DESIGN THINKING AND

SCRUM IN THE CONTEXT OF

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Discover how to bring together both approaches for a

faster and more assertive delivery
 SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION
5 INNOVATION IN THE HYPERCONNECTED WORLD 20 BREAKING TRADITIONAL PARADIGMS
ASSERTIVENESS WITH AGILITY VISUALIZING THE ROLES

HOW DT AND SCRUM WORK TOGETHER

7 WHAT IS DESIGN THINKING OUTCOMES OF THE APPROACH

IMMERSION

ANALYSIS 22 CONCLUSION
IDEATION

PROTOTYPING 23 SUCCESS STORY: SALES PLATFORM

THE CHALLENGE

THE MAIN PLAYERS IN THE PROCESS THE PROJECT

12 WHAT IS AGILE RESULT

THE AGILE MANIFESTO

18 THE UNION: DT + SCRUM ABOUT MJV | MJVINNOVATION.COM

2 3
INTRODUCTION INNOVATION IN THE
HYPERCONNECTED WORLD
In a globally connected world, one of the main challenges faced think outside the box and remember that innovation
by organizations is to be at the forefront of the market. The use encompasses much more than the simple manipulation of
of innovative methods and practices are no longer seen as a technological tools. According to Bruce Nussbaum, renowned
luxury in the corporate world. Rather, their use has become vi- professor of innovation and design at Parsons The New
tal in order to stay competitive and predict future situations. School of Design, in New York:

In this context, the organizations that most innovate in prod-

uct development and digital services have incorporated De-
sign Thinking techniques with Agile elements to improve “Innovation is no longer about technology
processes and deliver innovative solutions with high market itself. It is about new models of organization.
value continuously and effectively. Design is no longer only about the how, it
is a method of thinking that can lead you
Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the impor- to see beyond the curve. And the largest
tance of focusing their efforts on the user experience, as technological disruptions we have today are
well as adopting new technologies which are now much not about speed and performance, but about
more accessible. collaboration and dialogue.”

This is precisely what we will cover in this e-book. In the fol-

lowing chapters, you will learn about the concept of contin-
uous innovation, Design Thinking and Agile, and how these The world today is volatile and fast. What is new now will
two methodologies can be used together in the context of soon no longer be. Consolidated business models are
digital transformation. threatened by new products and services brought to the
market, and are able to quickly attract the attention of
digital products, allowing for faster and better deliveries to consumers. So how do you stay current in a world which is
your clients. Discover tips on how to create a collaborative evolving faster than ever before, without becoming obsolete
mentality for your team, and see a real business case about tomorrow?
a successful sales platform..

ENJOY READING!! ASSERTIVENESS WITH AGILITY

It is in this scenario of everything constantly being chal-

lenged that new concepts start to emerge, especially with
digital products. They materialize and lose popularity at an
incredible speed, forcing companies to learn how to

4 5
 WHAT IS DESIGN THINKING

Basically, we can define Design Thinking as ‘a structured

take advantage of phenomenon. . It is essential to constantly
approach to innovation that has the human being as a focus
create new strategies to deal with a high level of uncertainty,
and seeks to generate solutions that align the desire and
proposing really relevant innovations.
needs of the consumer user with the generation of value for
the business.’
The startups, because they are a peculiar type of enterprise,
end up benefiting from this new model because they are
In simpler terms, it is correct to say that Design Thinking
born adapted to work like this. But this movement can be
is an innovation approach based on the designer’s way of
used very productively by any organization, regardless of
thinking, since this professional combines creativity and
the market or the level of maturity in which it finds itself.
empathy to create innovative solutions.
And how can corporations, in general, be inserted in this
movement of transformation?
Design Thinking therefore complements the marketing
vision that to innovate we must focus on the development
Long-lasting projects may be obsolete even before
and integration of new technologies and the opening of
reaching a practical implementation. In this scenario, the
new markets. It is a methodology that innovates mainly
question becomes: how can we achieve assertive and agile
by introducing new meanings to products, services and
deliveries, which bring value to the business? This is where
relationships, placing a focus on the human being and all
Design Thinking and Agile come in.. The union between the
stakeholders involved. But how does this work in practice?
two methodologies comes with the purpose of bringing
more adherence to this new way of doing business. These
It works through certain principles that are applied to
are methods that facilitate increased assertiveness of
innovation projects for diverse purposes:
investments and make it easier to deal with the reality that
previously unknown problems and solutions can reveal
incredible opportunities.
1. Focus on people;

