Bracing for Organization Change - Visualization

Challenge:

The recent business environment is best exemplified by VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty,  Complexity, and Ambiguity) due to the global pandemic crisis. Company “XYZ” is striving to  restructure in order to build sustainable organization. Company “XYZ” is working on B2B  business, trading process technology and engineering solutions to the food & beverage  industry. The challenge of organization restructuring is human centred, high level of  uncertainty and do not have agreement on the definition of problem across the board.

Selection:

I have prepared few pieces of blank drawing paper, a box of colour pencils and world map.  In a group of 3 personnel, team members can freely sketch or draw the problem and  different colour may distinguish priority or potential change.

I have selected visualization tools to assist in better understanding of this complex problem  and encourage team members to quest the hidden possibilities in a larger context via  sketching or colouring and visual aid; world map.

Application:

We have started to sketch wavy sea symbolizes the current business environment. Fishing  vessel symbolizes the organization and the common goals in business is catching fish then  sell to restaurant back in land. In the process of visualization through sketching and  colouring, team members get to explore and build agreement on the definition of problem.

Team member started to relate different function of fishing vessel crew with all  stakeholders in the organization. By imaging the fishing vessel crew and operating in  different situation.  Team member explore that the lighthouse are playing a less important  role compare to modern electronic aids for navigation. Hence, identify the group symbolizes  by lighthouse can be restructure and this group needs to retrain a new set of skills and  technology in order to sustain in the current volatile business environment.  In addition,  team member also identify Human Resource are very important to connect the dots, which  is motivating staff, taking care the welfare of staff to build sustainable organization in this  pandemic. Current, there is no specific human-related focus activity in the organization.

By using visualization tools have effectively help team member align on the definition of  complex problem. Besides, visualization has effectively strengthened concept or idea which  is very visible and physical to all.

Insight:

The insight of using visualization tool to learn about this organization change is very  engaging and interactive. We may get offensive in reasoning by words but sketching images  or ideas have more positive approach in reasoning. I was amazed by the power of image  over words, as I sketch and looking at it in front, if the image appeared to be more  convincing compare to my inner mind-set and eventually building very concrete concept.

The process of exchange sketching out different idea, this will affect my original prototyping  and I was inspire to think in different angle and explore the hidden possibilities then  collaborate those variations and produce one completely new recommendation to the  organization. This has demonstrated the opportunity of optimizing in the lecture;  “leveraging difference as a positive force”.

This sketching is not final, there is always opportunity to review and learn about this  challenge again. Therefore, I keep this visualization “open end” and leave space for future  improvisation. (Refer to Fig 1: Visualization - Bracing of Organization Change)

Fig 1: Visualization – Bracing of Organization Change

Approach:

In my personal opinion, I strongly recommend visualization tool to start-off for complex  problem or challenge. This is because when one sketching out an image or situation as a  result you will find different angle or hidden opportunity when looking at the sketches again  as a 3rd party. You will counter check your original prototype in your mind and potentially  remove bias from you yourself if compare to verbal form only. Therefore, there is huge  opportunity to improvise from original sketch.

There is one more approach to strengthen the recommendation for this challenge,  especially if I will need to leverage my recommendations to board of directors. I will conduct  “Secondary Research” to find excellent source of reference or benchmark to support my  recommendations from “Visualization” tool to the board.

