9 Projects.

5 Schools.

140 Students.

15 Faculty.

50 Industry Experts.

In February 2023, Brookfield Sustainability Institute (BSI), George Brown College (GBC) hosted the International Smart Sustainability Charrette, a 5-day design sprint tackling diverse sustainability challenges across many different fields. The event hosted 5 international schools, over 140 student participants, 50 industry experts, 9 project partners, and 15 staff and faculty members. I was acting Design Research Coordinator and project lead, charged with navigating promotion, onboarding, planning and logics, designing content, and onsite facilitation and coordination.

Objectives

  • Outreach.

    • Establish BSI as a productive studio within the college

    • Maintain existing relationships and build new connections with international institutions and external stakeholders

    • Produce marketing materials for BSI promoting it as a new, energetic startup with in design field

  • Service.

    • Create preliminary research and prototype content for nine BSI clients

    • Foster local and international networking opportunities for clients

    • Provide a platform for clients to educate the public on their project

  • Educate.

    • Teach design thinking methodology to student participants

    • Create networking opportunities for students, peer to peer, and with industry experts

    • Introduce students to a fast-paced, collaborative work environment.

Tasks

I had to work quickly and in an agile style to manage the tasks required to deliver a successful event. I had to fill many roles as project lead including coordinator, design researcher, facilitator, and marketing director.

  • scheduling

  • onboarding

  • budgeting

  • researching

  • developing design briefs

  • setting up facilities

  • designing site visits

  • drafting and distributing communication materials

  • acquiring prototyping materials and tools

  • responding to inquires

  • delegating teams

  • designing presentations and coordinating speakers 

  • acting advisor and facilitator

Project Highlights

Throughout the duration of this project, were several crucial elements that have shaped progress and outcomes. These elements included challenges and opportunities that created a vital learning experience for me.

Project Management & Coordination

Project Formation

The initiation of our project involved the formation of a cohesive internal working team comprising individuals with diverse skill sets. Our primary goal was to bring together College and BSI professionals skilled in communication design, facilities management, program outreach, and production assistance. Through regular operational meetings and a workback schedule, we successfully distributed tasks and ensured efficient progress throughout the project.

Task Distribution and Scheduling

To effectively manage our project's progress, I took the responsibility of establishing a workback schedule that outlined key milestones and deadlines. This comprehensive schedule was reviewed and fine-tuned in conjunction with our team members during our weekly meetings. During these meetings, we distributed tasks based on individual skills and assigned responsibilities with careful consideration of each team member's strengths. The aim was to optimize efficiency, maintain momentum, and ensure a smooth workflow throughout the project. Collaboration and open communication were key elements, enabling us to address any ambiguities promptly and foster a sense of shared ownership.

Adaptations

I initially created the workback schedule using the digital task manager Trello. At the request of team members that did not have the resources to learn a new platform and preferred tasks be laid out in list view, I adapted the schedule to a collaborative google document and distributed it to team members.

The Design Brief

Project Partnership and Cohesion

I encountered a unique challenge when I was presented with nine distinct projects proposals by various project partners and clients from across sectors. I was assigned to work with each of these clients and distill their projects into a design brief to be assigned to one of the student teams. To ensure successful collaboration, I took the initiative to set up meetings and educate the clients in the format of a design workshop and manage their expectations for the workshop results. My objective was to create a space where all stakeholders could co-design the content based on their individual objectives for the project. To facilitate this process, I developed a template for a design brief that would serve as a guide for effective communication and alignment.

Strategies for Alignment

  • adjusted the writing styles across the briefs to ensure consistency throughout

  • created similar graphic formatting and design elements to present the projects as a unified portfolio, despite their individual objectives

  • harmonized design deliverables across projects

  • implemented a master itinerary that ensured that everyone was aware of the collective progress and milestones

Team Composition

To align with the collaborative values at the BSI, I needed to assemble a teams with diverse expertise. I needed to identify individuals unique perspectives and skills to ensure student participants could learn from one another, as well as have a balance of skills to complete the key deliverables set out by the event handbook.

Participants were requested to enrol in the event using an online form I designed. The level of information provided was optional. Teams were organized with the following criteria:

  • School

  • Program of Study

  • Year of enrolment or level of education

  • List of applicable hard and soft skills

  • Balancing gender identities

  • Requests based on special needs

  • Estimated rate of attendance

Results of the survey were used to create a master contact list, where I could easily identify and organize participants into teams based on their expertise. In doing so, I helped foster an environment enriched by varied experiences and ideas, which ultimately enhanced the innovated outcomes of each project team.

