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Role
Design Thinking Facilitator
Methods
Design Thinking, co-design
Type
Exploratory
Timeline
2020 - 2021
While at Accenture, I was part of the Liquid Studio Manila (now called the Philippine Hub of Innovation), which focused on creative innovation through design thinking.
In my role as Design Thinking Facilitator, I worked on more than 100 workshops that entailed working together with clients to assemble the appropriate methods to address their needs and then facilitating the implementation of those methods.
In addition to facilitation, I also contributed as a UX Designer and Research Analyst, allowing me to bridge strategic exploration with research and design execution.
Designing workshops around goals, time, and participants
When developing a design thinking workshop, I am in constant communication with the organizing group. During these meetings and when beginning to conceptualize a workshop flow, I consider the goals of the team, the allotted time for the workshop, and the participants who will be joining us.
Goals: this will determine the overall flow of the session, what results do the teams want?
Time: some teams will only have 3 hours to do everything, while others will allow multiple days. How long should the activities be? How detailed should people's outputs be?
Participants: if participants have joined us for a session previously, we can expect that they are familiar with some methods and
Balancing these factors ensured that each workshop was purposeful, engaging, and realistic within its constraints.
Assembling and adapting methods to fit the problem
Designing a workshop often felt like assembling a puzzle. Over time, our team developed a library of proven methods and templates that we could draw from when ideating new sessions. I frequently adapted these methods—shortening activities to fit tighter schedules, simplifying instructions, modifying outputs, or combining techniques to better support the workshop’s objectives.
In some cases, I created new method variations altogether to better align with client needs. This iterative approach allowed workshops to remain flexible while still grounded in established design thinking principles.
Preparing for smooth execution in virtual environments
A significant portion of facilitation work happened behind the scenes. Preparation often involved setting up multiple virtual whiteboards (e.g., Miro or Mural), designing clear and usable activity templates, configuring video conferencing tools, and creating detailed facilitation schedules.
Because workshops often involved multiple breakout groups running in parallel, schedules had to be precise. Facilitators and coaches relied on these schedules to stay aligned on timing, progress, and transitions. I also designed templates with accessibility and resilience in mind—assuming participants might step away, lose connection, or miss instructions—so activities remained understandable and usable even under less-than-ideal conditions.
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