Michael Ramirez (INDIA)

VISUALIZATION

Elements:

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

I came across a very challenging situation several years back, in fact, it was nearly  two decades back. I was leading a convoy of heavy vehicles over a large distance  and had been cautioned about the number of accidents that take place involving  smaller light vehicles.

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).

Since the information was available but only as a caution, with no reasoning or logic  given. I had very limited choice of tools to work on other than trying to understand  through visualization as to what really could be the cause, which is if the causes or  causes could be defined. Once defined, then one could think of a solution to the  problem which definitely was serious. Hence, I went about inspecting the vehicles  and moving around them, getting light vehicles in different positions, etc.

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).

It was a rather difficult task I had assigned myself. It took me a few days of sleepless  nights to make sure that I must complete the convoy movement without any  accidents. Not only that I need to accomplish the task to get away, but may be provide  a solution to insuring that this dangerous way of moving becomes history. A detailed  visualization study involving making of rough diagrams (mood boards as they are  now called) and putting myself in the drivers seat of all possible vehicles at all  possible situations – left  right turns / curves, uphill / downhill, slow / fast moving  lanes, by day / night, etc.

Slowly, a picture started to emerge. The heavy vehicles had a single rear view mirror  which was giving the driver a view of what traffic was coming up from behind the  vehicle or associated trailer. But he did not have a picture of what happened to the  vehicle which had crossed the line of “behind” but had not yet overtaken. This parallel  vehicle was no longer a part of the situational analysis being in the unknown zone.

I tried an experiment of getting a additional rear view mirror fitted in 3-4 vehicles which  would provide a view of alongside the heavy trailers. Both the mirrors were fitted right  next to each other, and with a little experiment, I finalised the location of this mirror  as just below the existing mirror. Thus, it gave a complete picture of the situation the  way it was happening and did not require a shift of glance (precious focus time of the  human brain).

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).

When faced with a problem, there is definite need to give it a deep thought, and  nothing can be better than visualising it putting it on paper, modelling up situations  and if required playing with small cut-outs to get a better design thinking process.

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

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

In my opinion, I would definitely go for the same tool in similar situations. Having gone  through this course it would be prudent to add that while one may start with  visualization as a tool, but mind mapping or thinking human design should be a part  of the visualisation process. I feel that getting into the situation and living it is what  helps in getting answers.

