1. Tactical situations
If you are trying to come up with new ideas of systems, it might not be just for the sake of pure innovation, but most probably to provide an advantage to your troops on the battlefield. If clear guidance or specifications are missing from operatives, you can build some vignettes to best describe what kind of situation you are considering.
Of course, nothing will be more valuable than soldiers with experience in the field, but having good vignettes could already be useful for a first iteration. As you will have to make assumptions along the way, it will help you to better interact with the potential end-user for the second iteration!
Optimized to be printed in DIN A4 or larger format
2. A complex world
If you think about a new system, you might integrate new technologies and combine them together like Lego parts. However, you’ll be faced with alternatives on how to build your system. There is no right or wrong answer at this stage, but a sea of possible combinations. This same system will also have to operate in a complex world, in which socio-economic aspects might be of critical importance. Adding these dimensions to your reflexion might influence the way your concept will look like.
On a very practical level, there are different ways of presenting the information, but we decided to have all the various inputs on the same page. If printed, please use the A3 format for better readability. Every element could also be presented on an individual card. Each option has its advantages, and drawbacks, we just decided to go this way!
These extensions were added after considering the methodology used in some workshops by the Dr. Thomas Gauthier, Professor of Strategy at emlyon business school and the University of Applied Science in Geneva.
Optimized to be printed in DIN A3 or larger format
Techno-Cards to provide ideas and stimulate curiosity!
Produced in cooperation with Envisioning, Mr. Michell Zappa and his team, these cards help supporting the development of new systems by providing information about new technologies, new processes, or simply new ideas. You can use them one by one or combine them.
The same inputs and more are available on dynamic representations or “Radars” here: https://deftech.ch/visualise
Tech-Radar
Dynamic and searchable representations or “radars” to bring science-fiction into our lives to help us anticipating and measuring the gap between our today and our possible tomorrowS!
The work and methodology were developed with envisioning.io.
3. The IoS Canvas
Now that you have a clear idea of your future system, you can start designing it!
This canvas is supposed to guide you through your innovation journey. It will not make you innovative if it is not your mindset, but as every canvas, it is there to structure the thinking process and ensure that you cover the basics elements that could be challenged during the presentation of your IoS.
Optimized to be printed in DIN A3 or larger format
Idea of System – Canvas
HD Version here
4. Challenge your IoS assumptions
At this stage, you should have a very good representation of your IoS; how it may look like, what it could do, etc. However, this is only reflecting your point of view and maybe the adversary sees it in a totally different way!
Aiming at improving your IoS, invest some time in a “blue vs red” confrontation following this scheme. Hopefully by the end of it, some weaknesses or new suggestions would have come up to make your initial system even better!
Optimized to be printed in DIN A4 or larger format
Operating Instructions
HD Version here