Design Thinking Reflexion

Storytelling & Visual Thinking

Challenge:  I am part of a large aeronautic newly implemented “acceleration zone”. This zone is a physical  space where we work with teams to co-construct collaborative work sessions with the aim to  accelerate a specific project phase/group need. The collaborative work sessions are workshops  that follow a specific methodology to engage the participants and to “live a collaborative  experience”. Before the actual event day, a series of preparation meetings are held with the  customers to understand their need, their intention and from there design a collaborative session.  The challenge faced many times is simply to pinpoint the actual need or issues to be treated.  Most of our customers are engineers and have been working in the company for many years.  What is obvious for them, is not for me (I am not of Engineering background and new in the  industry). Their language, abbreviations, technical jargon makes the definition of a need and  problem statement many times a challenge.

Selection & Application:   In my case, it is the selection of 2 tools: storytelling and visual thinking. These two tools have  become part of my go to toolbox items for simplifying complex topics and creating a common  ground to understand my customer’s needs.

Storytelling helps me align with my customers on their need by breaking down complex issues.  It’s a tool that enables me to quickly engage with my customers and create a connection.  During the first workshop preparation meetings, I invite my customers to tell me their story, I  share the basic principles of storytelling and hear what their initial story is. It’s interesting to see  what information is shared first and what is left out. It’s a great way to create an exchange to  find an understanding of their need. As we move ahead It is also a mean to tell my session  design story, explain to my customers how my workshop design will cover their need it is the  best way to continually engage them in the story/event that is being co-constructed. In addition,  I have included aspects of visual thinking in the form of scribing/sketch noting. It allows us to  focus on key information, focus on our discussion. It brings us all around the table to quickly  align given the simplicity of the information/visual graphic created together. The use of scribing  does bring a difficulty for me, it is hard not to fall into too much detail but to capture the essence  of the information.

Insight:   The insight I have gained from storytelling is that the intention my customers have and the  actual objective they come with are many times not aligned. Storytelling is a mean to  understand and identify the true intention. For scribing, it is around capturing the essence, all  details are not necessary, here an unfinished product is fine, if the essence is captured.

Approach:   I think that the approach is working well, I would like to engage more actively with my customers  by providing as a learning launch approach to simulate collaborative working session in the  form of Discovery tours. This would provide my customers a hands-on experience of the way of  working, and provide me the possibility to adapt to specific customer needs.


Design Thinking Reflexion Storytelling & Visual Thinking Challenge : I am part of a large aeronautic newly implemented “ acceleration zone ” . This zone is a physical space where we work with teams to co - construct collaborative work sessions with the aim to accelerate a specific project phase / group need . The collaborative work sessions are workshops that follow a specific methodology to engage the participants and to “ live a collaborative experience ” . Before the actual event day , a series of preparation meetings are held with the customers to understand their need , their intention and from there design a collaborative session . The challenge faced many times is simply to pinpoint the actual need or issues to be treated . Most of our customers are engineers and have been working in the company for many years . What is obvious for them , is not for me ( I am not of Engineering background and new in the industry ) . Their language , abbreviations , technical jargon makes the definition of a need and problem statement many times a challenge . Selection & Application : In my case , it is the selection of 2 tools : storytelling and visual thinking . These two tools have become part of my go to toolbox items for simplifying complex topics and creating a common ground to understand my customer ’s needs . Storytelling helps me align with my customers on their need by breaking down complex issues . It ’s a tool that enables me to quickly engage with my customers and create a connection . During the first workshop preparation meetings , I invite my customers to tell me their story , I share the basic principles of storytelling and hear what their initial story is . It ’s interesting to see what information is shared first and what is left out . It ’s a great way to create an exchange to find an understanding of their need . As we move ahead It is also a mean to tell my session design story , explain to my customers how my workshop design will cover their need it is the best way to continually engage them in the story / event that is being co - constructed . In addition , I have included aspects of visual thinking in the form of scribing / sketch noting . It allows us to focus on key information , focus on our discussion . It brings us all around the table to quickly align given the simplicity of the information / visual graphic created together . The use of scribing does bring a difficulty for me , it is hard not to fall into too much detail but to capture the essence of the information . Insight : The insight I have gained from storytelling is that the intention my customers have and the actual objective they come with are many times not aligned . Storytelling is a mean to understand and identify the true intention . For scribing , it is around capturing the essence , all details are not necessary , here an unfinished product is fine , if the essence is captured . Approach : I think that the approach is working well , I would like to engage more actively with my customers by providing as a learning launch approach to simulate collaborative working session in the form of Discovery tours . This would provide my customers a hands - on experience of the way of working , and provide me the possibility to adapt to specific customer needs .