“The Design Method” is a six-step process that has been used around the globe to quickly help media people develop concrete and actionable plans for new newspapers, story packages, magazines, Web sites, mobile strategies, journalism training, and even mobile apps. 
The method is very popular with participants because they learn to become empowered to solve the problems they face.
The Design Method is something that grew out of running Maestro story-planning workshops and seeing where participants were struggling as they tried to plan creatively.
My method is refined every time I use it to run a workshop or brainstorming session.  Since 2006, I have been using this method as an organizing tool to administer brainstorming workshops. I have taught all types of media people: editors, journalists, publishers and broadcasters.
The method is a six step process that will guide teams into identifying problems (or issues) and then finding solutions. People using this method quickly learn that there are no shortcuts in the sequence, but it also does not equate that every step has to necessarily take a long time.

Once managers get practiced at using this method, they can run creative meetings in under an hour and have several ideas from their teams that are expressed in a concise, concrete, actionable and presentable form.
It is extremely rewarding to see the impact from participants after they complete their first “Design Method” experience. 
Quotes from recent participants of workshop I recently conducted for Poynter in Sarajevo.:

“Why don’t we do this more often? This is a great way to solve problems.”

“I like the team-based approach to problem solving.”

“I like that we can take the ownership of establishing a new direction.”

“Inspiring to have the time focus on these issues and this method will help me in other projects.”

And from their boss (who also participated . . .)

“I am happy to see the team dedicated time and energy and their skills to help reinvent our portal. I didn’t expect this workshop to be so productive.”

Since 2006 media professionals from  Nigeria,  India, Bosnia, Croatia, Egypt and Georgia have been taught The Design Method™ to rapidly develop and present creative solutions.

Contact me about bringing The Design Method™ to your next project.