Visualization

Challenge & Selection

We needed to have a uniﬁed understanding among our organization team for the problem we need  to solve. I have used Visual Thinking to obtain a a general understanding of our problem before  going into the possible list of solutions. As a software company I use this tool usually with my organization team who are continuously  working to help our clients automate their businesses and processes  Using the straw man visualization technique of a problem domain with a set of questions for debate  to help the participants engage in a discussion and learn 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

Starting by creating a straw man graphic of the problem domain. I conducting informal interviews  with 1-3 stakeholders who are as my main points of interest to develop the straw man graphic, The  straw man graphic is simple, using simple shapes and icons. then I will create a different type of visual, based on a high-level process ﬂow with swim lanes for  different stakeholders, Then divide the stakeholders into groups of 5-6 participants each  representing a different organization or area of interest. Each group receives a poster-size copy of  the straw man graphic that they can write on directly I give them two-three questions to answer, I give them approximately 20 minutes to discuss the  questions and mark up the graphic.  Then I have each group report out on their answers to those  three questions while pointing to the mark-ups on their poster. As each group reports out, I record  commonalities in the insights of each group, and then additional insights that come from the group  discussion on an additional copy of the graphic. After the session, I digitize each group’s poster as  an artifact, create a view that combines the shared and new insights from the group discussion, and  then create a revised graphic that incorporates their feedback and proposed changes that they agreed  to as a group.

Insight & Approach

The graphic gives the diverse group of stakeholders a focal point for discussion that allows them to  share their perspectives and develop insights into possible root causes of their problems. starting  with a straw man initiating the conversation for them. They quickly identify where they are in the  graphic or if they are missing and can more quickly gain new insights about relationships between  key points instead of taking time to identify them., in what areas they need to obtain data to provide  the values for the variables. I learned that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and  learning, in the future I will use the visualization 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.

