A Strategic Information Design project at the University of Dundee to redesign the feedback model for NESTA UK (National Endowment for Science, Technology and Arts) Han Pham MSc Design Ethnography Han (at) Designswinger (dot) com

1. In it for the
long haul
STAYING IN BUSINESS...
AND GOING BEYOND FEEDBACK

2. In it for the long haul:
An Introduction
The Project:
As part of the Strategic Information Design module at the University of Dundee, we were asked to redesign
data or materials for our client's program, Starter 4 Six, which is an enterprise support project led by NESTA
(National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts) in Scotland, which is open to individuals and
teams with an innovative business idea in science, technology and the creative industries.
The Focus
After a strategic review of the client's needs, toolkit, online presence and videos, as well as competitive
partner sites, I chose to focus on building clarity in NESTA's feedback for their trainer programs.
The Design Strategy
Instead of creating an aggregate design of their existing data, I chose instead to focus on taking a strategic
look at how they approach teaching creative entreprise to their audience and incorporate these ideas to
propose a redesign of their feedback mode. My hope is that this framework will better enhance their service
model, both internally and externally.
This simple framework is a tool for understanding how to unite the general consensus between their
participants' needs and their needs for long-term growth. In addition, thinking of our class as a team working
toward a core client, it also serves a good complement to other students' data visualizations.
The strategic design itself is the visual model of FeedBACK:FeedFORWARD presented at the end of this
presentation. For context, I've included it as part of an explanatory presentation.
I chose to carry forward NESTA's existing simplified style for this design, focusing on font, text, and color
blocks and lines. Likewise, the model itself is meant to be simple and replicable within a workshop setting. In
addition, the model builds upon NESTA values and philosophy as taught in their workshop and toolkit.
Thank you.
Han Pham
University of Dundee
Han (at) designswinger (dot) com

3. Taking Starter 4 Six
trainer workshops forward
WHAT NESTA KNOWS:
“The toolkit is difficult to track.”
“If you have 25 people on a program, it’s like 25 programs”
“Trainer sessions brought it to life”
“Amazing feedback... but don’t know what to do with it”

4. WHAT NESTA WANTS TO KNOW:
Who do we need to get on
board... to create a product
that can spread worldwide?

5. WHAT NESTA WANTS:
Use feedback longer term
... to help spread the word
... to build conversation and buy-in in Scotland and worldwide

6. IN ORDER TO BUILD CONVERSATION & BUY-IN,
FEEDBACK NEEDS TO FEED... FORWARD

7. HOW?

8. HOW CAN NESTA GO FROM “OWNING” THE
FEEDBACK
... TO MAKING IT MORE OPEN SOURCE?

9. A LONG DAY CAN BE A BLUR:
“The emphasis on developing the person, rather than just the
business”
“Would have liked more guidance on different models of
delivering toolkit”
“Quite a lot of listening... could have been more condensed”
“Dessimination with colleagues could lead to useful
collaborations”
“More access to sessions like this to creatives”
“Shadowing delivery would be great [in the future]”
* Feedback from Train the Trainer workshops

10. BREAK IT DOWN.
FEEDBACK FIT 6 CORE AREAS

11. 6 CORE AREAS:
1. TOPIC & TOOLS > “The emphasis on developing the person, rather
than just the business”
2. DELIVERY > “Would have liked more guidance on different models of
delivering toolkit”
3. TIMING > “Quite a lot of listening... could have been more condensed”
4. NETWORKING > “Dessimination with colleagues could lead to useful
collaborations”
5. INFRASTRUCTURE > “More access to sessions like this to creatives”
6. FOLLOW UP > “Shadowing delivery would be great [in the future]”

12. 6 CORE AREAS:
1. TOPIC & TOOLS
2. DELIVERY
3. TIMING
4. NETWORKING
5. INFRASTRUCTURE
6. FOLLOW UP

13. USE THE BLUEPRINTING STRATEGY:
1. Do it in small steps
2. Map the entire process
* From Creative Enterprise Toolkit

14. IF A LONG DAY CAN BE A BLUR,
IDEAS CAN GET LOST.
BREAK DOWN 6 CORE AREAS, TWICE.

15. step 1
DURING THE SESSION
OFFER A “HOTPOINT” FEEDBACK SHEET TO
CAPTURE IDEAS AS THEY ARISE.

16. FEEDBACK IN SMALL STEPS

17. “HOTPOINT” FEEDBACK SHEET
TOPIC & TOOLS DELIVERY TIMING NETWORKING INFRASTRUCTURE FOLLOW UP
HOW IS THE HOW IS THE DELIVERY HOW IS THE WHO DO YOU NEED HOW IS THE PROGRAM WHAT SUPPORT
CONTENT? STYLE? SCHEDULE & PACING? TO CONNECT TO? STRUCTURE? DO YOU NEED FROM
NESTA NEXT?

