The Prototype and Test stage has taught me how to come up with an idea that I am passionate about and stick with it even when I run into obstacles. This stage has reminded me that there is no such thing as a wrong idea as long as we can support that idea with knowledgeable and accurate information. In the future, I will be able to use what I have learned from this particular stage to help me overcome a fear of failure because I now know how easy it is to make changes in order to get the solution that I am looking for. Before finishing this stage, I would have considered myself a perfectionist, however, I have learned that it is okay to make mistakes because mistakes can actually lead to bigger and better things.

The” Ideate Stage” allows us to come up with a large quantity of ideas that we as a team can then choose which idea is the best to help us with our solution. This stage helps us develop active listening skills because we are required to focus on each team member when they are explaining their ideas and the reason behind it. It is important to be an active listener in this stage so that we can figure out which ideas are the most innovative and effective when it comes to fixing a certain problem.

It is important to have a systems-thinking mindset when attempting to define and understand complex problems because it is faster to come up with a solution this way. I personally am a very sensitive and emotional person and sometimes my feelings get in the way when I am trying to explain and/or understand something; so, by having this mindset it forces me to be practical and go step by step rather than diving right into the problem. Having a systems thinking mindset is also good because I can identify if my ideas are reasonable or farfetched. It is crucial to understand if there are any patterns and to focus on the background knowledge in order to try and change the future.

I can demonstrate empathy in my innovation team by putting my own feelings and opinions aside and shift focus on my team members and their different perspectives. I will also take into consideration that every individual is unique and comes from different cultures and environments which means everyone has their own beliefs. With that being said, I will show empathy by respecting and valuing my team members differences and ensuring that I show them support as well as advocate for them when necessary. This means I will shut down any negative comments that include stereotyping and/or discrimination and encourage positivity and kindness by demonstrating it myself. Having empathy is key to building strong relationships and developing great team working skills!

The workshop that inspired me the most was the “Define Workshop.” The reason why I was inspired the most during this workshop was because there were some very informative videos played regarding the problems within the education system that I learned a lot from but also could relate to as well. I enjoyed learning about the iceberg model because it is very simple to use and helped me organize and process my concerns, thoughts, and ideas in a manageable way. I will use the iceberg model in the future whenever I am trying to overcome an obstacle or create a solution to a problem.

I learned that there are people who have the same goals and values as me when it comes to teamwork and making a change. It makes me happy that the things I find important, others do as well. I also learned it’s crucial to actively listen to the thoughts and ideas of others because they may say something you did not think of, and it can spark a new way of thinking. Also, in order to collaborate effectively and respectfully, I have learned that every team member needs to make their own contributions to the list of rules and morals that the team needs to follow. This was my first time working as a team on an online platform and it was easy to work together because we all knew how to treat each other and how to help one another.

I will contribute to the community I care about by getting to know it more and volunteering my time to help those in need. I have realized that I can use my strengths to directly help my community thrive. For example, I consider myself to be an excellent caregiver and I find joy in ensuring peoples needs are met. I think my next steps would be to seek out areas in my community that need help. I would love to volunteer my time in places such as senior homes, women and family shelters and community resource centres like food banks or second-hand stores.

Because of the experiences I have had learning about the many alternatives, I am aware of the prejudices I had against those who utilized the handicap benefits of public transportation. In order to tackle a society problem and come up with solutions, I learnt about new, innovative ideas. Because I worked in a big group, I was able to see how important it is to communicate with and pay attention to the other people in your group.

We learned how to effectively express our thoughts by sharing stories during the Pecha-Kucha presentation that we participated in. The abilities to give a presentation and engage in casual conversation, which are both necessary to make a presentation engaging, are important talents that will be useful in the future.

When it is necessary to test an idea before putting it into action, prototyping is the method that is used. As a consequence of the testing, we are aware of their success factors, their bottlenecks, and the ways in which we might get over them to effectively execute a certain concept. During the prototype stage, we were able to test potential ideas inside a fictitious framework and come up with additional potential answers that we had not considered at the outset.

My participation in the ideation phases has provided me with an enhanced talent in active listening, which enables me to listen attentively and thoughtfully evaluate the perspectives of others. I believe that we did a really excellent job of listening to each other when we were working together in the group. Active listening is extremely crucial while working in a group.

I am aware of the biases I had towards people who used the disability benefits of public transport, and by the experiences I have had learning about the different solutions, I feel that I have become more empathetic and will be even more willing to give up my seats when a disadvantaged person is on the public transport system

The presentation and small talk skills required to make a presentation interesting are valuable skills to be used in the future

The prototype stage allowed us to test solutions in an imaginary framework and come up with solutions we didnt think of at the start

The ideation stages gives me an advanced active listening skill which allows me to listen carefully and deeply consider other viewpoints

It provides a valuable mindframe and provides different viewpoints in order to help tackle complex problems our society faces

I learned the different goals and aspirations my team members had, and learned to Empathise with their differing visions