Education

Facilitator’s Workshop

The project team faced a significant challenge due to the inexperience of the team facilitators. These student facilitators were nominated by their faculty, and as a result, many of the students felt overwhelmed and anxious about taking on this responsibility. To address this issue, I came up with a solution – a separate 3-hour workshop exclusively designed for the student facilitators and their classmates.
During this workshop, my objective was to introduce the students to design thinking and design sprint methodology. I wanted to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively lead their teams through the design process.
The culmination of the lecture ended with a mock design workshop where I divided the 40 students into 4 groups and assigned them a "wicked problem" to solve. Throughout a 1-hour long workshop session, I guided them through the design sprint process, allowing them to immerse themselves in the experience. By doing so, they were able to gain firsthand knowledge and develop a better understanding of how the design sprint methodology works.

Advisor Briefing

As the Sustainability Workshop entered its second and third days, industry experts were invited to engage with the students in the design sprint process by providing feedback on the research and ideation phase. However, not all experts were well-versed in design sprint methodologies or familiar with the progress of each team.
To address this challenge, I took on the responsibility of designing an advisor briefing session. The purpose of this briefing session was twofold — to save advisors time by addressing any logistical questions they may have had, to increase focus on the student’s work — and to inspire empathetic advice towards the students by providing an opportunity for me to emphasize the vulnerability that students often feel during these sessions. It was important for advisors to recognize the significance of their role as mentors and to approach their interactions with empathy and understanding.

My Contributions

In Summary:

I had the pleasure of working with a group of highly talented individuals who made this event possible. As the leader of this team, my role extended across various crucial tasks, ultimately leading to the successful execution of the event.

One of my primary responsibilities was managing the support staff, participants, partners, faculty, and industry collaborators. This encompassed overseeing their involvement, ensuring smooth communication among them, and addressing any concerns that arose. By facilitating effective collaboration, I fostered an environment conducive to education and innovation.

In addition to my administrative duties, I assumed the pivotal role of head of research, where I dedicated myself to developing innovative co-design templates. These templates aimed to assist our project partners in executing their visionary ideas. I transformed these ideas into the design brief and handbook. This comprehensive document served as a guide for all participants throughout the design sprint. Through meticulous attention to detail, I ensured that the brief and handbook effectively introduced the objectives and offered clear instructions to navigate the project journey.

Furthermore, I took on the pivotal role of lead facilitator and advisor. Crafting formal training content, I provided student facilitators with the necessary tools and knowledge to excel in their roles. Moreover, I remained readily accessible to address their queries, offer guidance, and promote conflict resolution both before, during, and after the event. 

By wearing multiple hats, I ensured that participants received the support needed to unleash their creativity and perform at their best.

Looking Back:

Engaging in this project demanded me to fully embrace agile management techniques to execute the necessary work within a tight timeframe. Navigating the intricacies of my role before and during the event required quick decision-making abilities and a compassionate approach to handle the tensions emerging from tight deadlines and the complex dynamics between participants, partners, and advisors. This project stood out from the rest due to its sheer scale, surpassing any undertaking I had been a part of thus far. By employing agile techniques and constantly redefining my role, I successfully orchestrated the multifaceted aspects of the project, delivering optimum outcomes.

Looking Forward:

Reflecting on this monumental endeavour, I am exhilarated by the indescribable satisfaction of delivering excellence under immense pressure. Moving forward, I am inspired to continue seeking opportunities that push the boundaries, allowing me to further hone my skills and make a lasting impact.

Deliverables:

  • Cohesive design briefs

  • Handbook including itinerary

  • Event launch presentation

  • Logistical documents (schedule, budget, contact lists, email templates, sign up forms)

  • Facilitators training

  • Final presentation programming (virtual and in person)

  • Oversight of 10 different promotional videos and copy for social media channels

Skills Demonstrated:

  • Project Management

  • Research (primary and secondary)

  • Communications Coordination

  • Facilitating/Advising/Educating

  • Content Creation

  • Conflict Management

Impact:

  • Largest BSI event to date

  • First hybrid presentations

  • Documentation content for BSI marketing and archives 

  • Established industry and academic partnerships

  • Provided research content for 9 clients simultaneously

  • Educated 140 students in design sprint methodologies and 9 student leaders in facilitation of a design sprint

  • Created internal and external exposure for BSI

  • Created templates and reference materials for future events