18. “HOTPOINT” FEEDBACK SHEET
“Good
“Dessimination
emphasis on “... more “More access “Shadowing
guidance on with colleagues
developing the “Could have been to sessions like delivery would
different models could lead to
person, rather more condensed” this to be great [in the
of delivering useful
than just the toolkit” creatives” future]”
collaborations”
business”
TOPIC & TOOLS DELIVERY TIMING NETWORKING INFRASTRUCTURE FOLLOW UP
HOW IS THE HOW IS THE DELIVERY HOW IS THE WHO DO YOU NEED HOW IS THE PROGRAM WHAT SUPPORT
CONTENT? STYLE? SCHEDULE & PACING? TO CONNECT TO? STRUCTURE & REACH? DO YOU NEED FROM
NESTA NEXT?

19. step 2
AFTER THE SESSION
GET THE BIG PICTURE.

20. BIG PICTURE FEEDBACK

21. TOPIC & TOOLS
FEEDBACK:
+
WHAT WERE OUR
UP
_
STRENGTHS?
W
DE
CK
LLO
LIV
WHAT COULD WE
BA
FO
ER
IMPROVE?
Y
ED
FE
E R
TU
TI
C
M
RU
IN
T
G
R AS
F
IN
NETWORKING

22. A BIGGER PICTURE

23. D
AR
RW
FO
TOPIC & TOOLS
ED
FE
FEEDBACK:
WHAT WERE OUR
UP
STRENGTHS?
W
DE
CK
LLO
LIV
WHAT COULD WE
BA
FO
ER
IMPROVE?
Y
ED
CV
FE
FEEDFORWARD:
WHAT CAN YOU DO NEXT
E R
TAKE THIS FORWARD?
TU
TI
(OBSTACLES, ACTIONS)
C
M
RU
IN
T
G
AS
WHO CAN HELP YOU?
R F
IN
NETWORKING WHAT WILL BE THE
IMPACT?

24. FIRST, FEEDBACK IN SMALL STEPS.
THEN, FEEDBACK THAT MOVES FORWARD.

25. ... BY BUILDING CONVERSATIONS BEYOND NESTA
“Create opportunities to share perspectives... and for ideas to be cross-
pollinated”
“Informal peer support can often be very valuable to validate thinking
and inspire confidence”
“Informal peer support is often more effective than formal, tutor-led
support.”
* From NESTA Tutor Notes

26. FEEDBACK|FEEDFORWARD CAN:
Use feedback longer term
... to help spread the word
... to build conversation and buy-in in Scotland and worldwide

27. D
AR
RW
FO
TOPIC & TOOLS
ED
FE
FEEDBACK:
WHAT WERE OUR
UP
STRENGTHS?
W
DE
CK
LLO
LIV
WHAT COULD WE
BA
FO
ER
IMPROVE?
Y
ED
CV
FE
FEEDFORWARD:
WHAT CAN YOU DO NEXT
E R
TAKE THIS FORWARD?
TU
TI
(OBSTACLES, ACTIONS)
C
M
RU
IN
T
G
AS
WHO CAN HELP YOU?
R F
IN
NETWORKING WHAT WILL BE THE
IMPACT?

28. MORE THAN FEEDBACK - FEEDFORWARD.

29. In it for the
long haul
A STRATEGIC REDESIGN OF NESTA’S
FEEDBACK SERVICE MODEL
Han Pham
University of Dundee, MSc Design Ethnography
Han@Designswinger.com

30. A STRATEGIC REDESIGN OF NESTA’S
FEEDBACK SERVICE MODEL:
IDEAS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
Implementation Service Strategy
This FeedBACK:FeedFORWARD feedback model was inspired by and incorporates not only NESTA’s philosophy
and models, but also recognizes NESTA’s movement from owning the data to making it open source; from a paper-
based kit to an online resource; from making it abstract to actionable.
This model improves on the current questionnaire aggregate feedback model in a few ways: It helps participants
capture live feedback during the workshop; it focuses responses more specifically into 6 core topical areas
suggested by existing feedback; the circuar model celebrates distinct individual trajectory of thoughts under a
unified umbrella; and, most importantly it provides a blueprint for action for the participants themselves.
A blueprint for action
It’s important for NESTA to know what they need to do next; however most of the feedback actually centered on
what the participants needed to review, reflect or do -- the idea of feeding action forward into the community.
Therefore while capturing feedBACK for NESTA, this also can be a take-home action plan for the participants
themselves about what they need to do next: What steps they can take; Who they need to connect with; what
impact they want to have. This ties in with two core NESTA philosophies: building conversation and encouraging
peer networking and support.
An online model
NESTA can facilitate this online conversation easily, by offering customized online templates for automatic emails to
be sent for general audiences and needs. Current feedback suggests that next steps fall into similar areas across
participants: reviewing the materials with peers, reviewing the materials with a supervisor for buy-in, incorporating it
into a current teaching plan; creating a new course; using the materials for themselves. This feedFORWARD model
clarifies individual action points needed for these objectives.
For example, a participant needing to share the materials with a supervisor can click on an automated content/
audience-appropriate “postcard update” to be sent to his supervisor from the NESTA website. Later, NESTA would
be able to track both action steps, potential audiences through the feedback form as well as through the usage of
the online templates, and trigger conversation efficiently with existing resources. High traffic for a particular
audience or area forms natural affinitized communities that can be offered additional support at a later time through
simple, shared online mediums such as, for example, a worldwide tweetchat for educators creating new courses
using the toolkit.