Quantitative & Qualitative Research Strategy & Organizational Development Behavioral Economics and Foresight

1. Helping organizations become more effective at
integrating their peoples’ analytical and creative
capabilities is my passion. I do this by applying
growth mindset and human-centered research,
strategy, organizational development, and
facilitation skills. I think behaviourally and
integratively to drive systems level change in
simple and intuitive ways and work with clients
who want to lead change and make an impact.
A management consultant
with a designer’s mindset
Farzad Sedghipour
M.A. // M. Design
t: 647.501.2658
e: farzadinnovation@gmail.com
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2. Human Centred Business =
Empathy + Analysis + Creativity
8-years professional experience
leading large-scale projects from
research through business analysis,
prototyping, and implementation.
Expertise:
➔ Innovation Research
(Quantitative &
Qualitative)
➔ Strategy &
Organizational
Development
➔ Behavioural Economics
& Foresight
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3. 1 Innovation Research
2 Design Thinking
3 Innovation Strategy &
Organizational Development
4 Economics & Foresight
Select Projects
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4. Innovation Research
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5. Challenge: As a Research Economist at Statistics Canada, I took on the innovation research challenge of
developing new methods and frameworks for measuring quality of services change in banking.
This assignment was particularly difficult because: i) the subject matter was complex, ii) services
measurement methods were technical and unproven, and iii) the data most suitable was largely unavailable.
Action: Recognizing that I could not overcome these obstacles alone, I took a collaborative and open
research approach, writing an experimental paper every month, and presenting my findings at divisional
meetings every 2-months.
Inviting others to participate in my research in this way helped me generate and rapidly evaluate 3-times the
ideas of an average analyst.
Result: I was able to invent my own innovative hybrid method measuring services price changes in
banking in 12-months’ time. This feat not only enabled me to help my team save Statistics Canada $2.3
Million in new survey development and operating costs, but it also led to my promotion to a Senior
Performance Evaluations Role within the Federal Government.
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I have a solid background in Innovation Research

6. Design Thinking
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7. Challenge: To tackle a problem facing Toronto’s growing elderly population.
Action:
1) Problem Finding: Using IDEO’s HCD toolkit, created a Stakeholder Matrix which showed 7/9 stakeholders
unable to participate to their interest/potential under the current regime.
2) Problem Framing: Chose to focus on immigrant elderly groups living in suburban Toronto, because solving for
“extreme users” helps create more inclusive and superior design outcomes. Goal was to help them
overcome 5 overlapping problems: 1) Loneliness, 2) Lack of Purpose, 3) Lack of Autonomy, 4) Lack of
adequate living support, & 5) Lack of Community connections. Research demonstrated that many of these
individuals lived with their families, hence, we reframed our problem:
“How might we support South Asian families to empower their elderly living with them in their suburban
homes?”
3) Problem Solving: Our user experience map demonstrated just how stressful a typical elderly support
experience such as helping a parent with a government form could be on the family.
Success Measures: 1) Save Time & Stress, 2) Improve Elderly’s Mobility, 3) Better integrate them within
their communities.
Solution: 3Generations: A Social Enterprise business plan that provides South Asian elderly living in Brampton
transportation, immigration support, and a place to come together; strengthening 3-key linkages in our Stakeholder
Matrix. This business plan won wide acclaim and is currently being pursued for funding and partnership by one of
our team members.
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Reframing and solving underlying problems is where I thrive

8. Leading Strategy & Organizational Development
What to do?
Shifting from Creative to Direction stage (Greiner curve)
How to do it?
CORE Innovation (75%)
1) Implement integrated financial and PM software
2) Hire fractional CFO
3) Expand operating space
4) Hire new staff
ADJACENT Innovation (25%)
5) Improved internal equity framework
6) Explore Thought/ product/service leadership
7) Aggressively pursue corporate training market
75%
25%
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9. Challenge: To help a Video Production business improve their profit margins, become a better place to work,
and grow their business.
Action: On-site interviews with leadership and staff, analysis of their business plan and documents, and
industry and market research, employing frameworks such as SWOT, Beckhard’s Equation, McKinsey 7S
Assessment; Greiner Stages of Growth, Doblin’s 10 Types of Innovation.
Results: Delivered presentation including analysis and a business model innovation strategy to double
revenues and profit margins over 3-year period, with Key Actions:
1. Implement financial, project, and people management software to 2x profit margins
2. Expand space, and acquire new hires (creatives) + a fractional CFO (Pricing Strategy)
3. Formalize PD and succession planning to improve internal equity & minimize operating risk
4. Develop Thought leadership platform through a blog/podcast/online videos
5. Leverage MT’s capabilities into the corporate training & support services market
CEO wrote 1-yr later: “We just finished our best year ever. We’ve expanded to 20 employees now. And
we’re about to move into a very aggressive sales plan. We opened our office in Austin Texas a few months
ago. Not much time to take stock in our accomplishments. But we’re still having fun.”
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I have successfully led Strategy and Organization Change

10. Economics &
Foresight
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11. Challenge: I was called up by the former Creative Director of Perennial (Retail Strategy and Design)
Consulting to help her lead a foresight project on the future of public space for Canada’s largest banks, RBC
Royal Bank.
Action: The project involved primary and secondary research, using several foresight frameworks, including,
STEEPV research identifying key trends and drivers, expert interviews using the Delphi Method, Backcasting
of significant historical events, development of Critical Uncertainties, 2x2x2 Scenarios mapping, facilitated
workshops to generate scenario narratives, and a workshop to help our client’s executive team better
understand critical uncertainties impacting their future business.
Result: Our work led to the development of a future proof vision for one of RBC’s key assets, and has been
used its strategic design for implementation.
Additionally, the impact of our work has led Perennial to develop a new Insights and Foresight team, and,
RBC has since made a concerted effort to apply foresight analytics to the creation of more dynamic business
modelling with respect to its other lines of business.
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Prepare for uncertainty while creating the future you want