The Challenge

This project focused on enabling a Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) department to optimize their Waste & Water Management processes while aligning their operations with the organization’s broader Net-Zero goals. The team faced several challenges: identifying areas of improvement across complex workflows, engaging key stakeholders to align priorities, and envisioning a future state that was not only ambitious but also achievable.

To tackle these challenges, I led a cross-functional team through an 8-week research and strategy sprint. This included collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, conducting extensive interviews, and facilitating workshops designed to address operational inefficiencies and set a clear path forward.

The Process

Phase 1: Designing a Discovery and Design Plan

At the start of the project, I worked closely with Account Leadership to co-create a structured plan for the discovery and design phases. Together, we defined a roadmap that would guide the team through the prototype and scaling phases across the organization.

To ensure a strong foundation, we outlined high-level goals and deliverables for each phase, including stakeholder engagement strategies, key milestones, and anticipated outcomes. This plan established a clear framework for collaboration and accountability, which proved critical for managing timelines and expectations.

Phase 2: Building Insights Through Stakeholder Interviews

Recognizing that insights from subject matter experts (SMEs) were essential, I partnered with an HSE SME to develop an interview toolkit tailored to the department’s unique needs. The toolkit was designed to elicit actionable insights, with questions focused on identifying pain points, understanding existing processes, and surfacing opportunities for improvement.

Using this toolkit, I led over 15 interviews with stakeholders from the HSE department, specifically targeting their Waste & Water Management processes. These conversations allowed the team to map out current workflows, document inefficiencies, and identify regulatory challenges. By systematically recording and analyzing these insights, we built a comprehensive picture of the existing state and pinpointed key areas to focus on during the next stages of the project.

Phase 3: Facilitating a Two-Day Design Thinking Workshop

I designed and led a two-day interactive workshop that brought together stakeholders to collaboratively shape the future of the Waste & Water Management processes. Each day was structured with specific objectives and deliverables to maximize impact:

• Day One:
  Using Design Thinking methodology, we began by unpacking key themes identified in the stakeholder interviews. The group worked collaboratively to define the current Waste & Water Management processes, including the challenges and gaps that hindered efficiency. By the end of the day, we had created a shared understanding of the current state and laid the groundwork for actionable next steps.
• Day Two:
  The focus shifted toward envisioning the ideal future state for Waste & Water Management processes. Participants brainstormed limitless opportunities to strengthen operations, explored strategies to overcome barriers, and co-created a vision aligned with the organization’s Net-Zero ambitions. We concluded the workshop by validating the roles of key stakeholders and outlining next steps, including identifying a platform that would meet operational needs and regulatory requirements.

This workshop not only empowered stakeholders to collaborate effectively but also provided clear direction for the team to refine strategies and execute on the project vision.

The Impact

The project delivered several key outcomes:

• A refined strategy for Waste & Water Management processes, including a vision that aligned operational goals with Net-Zero ambitions.
• A streamlined discovery process, supported by the interview toolkit and workshop outcomes, that accelerated insights gathering and decision-making.
• High-level technical requirements for a new platform, co-created by stakeholders, that addressed current inefficiencies and regulatory demands.

These deliverables provided a strong foundation for the next phases of the project, ensuring the scalability of solutions across the organization.

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