California’s wildfire crisis presents a critical and multifaceted challenge, one that demands innovative research methodologies to identify and implement effective solutions. This case story illustrates how innovation funnel methodology empowered diverse stakeholders to generate impactful strategies for combating wildfires. This project was executed during my time at The Design Lab at UC San Diego, showcasing the lab’s commitment to advancing design thinking and innovation.

LEARN: Framing the Challenge Through Research

The first step in tackling California’s wildfire crisis was to create awareness and inspire participation among students and community members. To achieve this, we developed the campaign “Mindsets on Megafires,” which set the program apart from other initiatives and captured attention. The campaign utilized a multi-channel approach, including social media outreach, email marketing, eye-catching posters, LMS announcements, and engaging in-class presentations.

These efforts culminated in the registration of 187 students for the LEARN event, marking a significant achievement in mobilizing interest and engagement.

At the event, the Director and Associate Director of from the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) presented a comprehensive overview of the wildfire challenges. They highlighted key problems, showcased data-driven insights, and shared predictive analytics that pinpointed areas in need of controlled burns. These presentations were complemented by powerful visual aids, including videos demonstrating how technology identified critical zones.

One of the central challenges discussed was a communication dilemma: how to effectively convey the necessity of controlled burns to fire zone residents and gain their trust. This problem set the stage for deeper exploration and creative problem-solving in the subsequent phases of the innovation funnel.

The LEARN event successfully framed the challenges and motivated participants to join the design thinking workshop, ensuring a solid foundation for ideation and collaboration.

WORK: Ideation and Evaluation

The WORK stage brought together 90 students for a 4-hour design thinking workshop, marking a pivotal step in the innovation funnel process. Participants formed teams and engaged in a structured methodology to tackle the wildfire communication and management challenges introduced during the LEARN event.

Each team worked through the design thinking process, focusing on understanding the user perspective, ideating creative solutions, and rapidly prototyping their concepts. The hands-on nature of this stage enabled participants to explore their ideas in depth and iterate based on peer and mentor feedback. This collaborative environment fostered innovation and ensured that the prototypes addressed real-world challenges.

The data and insights gathered during the WORK stage were invaluable. Teams identified common themes and solutions, helping to pinpoint the most promising concepts to advance to the DEVELOP stage. Additionally, participants discovered others with similar approaches, encouraging collaboration and refining their prototypes further.

This stage was not only a showcase of creativity but also a critical step in narrowing the field of ideas and ensuring that only the most feasible and impactful solutions moved forward.

DEVELOP: Prototyping for Feedback

Based on the data from the workshop prototypes, 23 concepts were identified as the most promising to move forward. These concepts formed the foundation for the next phase: a 36-hour Design-A-Thon. Teams of up to five students were created to collaborate intensively, developing their prototypes into more robust solutions.

To foster a productive and enjoyable atmosphere, we provided music, pizza, refreshments, and treats late into the night, along with Starbucks coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts in the morning. These small indulgences were highly appreciated by the participants, creating a positive and motivating environment. From the students’ perspective, this support contributed to their engagement and commitment to the process.
Remarkably, all 23 teams completed their work and were fully prepared to present their refined prototypes. This stage underscored the value of providing an environment that balances hard work with thoughtful touches to keep participants energized and focused.

PRESENT: Showcasing Potential for Impact

The 23 teams were thoroughly prepared to share their journey and innovations through a well-structured presentation. Each team crafted a story supported by a presentation deck, a script, and a demonstration of their lo-fi prototype. These efforts culminated in an invitation to present at a prestigious Design @ Large event, which brought together subject matter experts and environmental stakeholders.

During the event, the teams presented their concepts to an engaged audience. The audience evaluated each prototype based on four key criteria: feasibility, desirability, viability, and impact. This rigorous evaluation process provided valuable feedback and identified the strongest concepts.
Seven teams emerged as standouts and were awarded paid internships to further develop their ideas. These internships focused on creating hi-fi prototypes for the San Diego Supercomputer Center to implement and test for real-world impact. This phase not only validated the innovation funnel process but also ensured that the most promising solutions would have the opportunity to make a tangible difference.

According to Ilkay Altintas, Chief Data Science Officer and the Founding Director of the WIFIRE Lab at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, UCSD, “We were amazed by the creativity and productivity of all the teams that participated in the design-a-thon and look forward to continuing to work with teams to build their ideas into functional prototypes.”

Conclusion: Research-Driven Creativity in Action

This case story highlights the innovation funnel as a powerful research methodology for problem-solving. By combining structured inquiry with creative exploration, it provides a pathway for addressing complex challenges like California’s wildfires. The Design-A-Thon serves as a compelling example of how research and creativity can converge to produce actionable solutions.

At The Idea Guy, we are committed to advancing research methodologies that empower individuals, teams, and organizations to tackle their most pressing problems. The innovation funnel is more than a framework; it is a catalyst for change, driving innovation and achieving objectives in the face of today’s most significant challenges.