Malini is a 30-year-old PhD student researching plant genomics at a research institute. She has been there for 6 years, first as a junior researcher and now as a senior researcher. She hopes to finish her PhD this year or next year, though it has taken her longer than usual due to her tenacity and passion for her work. Malini wants to find a good job after completing her PhD but her ultimate passion is to be an entrepreneur. She realizes she needs to build appropriate connections in her field to help her choose her career path and succeed as an entrepreneur.

1. Design Thinking Action Lab 2013 1
Malini Sengupta , Age 30 , Stakeholder - student
She is a PhD student and her area of research is about plant (to be
specific chickpeas) genome and their DNA sequencing. She had
joined NGPR ( a research institute ) as a part of her PhD program,
as a junior researcher 6 years ago and now she is a senior
researcher and hopeful to finish her PhD this year or next year.
Currently though she feels she has taken a bit more time than
usual but her tenacity and passion, do keep her on track and help
her persevere. She is really bugged with her thesis guide’s
professional insecurities and insensitive Indian university
educational standards but she knows she has to somehow get her
way through. She is quite aware of the competitive world outside.
She is quite hopeful after PhD she will find a good Job. She has
become a part of various social networking groups and connecting
individual people. Though her real passion lies in being an
entrepreneur but to have financial stability and making
connections with the right people in her field, She will start her
career in job as a scientist.

2. Design Thinking Action Lab 2013 2
Earlier Problem Statement
Malini needs to way to build appropriate connections with stakeholders because it gives
her better visibility about her ecosystem and make correct choices in the way forward.
How might we help Malini build appropriate connections for a successful career as an
entrepreneur ?
Reframing the Problem Statement

3. Design Thinking Action Lab 2013 3
Ecosystem analysis

4. Design Thinking Action Lab 2013 4
Ideation

5. Design Thinking Action Lab 2013 5
3 ideas
i. the most practical idea (one that could be easily implemented)
Pedo-preneur
Normally I feel while we pursue our dreams we forgot to maintain a healthy work life
balance. Its so important to be fit and healthy. Moreover to sustain as a entrepreneur
you need to also have courage, gut , determination and perseverance. I think this can
be achieved through various outdoor activities. It’s a app which connect you to relevant
people ( similar people who are pursuing same ideas, VC’s, experts, relevant blogs ,
portals, upcoming ideas and future perspectives ) provided you finish monitored
outdoor tasks . Which can be hiking , camping, cycling, running, walking……as this will
be a group activity, there would be serendipitous connections which will be developed
over time both in person and through virtual medium, which would have never
happened ever before. You also learn a lot during the process about life, different
perspectives. Also you collect points and rewards at the end of the day with relevant
information which is customized to your career needs aspirations and Goals.

6. Design Thinking Action Lab 2013 6
ii. the most disruptive idea (one that would make a huge impact, regardless of how feasible
or affordable it is)
Senso R–
Every week you need to take a lemon tart ( or anything you like from a nearby sensomatic
bakery – coffee shop) it contains edible sensors. It goes inside you understand your neural
networks , your need ,aspirations, development ,fear anxiety. It then connects to your
sensors on phone which will be loaded with web bots ( emotional virtual robots) and then
bring you relevant information and connections over a period of time till the sensor is
digested.

7. Design Thinking Action Lab 2013 7
iii. your favorite idea (one idea that you are excited about for whatever reason... you
don’t have to justify why)
Pedo-preneur
Described earlier……
Crystal Ball
Bringing fairy tale back……. A extremely personal experience…….