We drafted a comprehensive "playbook" that outlined high-level methodologies and activities for the PGA TOUR teams to work through. We wanted individual groups to build empathy for their fans, define a problem statement, brainstorm ideas to solve problems, and decide which ones would best satisfy the fans’ needs. We stressed our philosophy that consumers are the true inspiration for ideas, and that — with the right tools — you can easily turn a small idea into a big concept.

One of our primary goals was to help PGA TOUR work and think differently. We worked with 40 eager employees with a diverse amount of skillsets and backgrounds. Developers, designers, executives, strategists, marketers, and others all came together to find a way to enhance the fan experience. We wanted them to break out of their usual roles, and we armed them with the tools and frameworks they’d need to lead initiatives from the fan perspective.

Our innovation workshop was a rousing success. An internal survey showed that 92.3% of participants said they were very satisfied or satisfied with the event, and 96.2% of participants said they would attend another workshop if they were invited. PGA TOUR employees were able generate a variety of ideas that could positively impact the fan experience. They all had the opportunity to interact with other team members in different departments. That camaraderie and cooperation can lead to the breaking down of barriers between departments.

Tonic’s experience driving digital innovation combined with PGA TOUR’s engaged employees helped us run a meaningful and powerful innovation workshop.