On March 5th and 6th, the first-ever New Process x mkrz lab Hackathon took place at the mkrz lab in Linz. Our goal? To explore how maker’s methods can be used to make processes more tangible and engaging.
For me, this workshop was one of the most inspiring experiences of my entire New Process journey. I am convinced that we have discovered an approach that can excite anyone about processes.
We captured our insights in several videos, available in both English and German, which I’m excited to share with you:
Intuitive Making for BPM Benefits, Challenges & Solutions
In the first video, we demonstrate how we applied intuitive making to the Purpose and/or Strategy phase — helping to make the benefits of BPM tangible, identify obstacles, and discuss possible solutions. This method can, of course, be applied to any business process.
English:
German:+
Using Space to Develop BPM Elements
In the second video, you’ll see how we used the physical space to develop the core elements of a BPM process. This actually took place before defining the benefits and proved to be a great way to build a shared understanding of the process.
English:
German:
Modeling a Process & Bringing It to Life with Making
In the third video, we first modeled a business process and then used maker’s methods to make it tangible and experiential.
English:
German:
Key Takeaways – What Inspired Me the Most
This workshop was incredibly inspiring, and I took away many valuable learnings:
🛠️ The Power of Maker’s Methods – I was particularly fascinated by the hands-on, tangible approach. Working with materials and tools was not only fun but also provided a new dimension to process thinking.
🧠 From Thought to Tangible Form – With intuitive making, I found it incredibly exciting to transform my thoughts into something physical. The result was something visible and touchable that could then be put into words — whereas, normally, I often struggle to express my scattered thoughts verbally. 😉
💡 Interpretation Fuels Creativity – The artifacts created in this way not only allow the creator to verbalize their thoughts but also invite interpretation from others. This frequently led to even more creative ideas and insights.
👥 Making Purpose & Strategy Tangible – This method is particularly useful in defining process purpose and strategy. But the results can also be applied in later BPM phases to make purpose and strategy more experiential.
Using Space for Brainstorming – A Refreshing Change
Another technique we explored was using the physical space for brainstorming. After what feels like an endless number of online workshops using Miro boards, this was a refreshing and energizing experience.
We worked with large cardboard speech bubbles, writing down ideas, placing them around the room, sorting them, and then verbalizing them. Alternatively, we could have used maker’s methods to create initial artifacts.
🌀 This reimagined brainstorming approach was not only fun but also hands-on and highly effective. It’s particularly useful at the beginning of a workshop to build a shared understanding but can also be applied in later BPM phases—for instance, in the design phase to generate process improvement ideas.
The Highlight – Bringing a Process to Life
For me, the most powerful moment was when we brought a business process to life:
Step 1: We first modeled the process in a simple way within the space.
Step 2: We physically walked through the process, activity by activity. Yes, we literally walked through it. And we discussed the process.
Step 3: We used maker’s methods to make each activity tangible and interactive.
This final step is incredibly powerful — it helps participants truly experience a process and ensures that the tasks and attributes stick in their memory.
This approach is not only useful for process design but also for training and onboarding.
Looking Ahead – A Game-Changer for BPM?
I firmly believe we have discovered a methodology that can take BPM to the next level — making processes engaging, tangible, and inspiring for everyone. I’m excited to see where this journey takes us next! 🚀
If you’re interested in learning more or applying these methods yourself, feel free to reach out. Let’s bring processes to life!
Best regards,
Mirko
