Open innovation is increasingly present in the management models of companies. However, one of the major challenges is to foster a truly collaborative and multidisciplinary work environment that generates disruptive innovations and adds value to the consumer experience.
Where did the Hackathon originate?
The Hackathon Natura Campus Media Lab was born from the relationship built between Natura and MIT Media, when we identified the opportunity to innovate to enhance the Natura consumer experience. The challenge was to think beyond the product itself, connecting the physical environment with the virtual world. We realized that the scope of this challenge was much greater than just the development of new technologies, and therefore, it was necessary to involve different skills, experiences, and backgrounds to arrive at complete and innovative solutions.
How did it work?
Thus, we created a marathon of collaboration, prototyping, and co-creation, with 32 participants from different nationalities and regions of Brazil. We brought together researchers from the MIT Media Lab, Natura employees, students, and Brazilian researchers.
The event featured a pioneering dynamic lasting 06 days. In the first three days, during the immersion phase, participants were able to interact and share their interests and ideas, understand the context of the challenge, the technology, the world of cosmetics, and Natura.
In the second phase, prototyping, groups were formed and spent 48 uninterrupted hours at Natura's headquarters in Cajamar, SP, collaborating and developing solutions that were presented on the last day. To facilitate the construction of prototypes, a complete prototyping lab was set up in Cajamar.
At the end of this marathon, two students, Isa Sobrinho and Caroline Rozendo, had their projects selected and will spend up to six months at the MIT Media Lab with a scholarship funded by Natura.
And the consumers?
Natura consumers also played a fundamental role in the Hackathon, collaborating to ensure that the prototypes were developed with a focus on user needs.
As a first step, Cocriando Natura invited people who identify with the theme and the Natura brand to participate in a journey to create opportunities to enhance the consumer experience. Participants were not only able to draw inspiration from the insights and concepts co-created during this Journey, but also interacted with consumers during the prototyping marathon. In the inspiration phase, the most active consumers in the Journey were invited to share their experiences and needs with the participants. In the prototyping phase, these same consumers were able to learn about and give feedback on the prototypes being developed.
This entire process contributed to the prototypes being built from a broad perspective, integrating technology and the user's vision. The Hackathon allowed for the exchange of ideas and the prototyping of truly collaborative projects, which were built from the knowledge exchange between students, researchers, employees, and consumers.
What are the next steps?
Between August and December 2014, Isa and Caroline will prepare to travel to Cambridge, MA, in the United States. They will stay for up to six months, developing the proposed ideas in conjunction with the research groups at the MIT Media Lab.
Stay tuned to our blog! We will be sharing all the news from the selected students and their process at the MIT Media Lab here.