In the context of digital transformation, the fusion of the

2. Multidisciplinary collaboration;
two approaches allows us to learn with our end user and
to continuously test and improve the final product. In order
3. Making ideas and concepts tangible.
to understand how these two methodologies work together,
it is necessary to learn the concepts of Design Thinking.
Thus, it is possible to understand how they can facilitate the
generation and implementation of innovative ideas.

6 7
 Therefore, Design Thinking is used to generate innovations desires of all parties involved, with special attention to end
that meet human needs, without losing sight of the users. The key word here is EMPATHY.
technological viability and value generated to the business.
It is also important to know that each professional or project The immersion can still be divided into preliminary, when
manager applies Design Thinking in a different way. And, in there is a first contact with the problem and in depth, when
fact, each project and each context requires an evaluation one begins the survey of the needs and opportunities that
of the best techniques and tools to be employed. However, will guide the generation of solutions later.
in general, Design Thinking has well defined stages and is
composed of a systematic process, where each stage is ANALYSIS
important and contributes to the final result.
Then comes the analysis stage, where the team seeks to
synthesize the information collected. At this time, all the raw
Understand each of these steps in detail:
data raised serves as the basis for this step. Information
is then crossed to find patterns and consolidate insights
through materials that help to understand and explain the
findings. These materials can be diverse: people, journeys,
guiding criteria, etc.
INCREMENTO
BACKLOG BACKLOG It is in the analysis stage that people are defined, through
Immersion Analysis SPRINT
Ideation DE SOF TWARE
Prototyping
DO PRODUTO DA SPRINT the mapping of the different types of stakeholders; who they
FUNCIONAND O
are, what they think, do and feel. You also need to establish
in the product backlog, a list of requirements identified in the
form of user stories that are sorted by development priority.
We also have the journeys, which indicate how the user or
IMMERSION
consumer relates to the product or service, touchpoints, etc.
This stage is characterized by approximation to the problem,
where the team delves into the implications of the challenge It is at this time that the most critical points and moments
from the point of view of the various stakeholders. To obtain within the challenge are evident. in the product backlog, a list
these inputs, several types of surveys are done (interviews, of requirements identified in the form of user stories that are
trend searches, or cool hunting, direct observation, etc.). sorted by development priority.

The goal is to create a global understanding of everything

that surrounds the challenge, understanding the needs and

8 9
IDEATION
In the projects of digital technological products, which will
It is in the ideation stage that the brainstorming takes place. culminate in the agile development, the focus of this stage
The goal here is to present as many ideas as possible, is to develop a low fidelity prototype, aiming to make the
without any kind of judgment. It is also at this moment that main solutions tangible, complementing and validating with
the project participants propose alternatives and solutions to the users the conceptual and functional vision that we are
the context identified in the analysis. looking for.
At this stage, those involved begin to ‘think outside the box’, It is at this moment that the idea is at the point of being
proposing solutions to the problem. For this, practices to developed. This happens when there is clarity for all of the
stimulate creativity are used, such as co-creation workshops, following points:
which gather those involved to think about answers to the
questions of the end user, according to the context of the 1. The problem we are trying to solve;
subject being dealt with.
2. The people involved (for whom we want to solve the
There is no limit of ideas at this stage. It is also advisable to problem);
have a variety of different people involved, including those
who will benefit from the proposed solutions. Collaborative 3. The vision of the future of the solution.
techniques help stakeholders prioritize which items are
most important and must be produced.

