Be a Consultant for a Day - NTT DATA makes it possible

NTT DATA consultants with the Master's students of the Applied Business Innovation course at Munich University of Applied Sciences.

Student Programs

Learn. Inspire. Explore - In this 'Be a Consultant for a Day Workshop,' NTT DATA provided selected students an opportunity to experience something they cannot in any lecture: To slip into the role of a consultant for a day. The students dive deep into the practice of a consultant and work on a real scenario case. With the program, they can build up new expertise, demonstrate their creativity, get to know their skills better, and grow beyond themselves. In the process, students expand their knowledge in digital transformation, which will play a significant role in all sectors today and in the future. They are also inspired by how NTT DATA helps companies implement new goals in practice successfully. It enhances the exchange of knowledge which benefits both companies and students. The cooperation between NTT DATA and the colleges and universities offers excellent opportunities to expand the long-term mutual network and inform the wide range of offers to promote the young talents of NTT DATA.

'Be a Consultant for a Day Workshop' takes place every year with the Master's students of the Munich University of Applied Sciences and the Bachelor's and Master's students of the WFI Ingolstadt, and the Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich.

The workshops focused on the Design Thinking methodology, an approach that NTT DATA consultants use in consulting projects on business model innovation, human-centered design, and product and service design. With the design thinking methodology, the students had to work on a real case under time pressure and develop service innovations for customers in the e-mobility sector. Creativity and a quick grasp were essential here, as many students had not yet dealt intensively with the topic and the underlying challenges.

To make the workshop as realistic as possible, some challenging missions that the students had to overcome without losing focus were assigned. After a short round of introductions by the company, the students demonstrated their creativity in an innovation exercise. This exercise intended to get them to look at the world from an unusual perspective to identify relevant disruptive trends.

Afterward, they began to work on the case: with the design thinking method, they had to develop new digital and innovative services for the imaginary customer. From research, idea generation, design, and piloting prototypes, the students were able to go through the individual phases of design thinking in a short time and experience how quickly one can come up with tangible ideas and prototypes with the help of the proper methodology.

The LMU participants used design thinking methods to develop creative and innovative prototypes. Afterward, the groups presented their results to the “customer” to convince them of their idea. The final feedback round showed that it was a very instructive day for all students. They can now recognize their abilities and assess them better. Especially the opportunity to slip into the role of a consultant for a day excited the participating students. We also had much fun and are looking forward to more successful ‘Be a Consultant for a Day workshops 2019.’

March 23, 2019

Munich, Germany

Ingolstadt, Germany