Overview
PGT is a leading global logistics and energy solutions trader based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The company set out to strengthen cross-functional collaboration and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
We partnered with them to design and deliver a customised program to boost innovation capability, improve collaboration across functions, and empower team members to take initiative on persistent challenges. The goal wasn’t just to teach design thinking — it was to apply it directly to real, relevant business issues and generate projects with lasting impact.
Challenge
The team, composed of professionals from diverse roles, faced challenges around creativity, siloed problem-solving, and unclear ownership of initiatives.
There was a shared desire to shift from isolated efforts to a proactive collaboration and shared accountability culture. The team wanted a learning experience that was immediately applicable to their daily work — not theoretical.
They needed space to explore systemic challenges, apply structured methods, and leave with co-owned initiatives that could be implemented in practice.
Approach
Following participant interviews, we designed a tailored end-to-end Design Thinking program that combined hands-on skills development, live business case exploration, and coaching for sustained change.
3-Day In-Person Workshop
The in-person experience was structured around three phases:
- Day 1: Understanding the System
- Day 2: From Problems to Ideas
- Day 3: From Ideas to Action
Participants mapped key stakeholders, surfaced pain points, and explored interdependencies using tools like Stakeholder Mapping, Problem-Tree Analysis, Abstraction Laddering, and Rose-Thorn-Bud. This clarified the systemic nature of their challenges and created alignment on what mattered most.
Teams crafted challenge statements and ideated using techniques like “How Might We” and Crazy 8s. With facilitation support, they prioritised ideas using the Importance-Difficulty Matrix.
The focus shifted to prototyping and planning. Teams developed Concept Posters, shared them for peer feedback, and outlined concrete next steps. Final reflections ensured participants left with both confidence and a sense of ownership.
Post-Workshop Coaching
Online coaching supported teams and individuals in translating ideas into action. These sessions helped refine project scopes, navigate implementation challenges, and sustain momentum.
Outcome
The program delivered:
- Five cross-functional innovation projects, co-designed and owned by participants
- A shared language and toolkit for tackling challenges collaboratively
- High participant satisfaction, with praise for the program’s practicality, energy, and relevance
- A shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive experimentation and ownership
- Strong validation that working on real business cases drove immediate value for PGT
The program proved that innovation doesn’t require a blank slate — it flourishes when rooted in real-world challenges and supported by the right mindset, methods, and facilitation.
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