About the Client
Yokohama Rubber Company is a globally renowned tire manufacturer, headquartered in Japan, with a legacy of over a century in delivering cutting-edge mobility solutions. Known for its strong commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability, Yokohama has built a reputation as one of the most trusted brands in the automotive industry. In India, Yokohama Off-Highway Tires (YOHT) and Yokohama India have established a strong presence, serving diverse segments including passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, construction equipment, and agricultural machinery. With advanced manufacturing facilities, a wide dealer network, and a focus on customer-centric innovation, Yokohama continues to contribute to safer, more efficient, and sustainable mobility across geographies.
Workshop Objective
The Design Thinking Workshop was designed to equip Yokohama teams with practical tools and mindsets for creative problem-solving. The objectives were to help participants:
- Strengthen customer empathy by re-framing problems from user perspectives
- Drive innovation in products, services, and dealer/farmer engagement practices
- Apply structured Design Thinking frameworks to real Yokohama scenarios (tyre customers, dealers, service experiences)
- Improve collaboration, ideation, and prototyping skills to generate actionable business solutions
Workshop Summary
The experiential program was interactive and application-driven, combining case studies, group activities, and hands-on tools from Design Thinking. Participants worked on real-world Yokohama-specific scenarios, moving through the five stages of the Design Thinking process: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.
Key highlights included:
- Empathy Interviews & Mapping — exploring customer frustrations (e.g., tyre service delays, dealer support challenges).
- Point of View & “How Might We” Statements — reframing business challenges into innovation opportunities.
- Ideation Techniques — divergent vs. convergent thinking, 20 circles exercise, and brainstorming radical solutions.
- Prototyping & Feedback Loops — sketching quick solutions and iterating based on peer feedback.
- Application to Yokohama Context — scenarios included dealer-distributor partnerships, service center customer experiences, and adoption of new technology on the shop floor.
- Prioritization Matrix — distinguishing between “quick wins,” “moonshots,” and “time wasters” for practical execution.
- Stop–Start–Continue Reflection — personal and team-level commitments to apply Design Thinking principles back at work.
The workshop concluded with participants documenting personal commitments and team action plans, ensuring that ideas move beyond the classroom into everyday business practice.
Workshop Details
- Mode: On-Site
- Audience: Cross-functional professionals from HR, Product, Development, Purchase, and IT functions.
- Batch Size: 21 Participants
- Duration: 2-day Workshop
- Customized Training Modules
- Certificates for all participants
Trainer (Speaker) Profile
- Over 20 years of training and facilitation experience, with 15,000+ training hours delivered.
- Certified in Design Thinking, Emotional Intelligence, NLP, Storytelling, and Experiential Education.
- Partnered with leading organizations including nVIDIA, Wipro, Persistent, L&T, Godrej, SBI Life, Deutsche Bank, Aditya Birla Group and more.
- Recognized for interactive, experiential methodologies that drive practical workplace application.
- Expertise in Design Thinking, Strategic Thinking, Leadership, Communication, Change Management, and Innovation Facilitation.
