This project was a collaboration of seven regional innovation agencies across Europe, led by Hub Innovazione Trentino (Italy), and evaluated by Fondazione Bruno Kessler (Italy). The trial tests the impact of a "UX Challenge" - a two-day design sprint hackathon for SMEs and young talents operating in the digital industry sector.
The 200SMEchallenge project is based on the hypothesis that the use of design thinking and user-centred design has the potential to improve the design and user experience of digital products and services provided by SMEs. An improved user experience leads in turn to growth in the user base and/or market share and ultimately to higher productivity and profitability, as well as building the business’s capacity to innovate further. However, many SMEs have little awareness of design thinking and user-centred design, or knowledge of how to put it into practice. By giving them an opportunity to participate in a facilitated ‘design sprint’, the 200SMEchallenge project sought to improve SME managers’ awareness of the potential benefits of design thinking and user-centred design and their knowledge of the design process, to enable and encourage them to use design techniques for themselves.