Reflection-Visualization

Challenge and selection:

Visualization is any technique for creating images, diagrams, or animations to communicate a message.  Through visualization, we can achieve shared understanding of problem among a group of people.  Visualization gives more clarification on problem and can be understood what the other person is trying  to express. I have used the technique of using a visualization of a problem domain with a set of  questions or prompts for discussion to allow a diverse group of stakeholders to learn from each other in  the process of defining the scope, boundaries, key elements, and relationships between elements to  consider when identify in pain points and opportunities for improvements or solutions.

Application:

I start the process by creating as graphic of the problem domain. To develop the graphic, I will draw  from any existing material available to understand the environment. The existing material may be  operational or procedural documents, training materials, marketing materials, GAO or other auditing  reports. If materials are not available, then I conduct informal interviews with one-three of the  stakeholders who serve as my main points of contact on the initiative. For the activity, I will divide the  stakeholders into groups of 5-6 participants each representing a different organization or area of  interest. Each group receives anime character graphic that they can write on directly, or use sticky notes  to make comments. I give them two-three questions to answer, such as: What key elements are missing  from the graphic? What would you change about the graphic to make it more accurately reflect your  problem space? What key insights do you have about the relationships between the entities in your  problem space? 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:

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.

After conducting this exercise, I have learned that visualization is the important tool in the graphics and  design thinking. The graphic gives the diverse group of stakeholders a focal point for discussion that  allows them to share their perspectives and develop insights into potential root causes of their  problems. With this tool I can have broad concept of visualization and it is important tool in design  thinking and for innovation.

