Visualization

Challenge & Selection  Visualization, or Visual Thinking, is my favourite tool. Usually, when I have any kind of problem (in  my private life or during my job) I use this method to identify and define possible solutions. I use  this approach often with our customers, who are PVC windows’ sellers, but also when I have a  problem inside my company with my coworkers. I have used the technique of using a straw man  visualization of a problem domain with a set of questions or prompts for discussion to allow a  diverse group of coworkers to learn from each other in the process of defining the scope,  boundaries, key elements, and relationships between elements to consider when identifying pain  points and opportunities for improvements or solutions.    Application  I start the process by creating a simple graphic, where I will draw from any existing material  available to understand the environment and, after, the problem. The existing material may be  operational or procedural documents, training materials, marketing materials, or strategic tools to  applicated in a particular contest. If materials are not available, then I conduct informal interviews  with one-three of the managers and employee of my company who serve as my main points of  contact on the initiative. Often, grafics that I use have a name, like: Swot Analysis, Business Model  Canvas, Scor Model, Pro & Contro, ecc..  When I meet those people, I talk with them about what kind of action we can make for the  wellness of the company and many times this result a very good method.    Insight & Approach  The graphic gives the diverse group of coworkers a focal point for discussion that allows them to  share their perspectives and develop insights into potential root causes of their problems.  Together, we can quickly identify where they are in the graphic – or if they are missing – and can  more quickly gain new insights about relationships between key entities instead of taking time to  identify them. They can also identify variables in the problem space – that is, it helps them to  identify what they don’t know, in what areas they need to obtain information or data to provide  the values for the variables.  Since I discovered that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning, next time I  would use the visualization activity as a starting point for a series of design thinking activities.  Then the revised graphic that incorporates their combined feedback can serve as a reference tool  throughout the remainder of their work. Visualization is cool.