PROTOTYPING
The last step is prototyping. According to the authors of the
book Design Thinking - Innovation in Business, “prototyping
Senior management, Business Process Multidisciplinary team that will
is to make an idea tangible, it is the passage from the representatives from representative. Facilitator. execute the project.
abstract to the physical in order to represent reality - even if distinct sectors, end users. (Stakeholders. Product Owner.
simplified - and provide validations.” Design Thinker. Innovation Team.)

In short, prototyping is the validation stage of the generated

ideas. It’s time to trim the edges, see what fits into the project,
put together proposals and get your hands dirty.

The production of digital prototypes foresees how the product

works, be it in the form of an application, a storyboard system,
etc. Then, tests are run with users and real customers for
feedback and learning.
INNOVATION TEAM
10 11
WHAT IS AGILE

Now you need to understand what the Agile practices are. The Agile Manifesto
Aimed at supporting project development (not necessarily
only in Information Technology), agile methodologies distance In this context, it is important to know that the use of the word
themselves from the traditional way of managing and agile derives from the Agile Manifesto. In the early 1990s,
executing projects, and through lean dynamics provide greater in order to reduce the bureaucracy of software development
productivity, quality and speed in project delivery. processes, new, leaner approaches were created that were
more useful and effective than previous attempts.
To summarize, the overall idea is to maximize value creation,
reducing the emphasis on extensive documentation, These new methodologies came to be called agile in 2001,
mitigating risk, and streamlining the process to ensure when a group of 17 experts met in Utah in the United States
agility and frequent deliveries. to discuss ways to develop software in a lighter, faster, people-
centric way. And for the first time, the software industry found a
real and sustainable way to solve problems that stifled several
generations of development teams. With this, the manifesto
was created and presented 4 fundamental premises:

“We value:

•Individuals and interactions rather than

processes and tools;

•Software that works with more comprehensive

documentation;

• Customer collaboration rather than contract

negotiation;

• Quick responses, changes throughout the project

following a plan.“

The agile steps commonly found in the frameworks are:

Requirements - Planning - Modeling - Development -
Delivery - Measurement.

12 13
Agile methods are characterized by development in iterations Scrum is a framework that aims to help project development
- that is, deliveries are carried out in parts, whereby at the based on the agile concept. Its structure is spiral, where
end of all deliveries the final product is obtained. This form steps (iterations) occur gradually, until all parts of the final
is also known as the “spiral method”, since iterations occur product are completed.
repeatedly until the final product is obtained.
Scrum teams are associated with roles, events, artifacts and
rules. Each component within the framework serves a specific
purpose and is essential to the use and success of Scrum.

In this context we find Scrum, one of the most well known

frameworks based on Agile.

14 15
SCRUM MASTER SPRINT PLANNING MEETING

The Scrum Master is the team’s facilitator. He helps to All project members participate. It is at this moment that
remove blocks, ensure correct compliance with Scrum rules, the backlog information is analyzed, estimated (in effort
and, of course, helps deliver project deliverables as required. / complexity) and later distributed in sprints. This meeting
occurs before the start of each sprint.
PRODUCT OWNER (PO)
DAILY MEETING
The Product Owner is the owner of the product, i.e. the
person responsible for writing the backlog, defining The Scrum Master and the team participate in this meeting.
requirements (user stories), supporting the team in the It focuses on the status of activities, positioning all involved
day to day development of the project and validating the on the progress of ongoing activities, and identifying gaps
deliveries according to their expectations. and sprint blocks. It should happen daily, throughout the
sprint.
PRODUCT BACKLOG
SPRINT REVIEW MEETING
The product backlog consists of the project scope. A properly
structured Product Backlog contains User Stories, that All project members participate. It is the meeting where,
is, requirements and technical and / or business rules. It essentially, the results and delivery of the current sprint are
is a way of documenting the project for greater flexibility, presented, thus assessing whether the delivery occurred
optimization of time and value oriented information. within the expectations of the Product Owner. This meeting
occurs at the end of each project sprint.
SPRINT
SPRINT RETROSPECTIVE
Sprints are the steps where activities are executed. At the
end of each sprint, an increment of the product is delivered. There is a focus on continuous improvement, since everyone
involved in the project meets to discuss positive and negative
The Scrum presupposes four formal ceremonies: points during the project’s trajectory. This meeting occurs at
the end of each project sprint.

