GHD Digital helped the University of New South Wales (UNSW) with the monumental task of refining and advancing five problem solving projects born from an innovation hub. Using a combination of innovative workshops and an industry event, we delivered a wide range of industry commitments, forging critical connections and strategies to deliver on their key projects.
Empowering 100M designers with the tools of life-centred design, MASSIVE ACTION™ is a global multidisciplinary research demo to tackle the world's most vexing problems at speed and scale. MASSIVE ACTION Sydney (MAS) is a collaboration between Massive Change Network®, a design consultancy based in Chicago, and UNSW Arts, Design and Architecture (ADA) Innovation Hub, an interdisciplinary problem-solving space in the faculty.
In September 2022, the MAS collaboration convened a diverse group of pioneers, influencers, creative minds and catalysts for change from the ADA’s faulty for an intensive month-long design marathon. The goal was to tackle the urgent challenges of our time. The participants presented innovative solutions to critical issues, pinpointing and addressing obstacles that hinder transformative change at a rapid and extensive scale.
Five projects were selected for further development and UNSW needed a partner to help refine and advance them.
These complex and significant initiatives demanded innovative thinking and optimism to drive transformative and enduring change. Our digital innovation consulting team designed three workstreams to drive action, setting the stage for the MAS Unconvention.
Workstream one: we embarked on a mission to strategically position each project to garner substantial industry support. Through a series of dynamic workshops, we honed the project teams’ proposals, enhanced their storytelling prowess, and crafted compelling visual narratives. Our goal was to empower each project with a robust plan, an engaging pitch, and a persuasive video, culminating in a Minimum Viable Movement (MVM).
Workstream two: anticipating the MAS Unconvention, we ignited early industry engagement, fostering a pre-launch buzz. Our proactive outreach to potential collaborators ensured a robust build-up to the event. Our efforts focused on securing foundational support from key industry figures, thereby solidifying the projects’ base and propelling the MAS Movement forward.
Workstream three: with strategic acumen and creative flair, we shaped the Unconvention’s blueprint, incentivising industry leaders to become active, dedicated allies. GHD’s collaboration with UNSW spanned event design, joint marketing ventures, and strategies to maintain the projects’ momentum post-event.
The ripple effect of our dual workshops and the MAS Unconvention was profound. Project teams emerged with refined proposals and pitches that resonated deeply with industry leaders. The Unconvention itself was a resounding success, with each team securing a diverse array of industry pledges, unlocking invaluable connections, resources, and solutions to overcome their challenges.
Achievements unlocked:
This collective effort showcased the power of partnership and set a new benchmark for industry engagement and social innovation.
Working with GHD Digital’s D-Lab team stretched and challenged the five MASSIVE ACTION Sydney projects on how to refine and communicate their concepts as a Minimal Viable Movement that would truly inspire change. The team challenged our thinking and strengthened our capacity to build partnerships with industry partners. Their way of working is thoughtful, challenging, rigorous. Over the course of this collaboration we built strong, trusting relationships that allowed everyone to move out of their comfort zone and into new territory.
GHD implemented an integrated digital and professional services waste management and compliance program across 500 sites for a leading North American midstream oil and gas company. Our integrated approach streamlined operations, enhanced visibility and delivered significant cost savings while ensuring regulatory compliance, transforming a fragmented system into an efficient enterprise-wide program.
GHD Digital led the digitisation of TasPorts’ assets into a geographic information system (GIS) to enhance data visibility, asset management, maintenance processes and overall operational efficiency. These tools helped TasPorts gain a comprehensive view of activities across its multi-port networks.
GHD Digital supported the New Zealand government in monitoring the construction of the Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway through a custom geographic information system (GIS). This solution enabled the project team to record a large volume of geospatial data over a multi-year construction period, resulting in precise data collection, enhanced data visibility and visualisation, and improved access to the large dataset. It facilitated improved information sharing, activity coordination and decision-making, contributing to a safer and future-ready motorway.