The challenge
The catalogue challenge is a field to explore: broad, societal and shared by several teams. It provides a direction, not yet the problem to solve.
IDDIC 2026 · AI & Innovation
Breaking AI
Turn an AI-related challenge into a problem statement grounded in field research, then into a prototyped digital project. Four intensive days to move from inspiration to pitch, with support from a coach.
Keynote in a lecture hall or brainstorming session
The programme
Four sessions to move from an initial challenge to pitching a prototyped solution
Teams choose an artificial intelligence challenge from a catalogue of five open questions. This challenge is a field to explore and a source of inspiration: it is not yet the problem to solve.
By anchoring it in a specific context and talking to stakeholders, they develop a concrete problem statement before imagining, testing and prototyping a response.
Four key days. Five challenges. Three possible contexts. One team, one problem statement, one prototype.
Collaborative teamwork
The schedule
Overview of the four days
Each day has a clear objective and expected deliverables. Click on a day to see the details.
Day 1
Launch, challenge selection and initial field exploration
M1 — Challenge in context & initial problem statement
Day 2
Interviews, personas, needs and value proposition
M2 — Validated needs & value proposition
Day 3
Wireframes, hypotheses, tests, iterations and Business Model Canvas
M3 — Tested hypotheses & BMC
Day 4
Refined prototype, simplified business plan and pitch
M4 — Final prototype & pitch
The process
How does it work?
Each day follows the same four-stage rhythm, from the morning briefing to the evening deliverables.
1
Morning keynote
A short, focused presentation introduces the day’s tools, concepts and approach. It gives you the foundations to move forward throughout the day.
2
Teamwork
Teams structure their approach, assign roles and apply the day’s methods (personas, wireframes, BMC, etc.).
and fieldwork
Step outside the classroom. Interviews, observations and wireframe tests with real people: what happens in the field is the raw material for your project.
3
Coaching
30 minutes of coaching to ask questions, refocus and challenge assumptions.
4
End-of-day deliverable
Each day ends with a review of the deliverables, decisions made and lessons learned.
🎯
Coaching
The coach is there to challenge students and help them take a step back. They will not have the solution, but will ask questions to help you move forward. A tracking grid enables quick feedback on both the team’s approach and the relevance of the project.
Coaching session
Design Thinking
A user-centred approach
The journey starts with a broad challenge, then alternates exploration and selection to develop a problem statement grounded in real needs before imagining a solution.
Define a problem statement
Find a solution
A problem statement grounded in reality
By the end of Day 2, the problem statement is precise, tangible and unique to the team because it emerges from a need observed in the field.
The solution
A prototyped response, tested with its target audience and presented in a pitch.
From challenge to problem statement
The context, stakeholder mapping and field conversations gradually turn the selected challenge into a problem statement to solve.
Five AI challenges. Choose your field to explore.
The catalogue is a source of inspiration, not a ready-made problem statement. Fieldwork will help you turn the selected challenge into a concrete question to solve.
Explore the 5 challenges for 2026 →