SOLVERSTeaching & Learning Conference

Jane Nolan MBEEntrepreneur in Residence and

Development Officer (Careers Service)Katie Wray

Lecturer in Enterprise (SAgE Faculty)

Entrepreneurial StudentsSome statistics:• 30 student/graduate businesses start each

year• 23 so far this academic year• 34 last financial year

• Aug 2010 – April 2011: • 1332 students/graduates engaged

Agenda• Short Ice-breaker activity• Introduction to SOLVERS model & Creative

Thinking• Case Studies• Sharing our use of the model• Having a go at a World Cafe• Brief presentations of your findings• Conclusions and Q & A

Session Objectives:1. have learnt a bit more about Rise Up activity2. have explored the societal challenges 3. have thought about the grand challenges for teaching

and learning4. have had a go at a world cafe5. be equipped to run your own World Cafe on issues that

are relevant to your team or students

Ice-Breaker

The SOLVERS Model

Intensive Solvers Series Post Graduate Researcher Development

workshops Introducing knowledge and skills around

commercialisation and businessUsing real life problems and issues as

provocationsEntrepreneurial academics – Will Dracup, Prof

Max Robinson, Dr Gavin Clark

Intensive Solvers SeriesReal life problem or issueCreative thinking sessionProblem solving and solution findingSet up a hypothetical business – engaging

with the terminology and conceptsMake an elevator pitchReceive feedback and hear what actually

happened

Intensive Solvers Series

3.5 - 4 hours durationVery interactiveDelivered in HASS and SAgEVery good feedback from studentsHope to use a cross faculty approach in

future

Intensive Solvers SeriesPiloted the workshops with taught masters

studentsAlso piloted with undergraduates, School of

EnglishUsing the university’s societal challenge themes

as provocationsCreated links with institutes and networks within

the university- IaH, SiDE, Transport Newcastle

Intensive Solvers SeriesSchool of English Undergraduates – Stages 1-3

– provocation provided by SiDE- digital kitchen and digital jewellery

Not simply advanced technologies - also engaging human stories and possibilities

Connecting students from HASS faculty to digital research – interesting product and service ideas were generated

Intensive Solvers SeriesIAH – have highlighted huge opportunities

being created by the baby boomer generation and the issues of an ageing population

A wealth of engaging stories and case studies which bring the research and the opportunities to life

Providing research informed teaching

The Market OpportunityOver 50s currently 20 million strong and growing fast – hold

80% of the nation’s wealth

As much as 40% (£260bn) of total UK annual consumer spending can be attributed to the UK over 50s

YET currently receive only in the region of 10% of marketing focus !

“Just because I’m over 60 nobody wants to sell me anything any more”

Germaine Greer

Intensive Solvers SeriesThird pilot –working with a Research GroupTransport Newcastle network – Intelligent

Transport theme, route mapping exercise with a multi disciplinary research group and key external stakeholders

Using Solvers approach and creative thinking techniques to map out research priorities for the next 5 years +

Intensive Solvers SeriesAn effective, flexible and highly interactive way

to engage people with the societal challenge themes and spark entrepreneurial thinking

In context of an increased focus on research impact including through commercialisation

Building communities and connections between students, researchers, the societal challenge themes, institutes, stakeholders and highlighting opportunities

Creative Thinking

Divergent

Convergent

Quantity of ideas

Finding the best idea

Divergent ThinkingDetermine goals, explore possibilitiesGenerate ideas – lots of them!Think as widely as possibleDon’t think about why you can’t do

something Include the obviousDon’t judge the ideas

BRAINSTORMING:As many ideas as possibleNo such thing as a silly ideaNo criticismNo judgements

Substitute/combine

Adapt

Modify

Combine

Combine

Coin Press Wine Press

Printing Press

Power of End User

Reverse/rearrange

Convergent ThinkingSecond phase:

Combining/refining/selectingUsing criteria to focus on ideas with

potentialDecision making, analysing options,

Creating plans and actions

The History of World Cafe

Juanita Brown & David Isaacs (1995)

“To discuss an issue”

Case Studies1) Enterprisers 2) New Food Product Development Module3) ACTION 2011 Sustainability Challenges4) Intelligent Transport Route Mapping

Let’s have a go....

World Cafe

World Café

Divergent thinking phase – brainstorming in a World Café session

• Provocations at each base• Write your ideas on the large sheet

• Build on other people’s ideas• Can make notes, draw pictures etc

• “I wish...” “If only.....”

World Café

After 10 minutes change baseWork with new peopleReview the brainstorm on the table,build on it

with more ideasAdd completely new ideasVisit each base only onceEvery 10 minutes change bases -More brainstorming – “I wish...”, “If only...”

World Café

Final Base – 20 minutesConvergent thinkingReview the ideas generated at your current

base - “How might we....”Combine ideas, refine, reject, selectFocus on the ideas with the most potentialDoes the idea meet needs? Is there any scope

for commercialisation around the idea?

Conclusions

Q&AThank You Very Much

Jane.nolan@ncl.ac.ukKatie.wray@ncl.ac.uk