At LUMA, we’ve always wanted to support better problem solving through human-centered design, wherever people work. Traditionally, where people used LUMA methods and recipes was together in a room, writing and sketching on physical sticky notes, whiteboards, and printed paper templates. (If you’re not familiar, there are 36 human-centered design methods that make up the LUMA System; recipes are tried and true combinations of these methods.)

Of course, this in-person way of working was made more difficult with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. With folks across the globe shifting to working remotely, the way people used LUMA methods needed to adapt to this change as well. 

LUMA knew we had to figure out how to bring elements of the physical world into the virtual world, and we quickly realized that digital whiteboards would be a big help. Digital whiteboards provide a space where people can gather virtually and collaborate online, and they come equipped with digital sticky notes, pens, markers, icons, and other tools.

But you still need a plan for how you’ll use your digital whiteboard. Otherwise, it will be just that: a blank canvas. And that’s where LUMA comes in! Combining LUMA with your digital whiteboard of choice gives you everything you need to practice human-centered design remotely.

In September 2020, we updated LUMA Workplace® – our digital platform for design thinking – so that all LUMA methods and recipes can be opened in Mural, a popular digital whiteboard.

With the click of a button, you can open custom templates in Mural. Each template includes step-by-step instructions, complete with expert tips and guidance, enabling you to use LUMA methods and recipes remotely. 

Check out this video to see how it works: 

To start using this feature, log into LUMA Workplace. If you don’t have a subscription, sign up for a 30-day free trial.

Note: You’ll also need a separate Mural subscription to use this feature. If you’re not already a subscriber, both platforms offer free trials, too! 

After logging in, click into any method or recipe; click Use template now; then, pick the digital whiteboard you want to use.

Each custom template is designed to make it easy for both participants and facilitators to use LUMA methods and recipes remotely. 

  • At the top of every template is the name of the method or recipe along with a brief description. 
  • If the template is for a recipe (which is any combination of methods), methods will be numbered and placed in the sequence that they should be worked on.
  • Each method includes advice for facilitators: look for the red circle-shaped sticky notes! These notes are designed to help the facilitator prepare the template for participants and guide participants through the session. 
  • Each method also includes tips for both participants and facilitators as they work through the method: look for the yellow circle-shaped sticky notes!

Want to learn more? Read these articles in the LUMA Help Center. Even if we can’t be in the same room with our colleagues, we can still practice human-centered design. Let’s keep making things better, remotely!