Barclays IT Unix Division

LJMU and Barclays worked together to develop an approach that would enable team members to identify new service offerings.

Project background

Barclays needed to find a way to explore business issues differently. LJMU worked with Barclays to find an approach that would enable the organisation to identify and experiment with potential new service offerings.

Data gathering

The project LJMU ran brought together Barclays staff from two different locations. It was therefore important for the facilitators to gain insight into both teams before the session. 

To achieve this, mobile phones were sent to participants at both locations two weeks before the session. The phones were used to pose questions about working life, business challenges and the work environment. Information was gathered and shared in the session, which created a sense of cohesion between team members.

The session

During the session, LJMU’s unique brainstorm technology allowed participants to anonymously contribute ideas about service development issues. All participants used their keyboards to highlight which, in their view, were the key elements that needed attention. These elements were then prioritised by the group. 

Potential solutions needed to be tested. LJMU gave Barclays the opportunity to prove the viability of new service offerings in a creative way.

Participants created cartoon storyboards to show what would or could happen if potential solutions were implemented. In small groups, the team members then acted out the storyboard scenarios, making the viability study as real as possible. Dramas were filmed so that scenarios could be relived. This gave team members the chance to discover possible pitfalls, challenges and improvements.

Next steps

A poster-sized print out showing output from session was used to remind team members of their insights during the sessions. A DVD of the acted out scenarios was also produced to show how solutions could or should be implemented in the workplace.