Case studies

About Ryder Architecture Everything architecture – our goal is simple – to improve the quality of the world around us and in doing so, improve people’s lives. An approach embedded in the origins of Ryder which remains a touchstone today. Ryder was established in 1953, in Newcastle with teams now in London, Glasgow, Liverpool, Hong Kong and Vancouver and through Ryder Alliance, in Australia, Budapest and Spain. Projects range in value from £50,000 to £300m including civic, education, healthcare, infrastructure, leisure, manufacturing, office, residential, retail and science sectors. Brief: We were asked to help create the framework for a collaborative design sprint that would involve the design team working on a large construction project. We then helped to deliver the sprint to ensure that standards were met and the core objectives were achieved. Testimonial: “Phil assisted Ryder as an independent facilitator during a three-day architectural design sprint. His in depth experience was invaluable during both the preparation and conduct of the sprint, chiefly in ensuring the consultant design team understood and applied a hybrid sprint framework in a collaborative manner. The benefits were clear, improved communication, a greater collective understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with the project, ultimately better design outcomes.” Related content: LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®: Unlocking Creativity in Architecture   Tags: Design Thinking, Sprint Methodology, Innovation, Collaboration

We were asked to deliver a series of workshops for the Digital City Accelerator in collaboration with the SME Centre of Excellence. The programme was created to support Tees Valley-based digital and tech companies in the early stages of their development and comprises a ten week workshop programme, bespoke mentoring from expert business coaches and a start-up grant of £5,000. Testimonial “The workshops are brilliantly and enthusiastically delivered by The SME Centre of Excellence and Silbo who have designed a programme that is perfectly pitched for early stage companies. The Fellows also receive one-to-one support from Silbo through the duration of the Accelerator Programme. Phil and Justin are very valued partners of ours in that they share our passion and values for supporting start-up companies. They are always willing to (and often do) go the extra mile to ensure that each company receives a high level of support that is bespoke to their individual needs. The feedback from the participants is always very good or excellent. Nine out of ten participants would either definitely or be very likely to attend the Programme again. 99% would recommend it to others.” Brief: In collaboration with the SME Centre of Excellence combine create the best early stage accelerator possible using the best range of methods and tools.

The client: The "FUEL" program at Teesside University is s a 7-week business accelerator for students, graduates, and staff aiming to launch a business.  It provides mentorship, workshops, funding opportunities, and dedicated office space at Teesside Launchpad. The program focuses on guiding participants through the early stages of business development, culminating in a pitch for grant funding. Overview:  New startup companies seeking to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation in an engaging way. This involved exploring things like; Lean startup, Business Modelling, Value Proposition modelling, and the use of Design Sprints. The brief: To deliver a series of intensive workshops using the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® in conjunction with design thinking that engage as well as inform. Outcomes: Since 2018 more than 100 companies have attended the FUEL program and benefited from the support and approach, many of these companies have then grown significantly in size and now employ upwards of 20 staff. “Silbo has delivered several intensive, one-week  programme[s] of workshops on Lean Innovation and Design thinking for the Teesside Launchpad’s FUEL programme with a high level of professionalism and an in-depth knowledge of the subject area. This enabled the FUEL teams to learn the core principles of the Lean Start Up methodology and Canvas models and apply them to their own businesses providing them with the best possible start to their start up journey.”   "Loved the Lego….. very unique way to get the brain ticking for our entrepreneurial design skills & thinking. I loved the sessions & have definitely taken away skills to benefit our project & its journey forward." FUEL 24 Participant   tags: LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, Design Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Innovation, Sprint Methodology