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Challenge

The first tool I used was the visualization tool, or visual thinking, to reach a shared understanding between  a group of stakeholders before being able to identify and solve problems.

Selection

I often use this approach with our suppliers, who range from the IT sector to the sector of machine tools  that work to apply new technologies and bring those technological innovations to improve their product  and consequently also ours.

I have used the technique of using a straw visualization of a problem domain with a series of questions or  suggestions for discussion to allow the providers to learn from each other to determine and improve their  skills and to identify weaknesses about which to be able to work together to improve ourselves further and  to propose technological solutions that can be of help to everyone.

Application

I start the process by creating a straw chart of the problem domain. To develop the straw man graphic, I  will draw from any existing material available to understand the environment. Existing material can be  operational or procedural documents, training materials, process documentation, other material; in  addition to this, I usually also interview operators to understand their needs to understand the goodness of  the initiative that is about to be done.

The model I start with often also has a column on the left to identify partners and suppliers in the value  chain and a column on the right to identify oversight organizations, such as department cpai, team leaders,  unions, testing personnel and other entities that I think they can be useful to the cause. For the activity, I  will divide the stakeholders into groups of up to 4 participants each representing a different organization or  area of interest. Each group receives a poster copy of the graphic straw man on which they can write  directly or use sticky notes to make comments. I ask them two or three questions to answer, such as: 1)  What key elements are missing in the graphics? 2) What would you change about the graphics to make it  more accurately reflect your problem space? 3) What key information do you have about the relationships  between entities in your problem space? I give them about 20 minutes to discuss the questions and mark  the graph.

After the session, I digitize each group's poster as an artifact, create a view that merges the new insights  shared by the group discussion, then create a revised chart that incorporates their feedback and proposed  changes they have accepted as a group.

Insight

What I have learned in using this method with the different groups I have been working on is that while  the graph - especially the revised graph which incorporates their feedback - is important in reinforcing their  understanding of the problem they are working to solve, this it also offers an important point of dissection  to share their future expectations and to understand and attack the causes of the problems that are raised.

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Approach

Using this method, teams can quickly identify where they are on the chart - or if they are missing - and can  more quickly gain new insights into the relationships between key items. It also helps them identify what  they don't know, in which areas they need to get information or data to provide values for the variables.

Next time I will use this visualization activity as a starting point for a series of design thinking activities.

So revised graphics incorporating their combined feedback can serve as a reference tool for the rest of their  work

