many test runs were conducted, how many of them were successful, how many failed, and many other details that will help us assess the effectiveness of the testing activity.

User Feedback Form is used to record feedback provided by users who used our prototype.  It helps us get a pulse of what the users feel, think and say about the prototype.  It helps us improve the prototype further to address the user's needs & expectations.

SCAMPER is a creative thinking technique that is used to generate a lot of ideas during team brainstorming sessions. The name SCAMPER is an acronym that stands for: (S) substitute, (C) combine, (A) adapt, (M) modify, (P) put to another use, (E) eliminate and (R) reverse. It helps us to think from seven different perspectives to generate new ideas. 

A competitive analysis helps you compare and assess your products or services with those offered by your competitors in the market.  It helps you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your product vis-à-vis your competitors, identify your differentiation, and find your niche in the market.

A business model helps us determine how to commercialize our innovation and make it available in the form of products or services to paying customers.  Specifically, a business model will help us gain clarity on: 1) what do we need to do to commercialize our solution (called key activities), 2) what resources do we need to commercialize our solution, 3) who are our customers (called customer segments), 4) with whom can we partner to offer our solution to customers (called key partners), 5) what are the benefits our solution offers to our customers (called value proposition), 6) how will we engage with prospective customers (customer engagement), 7) what online or offline channels we will use to sell our solution to the customers (called sales channels), 8) what costs will we incur in commercializing our solution, and 9) how can we benefit or earn money from commercializing our solution.

A pitch deck is a set of presentation slides that is used to pitch your idea or innovation to Jury members in a Competition.  The pitch deck should ideally contain the following information: 1) the problem you are trying to address, 2) target audience or users, 3) highlights of your Innovative solution to the problem, 4) highlights of prototype, 5) benefits to target users, 6) pilot deployment & results, 7) next steps, 8) your team, 9) key asks – support for incubation, acceleration, grants, funding, etc.