16 17
DESIGN THINKING + SCRUM

The result of a product, or software, which is based on user-centered design, can

DESIGN THINKING SCRUM FRAMEWORK not be different from the humanization of this product. And the coherence with
OWNERS OF THE METHOD OF EXECUTION the desires and longings of a group of real people, with characteristics that are
often unknown by the companies, must come from a process of empathy. On the
OWNERS OF THE METHOD OF EXECUTION DEVELOPMENT TEAM other hand, the applicability of Design Thinking can also help simplify the product
and bring focus to specific functionalities that people really need.
PROCESS FACILITATORS

DESIGN THINKER SCRUM MASTER

BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE

PRODUCT OWNER STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

PARTICIPATION

USERS, STAKEHOLDERS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT

WORKING
PRODUCT SPRINT SOFTWARE
IMMERSION ANALYSIS IDEATION PROTOTYPING SPRINT
BACKLOG BACKLOG INCREMENTS

From this understanding, the project begins. It is important to emphasize the

concept of inception, which is, in a nutshell, a commonly held ceremony for the
“start” of planning activities. This ceremony lasts for a variable duration, according
to the complexity of the project and the time available, from four hours to one week,
and aims to gather and promote the engagement and collaboration of the team At the end of this step, we obtain as a result the project prototype, that is, a sneak
involved with the project. peek of the final product. This material is of high value to start the development
of the project, since it is useful in all stages of the agile construction, serving as
In this event there is the description and vision of the product, macro requirements, reference and mitigating possible doubts for all involved.
objectives and milestones, seeking to understand, in a collaborative way the main
functionalities and defining a roadmap for the project.

It is important to note that inception’s focus is not to promote project understanding

from the point of view of users and context, nor is it to generate empathy or to test
ideas. It is for this reason that the combination of Scrum and Design Thinking, a
methodology centered around the end user, becomes absolutely valid and promising.

18 19
BREAKING TRADITIONAL
PARADIGMS
The world is in the process of digital transformation. Technology
is evolving faster and is changing people’s routine. In this context SURPRISES IN THE LAUNCH
of constant change, companies need to adapt faster and faster
as consolidated business models are abruptly threatened by Undesirable aspects of software are usually only discovered
new products and services that emerge in the market, winning when the product is released and it is too late to carry out
the fast adhesion of the consumers. structural changes.

With traditional approaches, the business areas identify market

opportunities whose solution is to develop new software or to The benefits of the new DT + Scrum approach are:
improve existing ones. The business area, therefore, sends a
request to technology, which receives the request already with • Greater adherence to user needs
all the requirements pre-defined.
• Greater alignment between IT and business
To keep up with the dynamic pace of today, companies need to
promote change. The dilemma is that they are accustomed to • Promotes stakeholder engagement
creating and developing digital solutions in one way, however the
market requires them to do it in another which is more agile, • Greater assertiveness of software requirements to be
collaborative, and that considers the real needs and desires of developed
the end consumer.
• Reduction of total cost of ownership (TCO)
Among the problems of the traditional approach, we can highlight:
• Continuous delivery
PASSING THE BATON
By combining Design Thinking and Agile approaches, a lean,
By not participating in the process from the beginning, what IT results-oriented approach is achieved, focusing on deep
develops is not always what the customer needs. understanding of consumer needs, as well as an efficient and
optimized way to execute projects.

