CHIÈVRES, Belgium - Twenty NATO Special Operations Headquarters (NSHQ) personnel from eleven NATO nations participated in training focused on design thinking in the NATO environment at the NATO Special Operations School on Chièvres Air Base in Belgium from Nov 29 to Dec 3, 2021.
This dynamic training enhanced their ability to facilitate multinational, mid-to-senior level discussions for general meetings, conferences, training, and exercises.
I strongly believe that the methods used during this training can generate solutions and be used in problem solving cases
The 5-day training session, provided by the LUMA Institute, facilitated critical decision-making, prioritisation of ideas and efforts, and delivering for outputs and outcomes. The trainers also offered tools to help identify and advance each participant's key facilitation attributes and provided guidance and tips on increasing the participants' strengths and improving individual challenges.
The participants commented on the benefits of the training as it promotes inclusive methods and an environment that is more conducive to innovative outcomes and outputs.
One participant commented that, "I strongly believe that the methods used during this training can generate solutions and be used in problem solving cases. More than that [the trainers] came with a system and methods that will improve our personal and professional toolbox".
NSHQ will utilise design thinking for its upcoming Comprehensive Defence table-top exercises, which focus on preparing NATO Allies and partners to employ whole-of-society cooperative approaches to national defence.