As spring break approached, most students were gearing up for chilling and fun, but I was embarking on a different kind of adventure. I had the privilege of participating in a two-day workshop focusing on the future of higher education, led by Jim Hackett, former CEO of Steelcase, and Anijo Mathew, Dean of the Institute of Design at Illinois Tech. This workshop, held in collaboration with a university in Grand Rapids, aimed to craft a central question to guide the institution's innovation roadmap.

Prelude

Our preparation involved a deep dive into the current state of education, guided by insights from Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreesen. We explored the bundles that constitute a university and the challenges facing the education system. To equip the leadership team with quick references, we created infographics summarizing key points from these discussions.

We familiarized ourselves with various frameworks and futuring exercises, with Anijo providing valuable guidance. Additionally we designed an itinerary for the workshop, complete with visuals, descriptions, and a schedule of activities.

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Gearing up for the workshop

Preparation was key. Here are some of the things we did.

• Digitising the frameworks and printing posters 
• Prepping writing materials 
• Packing light for a 2 day trip (I tried..)
• Focus on connecting with the team and bring in valuable points
• Get excited for the best workshop 

Roadtrip to Grand Rapids

Our journey started at ID and took us along the lake to Grand Rapids. Our 2 and half journey was filled with connecting with our dean on familiar things and talking design things and system changes that caught us by surprise when we entered the United States.

D-Day

The day had finally arrived. As we settled into our rooms in Grand Rapids, a wave of excitement washed over me. Here I was, about to meet a Fortune 500 CEO and participate in a workshop that could shape the future of higher education.

The following day, we made our way to the office of Jim Hackett. Introductions were made, and I found myself among the crème de la crème of design and innovation talent. It was an exhilarating feeling to be in the presence of two CEOs and a host of experienced professionals.

Surrounded by this wealth of knowledge, leadership, and experience, a sense of comfort washed over me, knowing these seasoned professionals would impart their industry wisdom. Despite feeling intimidated, I felt blessed to be in the presence of such intelligent individuals.

Unpacking the workshop

To get to the central question, the team had planned exercises to bring the vision of GVSU to light. Let me take you through them briefly.

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DAY 1

What needs to be done?

GVSU’s vision is to pioneer a transformative future for education, grounded in the principles of excellence, accessibility, and innovation. President launched a transformation and innovation agenda that has achieved many of its goals with respect to increasing enrollment, creating a more engaged and inclusive student experience and improving economic development for the region. 

She now brings a sense of urgency to improving the efficacy and vitality of higher education in light of quickly changing technologies and with a particular lens of approaching the educational system as a whole.

Designing for Ascending Technology

"The system is birthing one kind of technology while ascending technology often overwhelms the system".

Jim Hackett

The "Designing for Ascending Technology" diagram traces the evolution of educational paradigms from 1850 to 2025, marking shifts in human life expectancy. The education system has transformed from one-room schools to dynamic learning environments that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy to keep pace with rapid technological advancements like AI.

The main objective of this exercise was to get everyone on their feet, noticing historical changes and envisioning what the future might hold. This ever-increasing rate of change demands that the educational system constantly evolve to reach higher states of fitness. Like a living organism adapting to its environment, the system must be agile, reshaping its structures and methodologies to survive.

The Scope

An exercise to understand and strategize for the future in the context of education. The future scoping framework is a visual representation of how ideas and trends evolve over time from the past through the present and into various potential futures.

"The rate of technology growth is outpacing our ability to work with it."

Anijo Matthew

With the help of the Ascending Technology Framework, we identified key triggers at each stage of evolution. These historical insights served as the foundation for our next step: the POETS framework.POETS—standing for People, Objects, Environments, Technology, and Services—guided us in framing our ideas. By creating posits within this framework, we were able to envision a broad spectrum of possibilities for the future of education.

Bunding and un-bundling

In the ever-evolving landscape of U.S. higher education, it's crucial to ask: what will be most important and productive in the future? By applying the Andreessen Horowitz framework of "bundles," we've critically reexamined and renamed the major functions of higher education, with a focus on Grand Valley State University's (GVSU) path forward.

"The teachers’ should focus on teaching how to think rather than what to think."

Dave Tebo, Innovation strategist in education

Our discussions converged on a key theme: knowledge. The future of higher education at GVSU will emphasize the acquisition, navigation, creation, and curation of knowledge. Contrary to some opinions, we firmly believe that human psychosocial development is at the heart of this process. Developing the whole person and fostering a sense of agency will be increasingly vital as we prepare learners for the accelerating pace of change.

How might we?

"AI will have the ability to navigate & change history if we digitize the “today” properly.”

Jim Hackett

Based on the re-framed bundles and the gained clarity about various stakeholders required to help bring change in the system. The next step is to strategically articulate about what we are trying to solve. The “How Might We” framework helps us frame the problem in a structured way that directs us to think in a right direction with considering the various different aspects potential to impact the solution.

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DAY 2

Reflection

Day 1 of the workshop was overwhelmingly insightful and helpful to retrospectively evaluate GVSU’s performance to inform the possible direction it could take for an enhanced value creation for the students. 

Prototyping

The decision matrix framework is a grid that allows users to evaluate multiple ideas within a domain. It is also very helpful as a brainstorming tool for solutions within systems or solutions with multiple alternative approaches.

We used this matrix to brainstorm an ideal startup-like solution based on the (earlier) redefined bundles. We used POETS as the tool to think of the offerings in each startup. 

Assembling the team for the future

Moving the prototyping process from the lab and out into the university and the community requires a thoughtful plan which protects the space for innovation and nimble creation while at the same time bringing more perspectives and voices into the futuring conversation and vision.

Communication to stakeholders which balances these tensions is critical. This was the concluding exercise to create a plan and bring in various experts to work on these concepts.

Final Thoughts

The workshop was an immersive experience that left me feeling submerged in a wealth of knowledge and leadership qualities. The senior professionals shared insights from their extensive industry experience, reshaping my approach to problem-solving and critical thinking. I learned that solutioning requires rapid, concise, and detailed thinking, with a constant focus on the future and taking a systems approach.

The process of envisioning a future for a university demands strategic thinking, convincing arguments, support, courage, and alignment. Understanding the immense pressure and responsibility that rests on the shoulders of a CEO, the workshop underscored the importance of support, well-thought-out solutions, and a strong will in alleviating fears and instilling the confidence to make big picture decisions.

In conclusion, this experience has not only changed my outlook but has also equipped me with a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in leading an institution toward a prosperous future.