Visualization

1. Challenge: Describe your challenge, including all relevant information

I was working in a newly created team of five during my Master’s programme– all with different nationalities  and with different professional and educational backgrounds. We had trouble both coming up with and se- lecting ideas for the tasks we were given in our programme, and really struggled with this. It made us ineffec- tive and we were becoming annoyed with each other.

2. Selection: In your own words, briefly describe the tool you selected (e.g., what it is and why you

selected it for your challenge -- including any appropriate video lecture references).

We selected visualization as our tool of choice. We did this so that we had a clear visual representation of  the ideas generated, and could easily select amongst them.

3. Application: Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge (e.g., what you did

and how the tool was applied effectively or ineffectively).

To target our idea generation, we decided to have a set amount of “thinking-time”, i.e. a few minutes to think  alone before we started discussing ideas. When the thinking time was done, everyone needed to present their  idea – orally and visually. After everyone had presented, we had five different visualizations of ideas and solu- tions on our whiteboard. Using the visualization, neither of us needed to keep the ideas presented in our  head, instead, we could all take a few minutes and look at the visualizations of the ideas. Many times, this  also led to the combination of several ideas – it was easier for us to see different elements of the ideas and  cherry-pick the best ones.

4. Insight: Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your challenge

(e.g., how an insight affected your thinking about the challenge and about design thinking more  broadly).

My insight from visualizing is that everyone really gains from it. Even if you are not completely picture-based,  but perhaps you also include text, most people can take this is. As opposed to ideas presented only orally or  perhaps only textually, which can be hard to grasp – especially if you are thinking about your idea at the  same time and how to present it. Visuals, I see, are a universal way of communicating.

5. Approach: Describe what you might do differently next time -- applying the same tool you se-

lected or a different one -- and the reason(s) why.

Next time, I will most certainly use visualization as much as I can. Not only because it is my preferred way of  taking in information, but also because it is universal, as I said earlier. You can’t read and listen at the same  time, and in my business (consulting), visual presentations are therefore essential.

