01 Apr 9 ways to learn new skills and boost your working from home

It’s already a couple of weeks now since most of us have been working from home. At the same time, it might take a while before we go back to our real offices and in-person interactions with our teams and clients. Until then, we’re gradually doing things differently, reconfiguring not only the way we work, but also how we learn. 

In this new reality, we can use the time to learn and develop new skills – and come back even stronger once this uncertainty is gone. For this purpose, we have made our BottomUp Skills platform available to all professionals who want to sharpen their skills in innovation, design thinking, and technology. 

The BottomUp platform is created and supported by our global thought-leadership team, who have now unlocked the entire catalogue of bite-sized online courses so that everyone can benefit. Usually, such courses are exclusive to our clients such as Ford Motor Company, News Corp Australia, Breville and many others around the world. Now, we have opened the paid subscription courses and made them available to everyone for life. 

Here are 9 of our most exciting courses that you can start as of today. Whether it’s masterclasses, case studies or keynotes, they usually take under 1-hour and come with downloadable resources. We have more great stuff to share with you in the following months, so it’s easier to stay up-to-date if you sign up to BottomUp.io.

#1 Case Study: Revolut, the Amazon of Banking

Revolut did to banks what Amazon did to retail – a revolution. Launched in 2015, Revolut has now over 2,000 employees in 23 offices and over 10 million customers. How did they do it? 

In this case study, we deconstruct perhaps the hottest startup of our generation. Check in to learn how this neo-bank developed the new banking business model and how they created a delightful customer experience, leaving traditional banks in the dark. 

#2 Top 5 Emerging Technologies 2020

Future gazing is forward-looking and being optimistic; it forces us to consider the expansion of what we know is possible.

For the past four years, our head BottomUp.io instructor Mike Parsons has been keeping a close eye on tech trends, examining how technologies evolved from one year to the next.  In our search for the Top 5 technologies that will make it big this year, we’re looking at 4 criteria: user impact, problem-solving, addressable market, and underlying conditions. Join us as we discuss our Top-5 pick for 2020. 

If you want, you can also revisit what trended in 2019, 2018, and 2017.

#3 Tools and Technology: SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey is one of the essential tools that we can use to generate massive amounts of invaluable people-driven data. From customizable surveys to advanced feedback solutions, including data analysis, sample selection, bias elimination, and data representation tools, SurveyMonkey helps us identify and activate happy customers.

Find out how to get the very best from SurveyMonkey with this Tools and Technology Masterclass.

#4 Design Thinking Masterclass

In this new digital era, we come full circle to the fundamental human value of empathy as a means of creating great customer experiences and thriving businesses. The interface has been propelled into a business-critical conduit between companies and customers. And a good interface always starts with humans. Some call it “user experience”, others “design thinking.” Either way, it’s all about creating viable, profitable products that people love.

Learn how to put your customers’ needs and emotions at the center of your design practice. Get practical tips on how to research what customers need and want, and how to capture your insights into customer journeys, stories, and prototypes.

#5 Case Study: WeWork

WeWork has changed the way people and companies work. With co-working spaces, private offices, and custom solutions, they help everyone settle in and get their job done – from freelancers to satellite sales teams, solo entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies, technology companies, and financial advisers.

The WeWork story holds many powerful lessons for entrepreneurs and designers. From a world-class product to a failed IPO, we can find many learnings for ourselves – like how they created a great team and built a mega brand, how they structured their monetization system and handled financial problems. Enjoy this short and sharp analysis of WeWork.

#6 Business Innovation. 1: Product Innovation

This course brings you the latest product innovation practices such as Design Thinking, Rapid Prototyping, Agile, and Lean. 

We can help you build an understanding of how to embrace a new approach based on collaboration, continuous innovation, and being user-focused.

#7 Business Innovation. 2: Beyond Product Innovation

Go beyond product innovation and learn the other three P’s of innovation – People, Promotion and Profit. Because they all inter-relate to create fantastic growth.

This course is about understanding the power of storytelling, growth marketing, lean analytics, innovation archetypes, and how to build a culture of innovation.

#8 Rapid Prototyping Masterclass

Prototypes are often failures, yet every prototype helps you find solutions and build great products incredibly fast. While prototyping, solving one problem often raises other questions that need to be answered, creating opportunities for innovation. 

By applying this approach to any creative process you gain a particular kind of learning called expanded learning, which enables you to create something new by letting you explore the possibilities.

This bite-sized course teaches you how to build your early-stage ideas by using low-fidelity prototypes. Also, you will gain insights into how to use a prototype to test and validate new ideas, and when to use diagnostic, stimulus and experience prototypes.

#9 Keynote: Future of Media and Marketing

Last but not least, this keynote tackles the disruptive world of media and marketing. We provide you with some killer stats on the big economic picture and media world, as well as three compelling recommendations that will help you survive and thrive in the digital economy.

If you have any requests for courses or topics or simply want to share your feedback, please get in touch with the team via [email protected]. We can’t wait to hear what you think.