Challenge and Selection

As a product owner of a product in the payments area sometimes it is really challenging for me to  meet customers innovative ideas and expectations while seeking ways how to increase user  friendliness at the same time, especially when the product is too complex. Since each change in the  back-end system can slow down the whole payment platform it is of great importance to show the  stakeholders in what direction we can stretch and how this will affect the performance of the product.  As payments being quite abstract area, I decided to choose visualization tool to help me explain and  depict better the current situation and the possible solutions that can be picked.

Application

For this purpose, we organized a workshop by selecting 20 people from our customer base. Before  proceeding with the workshop, we prepared a survey in which the top 5 interesting topics were  selected. After that, we divided customers into 5 groups and provided each group a white board and  sticky notes – different colors and shapes. The main goal was each group to play the role of a  Product owner and select one problem related to the topic – for example “How to improve the User  Friendliness of a certain module/menu”. I played the role of a mediator and facilitator in the  workshop, helping them with the rules and giving hints if necessary. In the first round they just  generated ideas how to solve the issue. They were urged to draw pictures instead of just writing  ideas. In the second round they discussed all ideas and picked only few of them. Then they  combined the ideas into a working prototype – which can be a diagram, flow chart or just sticky notes  ordered into logical steps. After the prototype was ready, they were urged to “sell” us the solution  using Elevator Pitch. The first place with the best solution won free slot in our backlog. In this way we  wanted to show customers that we not only care for their feedback but we are also willing to  implement their ideas as soon as possible.

Insight

Our workshop, in fact, was a combination of visualization and learning launch tools. But in my opinion  applying the Visualization tool contributed to several directions. First direction was that the customers  had the opportunity to see the problem from different perspectives while discussing it with their  peers. We gave them a hint to divide the issues into “critical” and “minor” using the shape and color  of the sticky notes as a differentiator. In this way it was more visible and clearer how many critical  problems they encounter and if the issue/feature was a “must” or “nice to have” for implementation.  This helped them prioritize the problems later when creating the prototype.

Second thing which I noticed was that the customers felt united around the problem they discussed,  no matter their position – specialist, assistant, manager, etc. The diversity helped them complement  each other’s opinion and approach the problem together. On the other hand, Visualization tool  helped them locate the most crucial and frequent issues which needed attention and prioritization –  for example, a menu or filter that slows their work down daily. While drawing the pictures and  explaining them in detail they gave us valuable feedback of how they use our product depending on  their role in the company. Finally, the friendly atmosphere and fun around the drawing turned their  common problem into a game, puzzle that they were excited and motivated to solve it. So the  problem turned out to be an adventure, not a problem anymore.

Approach

To be honest I was quite terrified at the beginning that this approach would be so much outside my  comfort zone. I could not imagine how I will make a general manager draw on sticky note. But in the  end it turned out that visualization creates a relaxed atmosphere, allows to put so much focus on the

areas that needed improvement just by using simple drawings. Moreover, I was surprised that some  of the solutions were so obvious, but I had not realized it until I saw them on the white board. In  future, apart from combining Visualization and Learning launch tools I think I can also add personas  analysis in the stage before the survey. In this way I will be aware what is my target group and I will  be able to segment more granularly the different issues and prioritize them better.


Challenge and Selection As a product owner of a product in the payments area sometimes it is really challenging for me to meet customers innovative ideas and expectations while seeking ways how to increase user friendliness at the same time , especially when the product is too complex . Since each change in the back - end system can slow down the whole payment platform it is of great importance to show the stakeholders in what direction we can stretch and how this will affect the performance of the product . As payments being quite abstract area , I decided to choose visualization tool to help me explain and depict better the current situation and the possible solutions that can be picked . Application For this purpose , we organized a workshop by selecting 20 people from our customer base . Before proceeding with the workshop , we prepared a survey in which the top 5 interesting topics were selected . After that , we divided customers into 5 groups and provided each group a white board and sticky notes – different colors and shapes . The main goal was each group to play the role of a Product owner and select one problem related to the topic – for example “ How to improve the User Friendliness of a certain module / menu ” . I played the role of a mediator and facilitator in the workshop , helping them with the rules and giving hints if necessary . In the first round they just generated ideas how to solve the issue . They were urged to draw pictures instead of just writing ideas . In the second round they discussed all ideas and picked only few of them . Then they combined the ideas into a working prototype – which can be a diagram , flow chart or just sticky notes ordered into logical steps . After the prototype was ready , they were urged to “ sell ” us the solution using Elevator Pitch . The first place with the best solution won free slot in our backlog . In this way we wanted to show customers that we not only care for their feedback but we are also willing to implement their ideas as soon as possible . Insight Our workshop , in fact , was a combination of visualization and learning launch tools . But in my opinion applying the Visualization tool contributed to several directions . First direction was that the customers had the opportunity to see the problem from different perspectives while discussing it with their peers . We gave them a hint to divide the issues into “ critical ” and “ minor ” using the shape and color of the sticky notes as a differentiator . In this way it was more visible and clearer how many critical problems they encounter and if the issue / feature was a “ must ” or “ nice to have ” for implementation . This helped them prioritize the problems later when creating the prototype . Second thing which I noticed was that the customers felt united around the problem they discussed , no matter their position – specialist , assistant , manager , etc . The diversity helped them complement each other ’s opinion and approach the problem together . On the other hand , Visualization tool helped them locate the most crucial and frequent issues which needed attention and prioritization – for example , a menu or filter that slows their work down daily . While drawing the pictures and explaining them in detail they gave us valuable feedback of how they use our product depending on their role in the company . Finally , the friendly atmosphere and fun around the drawing turned their common problem into a game , puzzle that they were excited and motivated to solve it . So the problem turned out to be an adventure , not a problem anymore . Approach To be honest I was quite terrified at the beginning that this approach would be so much outside my comfort zone . I could not imagine how I will make a general manager draw on sticky note . But in the end it turned out that visualization creates a relaxed atmosphere , allows to put so much focus on the areas that needed improvement just by using simple drawings . Moreover , I was surprised that some of the solutions were so obvious , but I had not realized it until I saw them on the white board . In future , apart from combining Visualization and Learning launch tools I think I can also add personas analysis in the stage before the survey . In this way I will be aware what is my target group and I will be able to segment more granularly the different issues and prioritize them better .