Challenge | Approach | Outcomes | Frameworks | Key Outputs | Blitzers | Resource
What might the future SACU—built with and to include people of modest means—be?
On August 13 and September 8–9, 2015, SACU leaders, Future, and a select group of collaborators gathered for the Discovery and CoInvent Blitz.
The Blitz was an intensive, immersive, effort to think wrong about the following challenge:
What might the future SACU—built with and to include people of modest means—be?’”
Our focus was on innovating game-changing products, services, and experiences that take advantage of our core strengths—and the ingenuity of the people in our communities—to meet profound, unmet financial needs of existing members, people of means, and people of modest means.
Our goal was to develop a portfolio of small bets that can be made very quickly to learn which of our ideas engage members and non-members—and which might also have the potential to produce new revenues.
Objectives
We had the opportunity to:
• Explicitly position SACU as being there to help people of modest means achieve financial health
• Hack the branch to make the place, products, services, and experiences more inviting, useful, and helpful to existing members, more high-to-moderate income members, and for the large market of under-served people of modest means
• Engage with people of modest means to discover and experiment with unique solutions their communities have created (such as informal lending circles) to improve financial health
• Offer products and services at fair prices that are far more attractive than those of predatory providers and banks
• Use social engagement and impact to attract and create preference among higher-income and moderate-income members
Our objectives were to:
• Co-define the moments that matter to members and how SACU shows up at those moments
• Co-invent how we might help members of modest means prepare for the unexpected, pursue opportunities, and achieve both goals
• Co-explore how we might nurture and facilitate a culture of financial health among members and across the communities SACU serves
Our Approach
Set the bar high for the
difference you are striving
to make.
Seek fresh inspiration
for status-quo busting
solutions.
Break free of orthodoxies and biases that hold
you back.
Move from debate to discovery through making and sharing.
Increase your learning from investment (LFI) while decreasing innovation risk.
Consolidate learning and insights to accelerate your time to impact.
Framer-in-Chief
Beautiful Question
Moonshot
Challenge Challenge
A Good...
Show Up
Em-Path
That's Odd
Silent Walk
Brand Takeover
Anti-Branch
Trend Takeover
MacGyver
The Bigger Yes!
Draw It
Name It
In a Box
Maker Mash
Brief Me
$100 VC Fund
Learn From Investment
Do it on Monday
Matters Most
Show & Tell
It's About Me
Dog in a Hat
Matters Most II
Moments That Matter
Solve It
Asset Jam
Impact x Doability
SASU
Outcomes
Some key outcomes came out of the blitz, some around the challenge itself—others more surprising.
Seven new Members of SACU
Small Business Owners
Veterans
Students
Elderly
New Arrivals
SACU Members
SACU Employees
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Getting Out
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Outside Ideas and Perspectives
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From Branch to Experience
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Yes, and...
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X New Concepts
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Frameworks
The blitz didn't just deliver outcomes—but gave the Blitzers frameworks, language, and tools that they can use to maintain velocity and direction to Think Wrong and overcome biology and culture to deflect away from status quo and deliver meaningful change.
Emerging Principles
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Discovering themes
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The Value of Opportunity
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Incremental vs. Transformative
Incremental
Evolutionary
Expected
Bast case/
Best Practices
Efficiency
Optimization
Interactive
Inward focused
(Benefits us)
Transformative
Uncomfortable
Disruptive
Refreshing
Revolutionary
Unique
Inspiring
Enlightening
Excited
Game changing
Bold
People care/react
External focus
(Benefits us and others)
Today, Next, After Next
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Depressed and Excited
We imagined what it might be like to work on each new concept. We each selected the ideas that would be exciting to be a part of, and the ideas that might make us feel depressed to work on.
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New Ways of Working
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Key Outputs
Key outputs from drills...
Moonshots and Challenges
We were invited to make the challenge our own, and to raise the bar on what we want to achieve. We developed a moonshot and revised challenge statement for each archetype that matters most to SACU.
Team 1: Small Business Owners
Moonshot: A global, meta co-op of community centered small business co-ops authentic to the areas they serve.
Challenge Challenge: What might the local financial node of the future—created to engage and empower people of all means be?
Team 2: Veterans
Moonshot: Create transitional boot camps for veterans.
Challenge Challenge: How do we create a financial home where everyone is welcome?
Team 3: College Students
Moonshot: What if companies paid tuition for future employees?
Challenge Challenge: How might we meet the future needs of students?
Team 4: Elderly
Moonshot: Create an ecosystem for life for networks.
Challenge Challenge: What might banking of the future—built with and to include people of modest
means—be?
Team 5: New Arrivals
Moonshot: Multi-level marketing approach: create the UPS/Avon of financial services.
Challenge Challenge: What might be the best face-to-face financial interactions of the future, and where do they occur? Built with and to include people of modest means?
Team 6: SACU Members
Moonshot: Create a 12-step program for people with financial problems.
Challenge Challenge: What must the branch of the future do?
Team 7: SACU Employees
Moonshot: What if we created a new credit score (with industry)?
Challenge Challenge: What might the branch of the future—with a new credit score system to better meet needs of people of modest means—be?
The Hunt
Blitzers hunted for
Challenges and Opportunities for the SACU Seven
Challenges
Natural disaster
Flood
Retirement
No IRA
Legal
Sued
Need bail
Military
Returning from deployment
Veterans
Mental models
Fear
Lack of motivation
Lack of financial literacy
Family
Divorce
Death
New baby
Education
Study abroad
Understanding financial terms
Health
Disability
Depression
Abuse
Identification
No citizenship
Cash flow
No savings
Budget
Variable income
Transportation
Car breaks down
No transportation
Housing
Homelessness
Eviction
Refinance
Moving
Price of oil
Bank and Non-Bank Solutions
What Good Looks Like
A good experience provides value, insight, and inspiration.
A good place is clean, welcoming, and invites creativity.
A good service is personalized, non-judgmental, and reliable.
A good product goes beyond expectations, is easy to use, and evolves.
SACU Shows Up
We show up to grow and improve our community, the world and ourselves.
Why we show up
We care!
Desire to make a connection
Love
To make a difference
To make life better
We show up as part of the community with knowledge, acceptance, and an open mind.
How we show up
Open-minded
In person
Positive
Happy to help
Available
Easily Accessible
Bursting with knowledge
Professional
Prepared
Well trained
Engaged
We show up with a willingness to learn, push boundaries, and ask hard questions.
What we show up with
Skills
Ideas
Ingenuity
Options
Money
Solutions
Tools
Humility
Authenticity
Passion
Patience
Culture
Great attitude/service
From Low Impact to Nirvana
Bringing Ideas to Life
SACU SASU
Named and in a box
If i had $100...
The big dot vote
Makers Mash
Peaks & Pits & Dogs & Hats
The Blitzers
The gang of outlaws and think wrong leaders who participated and escaped the status quo and who overcame biology and culture to create a portfolio of audacious and ingenious solutions to our challenge.
Resources
View and download all the images and videos from the Blitz that are stored on dropbox
Download the guide that was used for the blitz which includes all the drills that were used.