Reflection - Visualization

Challenge

Selling cars is not as simple as it used to be. To visit a dealership used to be the primary and,  sometimes, only way to buy a car. However, dwindling acquisitions by younger generations and the  need for digital and faster sales are turning dealerships obsolete. Not only do Millenials shy away  from visiting a physical sales point, but they are also less interested in owning a car.

Therefore, my challenge will include a Ford dealership that decided to reinvent itself and offer  improved customer journeys to increase sales. They know that their current sales model is not  working (sales have been consistently declining for the past three years) and that competing  dealerships are aggressively developing solutions to attract the younger generations as clients.

As this is a human-centered problem (increase the interest of potential customers in buying a car)  and not enough data is available (company has never sold cars through digital channels and there is  no clear information on how sales are performed), Design Thinking will be used.

Selection

Visualization allows us to describe findings and solutions to a wide variety of stakeholders in an  intuitive and easy-to-understand way that would be otherwise too complex to grasp. As it is  explained in Module 1 (Visualization Tool Video), it can be used throughout the entire designing  process, whether we are exploring, finding patterns, sketching or prototyping. In my example, it was  selected to easily sketch and share prototypes of sales solutions to different stakeholders, because  the sales process should rely on experiences and intuition, not on long texts explaining how it would  work.

Application

Visualization was used to prototype the solutions in the What Wows? stage.  After conducting  ethnographic observations on the current Customer Journey from fifteen potential and actual  customers (aged 25 to 35 years old), unarticulated needs were discovered. Among others, it was  learnt that customers look for a more emotion-driven and self-managed buying experience, as  technical details and prices can be easily found online and few people have the time (and  willingness) to visit a physical sales point. Several ideas were brainstormed, including building a sales  app, allowing sales directly on the dealership’s web page or using social messaging apps to buy a  car.

In order to choose from them, Visualization was applied. A prototype was sketched for each idea by  my team of four designers, so as to display the step-by-step interfaces that clients would experience  when trying to buy a car through the app, the web page or social messaging.  These sketches were  drawn using the app Paper, which allows to design fast and low fidelity interfaces. Then, a group of  ten stakeholders (past clients, providers, sales and customer assistance employees) were assembled  to evaluate the look and feel of the prototypes, what information they showed and how they guided  potential customers to a sale. As a result, it was agreed to choose one of the prototypes to test on  a Learning Launch.

Insight & Approach

Sketching the interfaces proved to be an effective way to test low fidelity prototypes and discover  which one worked best for stakeholders. In less than two hours, we were able to build three  functioning prototypes to be tested. What is more, prototypes were better understood when  explained graphically than verbally. The former broadened a share understanding of the solutions,  which allowed participants to share their views on it and suggesting improvements.

However, the rich insight provided by stakeholders proved that they should have been included in  the designing process before prototyping. Their help would have been very useful to actually sketch  concepts and prototypes, instead of just test them. In this way, we could have implemented  improvements earlier in the process so as to build much richer prototypes.

Therefore, for next time, I suggest that stakeholders work in groups of three to four people to draw  raw versions of the solutions on a white board. Each group should choose one idea, develop it and  then show the rest how they think the solutions should look like. These insights would allow the  designing team to incorporate stakeholders’ views as they build the prototypes.


Reflection - Visualization Challenge Selling cars is not as simple as it used to be . To visit a dealership used to be the primary and , sometimes , only way to buy a car . However , dwindling acquisitions by younger generations and the need for digital and faster sales are turning dealerships obsolete . Not only do Millenials shy away from visiting a physical sales point , but they are also less interested in owning a car . Therefore , my challenge will include a Ford dealership that decided to reinvent itself and offer improved customer journeys to increase sales . They know that their current sales model is not working ( sales have been consistently declining for the past three years ) and that competing dealerships are aggressively developing solutions to attract the younger generations as clients . As this is a human - centered problem ( increase the interest of potential customers in buying a car ) and not enough data is available ( company has never sold cars through digital channels and there is no clear information on how sales are performed ) , Design Thinking will be used . Selection Visualization allows us to describe findings and solutions to a wide variety of stakeholders in an intuitive and easy - to - understand way that would be otherwise too complex to grasp . As it is explained in Module 1 ( Visualization Tool Video ) , it can be used throughout the entire designing process , whether we are exploring , finding patterns , sketching or prototyping . In my example , it was selected to easily sketch and share prototypes of sales solutions to different stakeholders , because the sales process should rely on experiences and intuition , not on long texts explaining how it would work . Application Visualization was used to prototype the solutions in the What Wows ? stage . After conducting ethnographic observations on the current Customer Journey from fifteen potential and actual customers ( aged 25 to 35 years old ) , unarticulated needs were discovered . Among others , it was learnt that customers look for a more emotion - driven and self - managed buying experience , as technical details and prices can be easily found online and few people have the time ( and willingness ) to visit a physical sales point . Several ideas were brainstormed , including building a sales app , allowing sales directly on the dealership ’s web page or using social messaging apps to buy a car . In order to choose from them , Visualization was applied . A prototype was sketched for each idea by my team of four designers , so as to display the step - by - step interfaces that clients would experience when trying to buy a car through the app , the web page or social messaging . These sketches were drawn using the app Paper , which allows to design fast and low fidelity interfaces . Then , a group of ten stakeholders ( past clients , providers , sales and customer assistance employees ) were assembled to evaluate the look and feel of the prototypes , what information they showed and how they guided potential customers to a sale . As a result , it was agreed to choose one of the prototypes to test on a Learning Launch . Insight & Approach Sketching the interfaces proved to be an effective way to test low fidelity prototypes and discover which one worked best for stakeholders . In less than two hours , we were able to build three functioning prototypes to be tested . What is more , prototypes were better understood when explained graphically than verbally . The former broadened a share understanding of the solutions , which allowed participants to share their views on it and suggesting improvements . However , the rich insight provided by stakeholders proved that they should have been included in the designing process before prototyping . Their help would have been very useful to actually sketch concepts and prototypes , instead of just test them . In this way , we could have implemented improvements earlier in the process so as to build much richer prototypes . Therefore , for next time , I suggest that stakeholders work in groups of three to four people to draw raw versions of the solutions on a white board . Each group should choose one idea , develop it and then show the rest how they think the solutions should look like . These insights would allow the designing team to incorporate stakeholders ’ views as they build the prototypes .