Hudson Valley Credit Union
What happens when the challenge is simply: improve the credit union?
The project
Nine interns were given a deliberately open-ended challenge: identify an opportunity to improve Hudson Valley Credit Union and develop a proposal for executive leadership.
Over the course of one day, they needed to examine the available information, identify meaningful possibilities, make decisions together, and develop a focused direction.
My role
I designed and facilitated a hands-on Creative Problem Solving experience. I taught the interns methods for examining information, generating possibilities without judging them prematurely, and then applying evidence and collective judgment to determine which ideas were worth developing.
Interactive activities, visual working materials, and group discussions made their thinking visible. My role was not to provide the answer, but to give the group a process for moving from ambiguity to action.
The result
The interns developed a proposal centered on introducing financial literacy earlier for members, with AI considered as one possible delivery method. They presented their proposal to HVCU’s executive leadership.
My work with HVCU has continued beyond the initial engagement, in an ongoing partnership developing additional programming.
