Creative Digital Media Students Partner With ESB on a Sustainable Energy Enterprise Challenge
The Enterprise Challenge is a 5 ECTS elective module where TU Dublin students work in multi-disciplinary teams to tackle a challenge or problem posed by an enterprise or civic partner. Using a design thinking approach, teams follow an end-to-end innovation lifecycle over a 10-12 week period.
Mark Fowler (Strategy Innovation and Transformation, ESB), Siobhan Coughlan (Customer Solutions, Electric Ireland), Mark Shiels (TU Dublin) and Creative Digital Media year 4 students.
Creative Digital Media students from TU Dublin’s Blanchardstown campus successfully tackled an enterprise challenge sponsored by Ireland’s foremost energy provider, ESB. With expert guidance from mentors at ESB and employing a design thinking approach, they responded to complex, global energy consumption problems. Their mission was clear: to develop innovative solutions aligned with ESB’s Net Zero by 2040 strategy and the UN’s Affordable and Clean Energy sustainable development goal.
Enterprise Challenge Format
Week 1: Introduction to the Challenge
ESB project sponsors presented the sustainable challenge and provided context to student teams.
Weeks 2-5: Customer-focused Research
Student teams conducted research with energy consumers, exploring their energy habits and digital engagement preferences.
Week 6: Presentation of Research Insights
Student teams present key research findings and most significant consumer problems with ESB mentors.
Weeks 7-8: Problem Definition and Ideation
Student teams prioritised problems and employed ideation techniques to generate and evaluate multiple potential solutions.
Weeks 9-10: Prioritisation and Prototyping
Student teams narrowed focus attention on one solution and developed further in a prototype solution.
Weeks 10-11: Evaluation and Iteration
Solutions were evaluated with energy consumers, with continuous improvement based on feedback received.
Week 12: Pitching Completed Solutions
Student teams pitch their completed solutions to the ESB team, showcasing their innovation, problem-solving abilities and creativity.
Project Sponsor Perspective
“ESB’s ongoing engagement in enterprise challenges with universities benefits both students and sponsors. Students bring fresh ideas and perspectives to tackle complex organisational issues, fostering valuable partnerships between academia and industry. The use of design thinking encourages creativity and collaboration, with a focus on human-centered research and diverse ideation and problem-solving approaches.
By tackling broader challenges, we reduce the need for internal specialised data, simplifying student engagement within short innovation cycles. ESB gains access to valuable customer insights and innovative ideas, complementing its ongoing approach to problem-solving and innovation.”
Mark Fowler
Strategy Innovation and Transformation, ESB
Getting Involved - Next Steps
We’ll schedule an initial virtual meeting to chat about the perfect problem for our student teams. We’ll craft a project brief, send it your way for feedback, and incorporate your suggestions. We’re requesting three points of on-campus engagement from project sponsors throughout the semester, which run from January-May and September-December each year:
Contact niamh.ohora[@]tudublin.ie to find out more.