TIME-TO-MARKET

In the traditional approach, launching the solution can take years.

Between the date of the application and the deadline, the market
panorama changes and the company is unable to absorb the
changes satisfactorily.

20 21
 CONCLUSION SUCCESS STORY:
SALES PLATFORM
As we have seen throughout this e-book, uniting Next, Find out how MJV created a sales platform by merging Design Thinking and
Design Thinking with Agile is a way of adding Agile Development.
innovation and faster deliveries in technology.
A financial company identified the need for a digital platform for its business
It is worth emphasizing that in order to achieve the team. The goal was to gather all the information and tools needed for day-to-day
desired results, the organizational culture of the operations in one environment.
company must be in line with the proposals of these
new practices and methodologies. Despite focusing on internal customers, there was the fear of encountering
difficulties in getting users to join the client. To mitigate this risk and increase the
Are you and your team willing to immerse chances of success among users, the company decided to focus the design of this
yourselves in an innovative approach where Design product on the real needs of users. In this context, they understood that Design
Thinking and Agile are moving together toward truly Thinking would be the best approach and asked MJV to take on the project.
amazing results?
The challenge

Design the fundamentals of a digital platform capable of empowering the sales

force, increasing volume, value and quality of operations to ensure: transactional
coverage, flexibility, usability, availability of information, system intelligence and
user adherence.

The project

Based on almost forty interviews with stakeholders involved in the challenge, it was
possible to design the user journey throughout their operations. Through immersion
and analysis, problems, patterns and insights were identified at each stage.

In the ideation stage, the MJV team organized two co-creation workshops, bringing
together 28 people. Through a series of collaborative activities, we sought to
explore, design and prioritize the functionality of the portal. We also encouraged a
focus on the most critical points of the journey.

During the prototyping stage, the materialization of the ideas that emerged during
these workshops culminated in the design of navigable web frames by the MJV

22 23
 SUCCESS STORY: ABOUT MJV
SALES PLATFORM
MJV is a 20-year old consulting firm specializing in technology and
innovation services. With a structure of more than 400 employees and
team. The solution was then tested and evaluated with customers and users,
nine offices, the company serves the Latin American, European and
refined in cycles, until the hypotheses that generated the first sketches were
United States market.
validated and adjusted to the real needs of the end users.
Our services aare divided into three business units - consulting in
The delivery of this project was a navigable prototype in HTML, registered through
innovation, technology services and digital platforms - with expertise
flows, sitemaps, glossaries and operating notes, as well as the design of the users’
in the areas of Design Thinking, Digital Transformation, Gamification,
journey with the main insights at each stage. Together, the materials empowered
IoT and Big Data.
the developers to make more assertive decisions during development.
We have released two very successful books, both of which are
The result available to download free of charge: Design Thinking - Business
Innovation with over 200,000 downloads, and Gamification Inc. - How
The result was the design of a base structure, which provides the vision and to reinvent companies from games.
at the same time, the necessary flexibility for project planning - today in the
developmental stage following an agile model. Our mission is to support companies in search of change, working
collaboratively toward disruptive business solutions.
This structure will meet the operating needs of more than four thousand products
that will be implemented gradually, generating value as they become available.

The impacts of the project can be summarized in:

• Adherence of the platform to the users needs;

• Business-IT alignment from the start;

• Assertiveness in resources and time allotted at the development stage. MAURÍCIO VIANNA
CEO
What’s more interesting is that the prototype created does not constrain the mvianna@mjvinnovation.com
project. In fact, it works as a guide for the development team. Whenever a new need
arises that has not yet been addressed, the UX team designer will be able to help YSMAR VIANNA
prioritize the new demands, with the support of the user’s journey tools and the Chairman
understanding that has been created. In this way, it is much easier to design new yvianna@mjvinnovation.com
functionalities idealized by the developers, including by applying Design Thinking
techniques to extract the crux of the needs of the new demands of the users.

24
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