Overview

Duration: 1.5-2 hours

Participants: 6-20 people (designers, product managers, stakeholders)

Purpose: Transform insights from previous exercises into powerful, distinctive manifesto statements that authentically represent your design approach

Materials Needed

• Large sticky notes or poster paper

• Markers and pens

• Dot stickers (5-8 per participant)

• Examples of powerful manifesto statements

• Templates for manifesto statement creation

• Wall space or boards for posting statements

• Timer for tracking activities

Exercise Flow

01 Introduction to Manifesto Writing (15 min)

• Review characteristics of powerful manifesto statements

  • Bold, declarative language that takes a stance

  • Clear, concise, and memorable phrasing

  • Distinctive rather than generic statements

  • Reflects authentic values, not aspirational platitudes

  • Provides guidance for decision-making

• Explain format and structure options

  • "We believe..." statements

  • Imperative commands ("Always prioritize...")

  • Declaration of values ("_____ matters more than _____")

  • Metaphorical statements

  • Contrarian positions that challenge conventions

• Share examples of effective manifestos

  • Highlight specific statements from renowned manifestos

  • Analyze what makes them effective

  • Contrast with generic, uninspiring examples

• Introduce the statement creation template

  • Explain how to use insights from previous exercises

  • Walk through template sections

  • Provide quick example of moving from insight to statement

02 Small Group Drafting (45 min)

• Break into groups of 3-4 people

  • Mix participants from different disciplines

  • Ensure diversity of perspectives

  • Assign a facilitator for each group

• Each group drafts 3-5 potential manifesto statements

  • Review consolidated insights from previous exercises

  • Identify themes that deserve manifesto statements

  • Draft statements using different formats

  • Refine language for clarity and impact

• Based on themes from all previous exercises

  • Reference provocative concepts from debates

  • Incorporate enduring values from future vision

  • Use language from reaction cards exercise

  • Consider competitive positioning insights

• Focus on bold, clear, distinctive language

  • Avoid generic platitudes and industry clichés

  • Be specific about your unique approach

  • Use concrete language rather than abstractions

  • Strive for memorable phrasing that sticks

03 Gallery Walk and Feedback (30 min)

• Post draft statements

  • Each group displays their 3-5 statements

  • Statements should be written large enough to read from a distance

  • Include brief context if needed

• All participants review and provide feedback

  • Silent review of all statements (10 min)

  • Leave sticky note feedback with:

    • Strengths of the statement

    • Suggestions for improvement

    • Questions or concerns

• Use dot voting to identify the strongest statements

  • Each participant gets 5-8 dot stickers

  • Place dots on statements that most powerfully capture your design approach

  • Optional: Use different color dots to indicate "powerful language" vs. "important concept"

04 Consolidation and Early Refinement (20 min)

• Identify top-rated statements

  • Gather around statements with the most votes

  • Discuss what makes them compelling

• Improve through group editing

  • Refine language of strongest statements

  • Combine complementary concepts if appropriate

  • Address any concerns or questions raised

• Check for completeness

  • Do the statements cover our most important values?

  • Are there significant gaps from previous exercises?

  • Does the set feel cohesive while covering diverse aspects?

Next Steps (10 min)

• Plan for final manifesto refinement

  • Select team to refine and finalize statements

  • Discuss format and presentation

  • Set timeline for completion

• Discuss implementation strategy

  • How will we share the manifesto?

  • How will we use it to guide decisions?

  • How will we onboard new team members?