About this session
Nature as Designer: Explore Biological Ideas for Business Problems is a 90-minute to half-day biomimicry workshop for teams who want to borrow ideas from nature to tackle business problems. It runs live online or in person.
Teams explore how living things solve problems like moving efficiently, sharing resources or adapting to change, then translate those principles into business ideas.
Participants leave with new concepts inspired by nature and, in the half-day version, a clear view of where each analogy holds and what to test.
What your people take away
- Explore biological structures and functions
- Frame a business problem as a function
- Translate a natural principle into a business concept
- Identify where the analogy breaks
- Choose what to test next
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What each length covers
90 minutes
Learn from how nature solves problemsTeams frame a business problem as a function and explore how living things handle similar challenges. They leave with nature-inspired starting points.
- Explore biological structures and functions
- Frame your problem in nature's terms
Covers 2 of 4 parts: Explore biological structures and functions and Frame your problem in nature's terms.
Half day
From biology to tested conceptsAdds translating principles into business concepts and checking where the analogy breaks. Teams finish with concepts and a short list of what to test.
- Explore biological structures and functions
- Frame your problem in nature's terms
- Translate a principle into a business concept
- Identify where the analogy breaks
Covers all 4 parts.
What’s covered
Explore biological structures and functions
Every length- Meet nature's solutionsA facilitator shares examples of how plants, animals and ecosystems handle challenges like cooling, sharing or protecting.
- Look at form and functionTeams examine how structure connects to what each organism needs to do.
Frame your problem in nature's terms
Every length- Turn the problem into a functionTeams restate a business challenge as a function, such as distributing resources or responding to change.
- Find organisms that do it wellGroups look for natural examples that perform that function.
Translate a principle into a business concept
Half day only- Extract the principleTeams describe the underlying strategy in simple terms, separate from the organism.
- Build a business conceptGroups apply the principle to their challenge and sketch a concept.
Identify where the analogy breaks
Half day only- Test the fitTeams check where business conditions differ from the natural system.
- Decide what to testGroups choose one or two assumptions to test in the real world.
- Agree next stepsEach concept gets an owner and a first step.
Tools and materials
- Nature examples card deck
- Function framing worksheet
- Principle extraction template
- Concept sketch sheet
- Analogy check and test planner
Who it’s for
- Innovation and strategy teams
- Product, service and operations teams
- Sustainability teams
- Teams looking for fresh perspectives on a problem
How booking works
- Book online. Create a free Workbliss profile, then pay with session credits, by card or by invoice.
- Pick a date. Choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or book now and set the date later.
- Choose your expert. Within 3 working days, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date.
- We deliver it. Your expert is briefed on your people and goals, then runs the session live online or at your site.
Questions about Nature as Designer: Explore Biological Ideas for Business Problems
How long is Nature as Designer: Explore Biological Ideas for Business Problems?
Nature as Designer: Explore Biological Ideas for Business Problems runs as 90 minutes or half day. You choose the length when you book. A 90-minute session covers Explore biological structures and functions and Frame your problem in nature's terms. A half-day session adds Translate a principle into a business concept and Identify where the analogy breaks.
Can Nature as Designer: Explore Biological Ideas for Business Problems be delivered online or in person?
Yes, both. It runs live online, so every office can join at the same time, or in person at your site, in any country.
How do we book Nature as Designer: Explore Biological Ideas for Business Problems?
Create a free Workbliss profile with your work email, then open Nature as Designer: Explore Biological Ideas for Business Problems to see the price for each length and book it. You can pay with session credits, by card or by invoice, and choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or set it later.
Who leads the session?
A vetted Workbliss expert, briefed on your people, culture and goals before the session. After you book, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date within 3 working days, so you can choose who leads it.
Can it be tailored to our company?
Yes. Every session is shaped around your goals, your people and the benefits you already offer, and delivered by experts in your people’s languages.