Shape Phase:

Turning Insights into Strategic Plans

The Shape Phase is a critical stage where the insights gathered during the Scope Phase are analyzed and synthesized to define clear, actionable problem statements and strategic directions. This phase ensures that the project has a focused approach and a well-understood scope.

- Synthesize Insights: Transform raw data from the Scope phase into meaningful insights.
- Develop Problem Statements: Clearly articulate the problems to be solved.
- Set Project Scope: Define the boundaries and objectives of the project.
- Align Stakeholders: Ensure all stakeholders have a common understanding and agreement on the project goals.
- Affinity Mapping
  - Purpose: Group similar ideas and findings from the Scope phase to identify patterns and themes.
  - Process: Organize data points on sticky notes or digital boards and cluster them based on relationships.
- Personas Development
  - Purpose: Create detailed personas representing key user groups.
  - Process: Use insights from user research to develop profiles that include demographics, behaviors, needs, and pain points.
- Customer Journey Mapping
  - Purpose: Visualize the user's experience across various touchpoints.
  - Process: Map out the steps users take when interacting with the product, identifying pain points and opportunities.
- Problem Statements
  - Purpose: Define the core problems that need to be addressed.
  - Process: Write clear, concise statements that summarize the challenges based on user insights and research findings.
- Business Model Canvas
  - Purpose: Outline the business strategy and identify key elements such as value propositions, customer segments, and revenue streams.
  - Process: Use the canvas to visually map out and iterate on different aspects of the business model.
- Key Themes and Patterns: Identification of recurring themes and insights from user data.
- User Needs and Pain Points: A clear understanding of the critical needs and challenges faced by users.
- Strategic Opportunities: Identification of areas where the project can create the most impact and value.
- Workshops and Collaborative Sessions: Conduct workshops with stakeholders to discuss findings, validate insights, and build consensus.
- Documentation of Problem Statements: Clearly document problem statements and ensure they are shared and understood by all team members.
- Development of Strategic Roadmaps: Create strategic roadmaps that outline the path forward, including milestones and key deliverables.
- Aligned Vision: All stakeholders have a unified understanding of the project goals and objectives.
- Focused Scope: The project scope is clearly defined, ensuring that efforts are directed towards solving the most critical problems.
- Strategic Roadmap: A well-defined roadmap that guides the project through the subsequent phases of Design and Develop.
- Validated Problem Statements: Clear and validated problem statements that form the foundation for ideation and solution development.

Example Case Study: Scoping Strategy for Barclays Bank & Amazon

In the Sculpt phase for a project for a Barclays/Amazon initiative, we used affinity mapping, jobs-to-be-done, and Value Proposition Canvas to synthesize data from the Scope phase. Detailed personas and customer journey maps were developed to understand user interactions and pain points. Through workshops and sprints, clear problem statements were created, and the Business Model Canvas was used to outline strategic opportunities. The outcomes included an aligned vision, a focused project scope, and a strategic roadmap guiding the project through to successful implementation.