University of Virginia    Rupesh Kumar Ahmad

Design Thinking for Innovation

Reflection – Visualization

Page 1 of 2

Challenge – Being a solution architect, my role involves providing solutions to achieve the operational  excellence by improving the business processes and user experience to our customers using the  innovative technologies.    Many times, the business process spans across the multiple business units or  departments across the organizations. The organization silos provide structure that allows expertise in  different area, but creates a barrier for information flow and lack of coordinated decision-making process.   My recent challenge was to improve the account receivable process for a mobility transportation  organization who operates in 100+ locations providing on demand service. This required breaking the silos  barrier, have a shared understanding of complete end-to-end business process and information flow and  then identify the process improvements opportunities before providing the possible solution.

Selection – I use the tool of visualization with our customers for scenario visualization. Visualization plays  a role throughout the design and development process. Visualization can materialize the concepts and  make their characteristics more explicit. It makes them clearer and more understandable. It allows to  communicate the ideas and sequence of thoughts. Many times, it helps to identify the hidden entity which  was overlooked by silos between the units.  I always start the process by specifying objective and creating  the drawing of business process flow from stakeholders’ input.  This allows to create a document to work  collaboratively and brainstorm to find the many alternative solutions.

Application –

Step 1 - To start the process, I reviewed the existing business process flow documents and operational  training materials. I identified the various business unit and departments and the key stakeholders  involved in the process and impacted by the process to conduct the discussion session. I explained them  the objective of the exercise is  to improve the accounts receivable process.  We created groups of location  heads responsible for dispatch system and accounts receivable personal and asked to identify the  activities involved in AR process.  We created a drawing on board with identified entities involved in the  AR process and corresponding activity with each entity. During the brainstorming session, the groups  identified 5 different activities required to be optimized.

Step 2 – Establishing effective billing and cash application to invoices process was one of the activity  identified by group, we decided to focus on it. Using the visualization tool, we started drawing the  complete process. The process involved origination of service order, order dispatching, invoice  generation, payment collection and applying to invoices.  The organization used the Ride Dispatch System  at each location for providing the on-demand service and generated the customer invoices.  The payments  were also collected at location. The invoice and payment collection details are communicated by location  heads to central AR department and manually entered in ERP system.  The visual representation used  simple graphic to draw the picture of how the information flow from one system to another.

Insight -    Using the visualization tool, the stakeholders got the understanding of complete business  process flow which was not very transparent earlier. The graphic also helped to gain the insight of  relationship between different systems across organization and how the information is tightly integrated  with each other. It helped to work collaboratively to identify the improvement areas in business process.  The team got an insight of how the manual process created from two system created inconsistent report.   Using the feedback, the team developed a revised activity plan and decided to automate the invoice and

University of Virginia    Rupesh Kumar Ahmad

Design Thinking for Innovation

Reflection – Visualization

Page 2 of 2

payment information from dispatch system to ERP system.  The process automation also improved the  user experience.

Approach – I discovered that using visualization tool helped to break the silos barriers among the diverse  stakeholders and provided an insight to identify the improvement area. The stakeholders can see how  information flows across the systems and impact the operational activities and user productivity. I will be  using the visualization tool as starting tool for identifying the gaps in business process and improvement  areas.


University of Virginia Rupesh Kumar Ahmad Design Thinking for Innovation Reflection – Visualization Page 1 of 2 Challenge – Being a solution architect , my role involves providing solutions to achieve the operational excellence by improving the business processes and user experience to our customers using the innovative technologies . Many times , the business process spans across the multiple business units or departments across the organizations . The organization silos provide structure that allows expertise in different area , but creates a barrier for information flow and lack of coordinated decision - making process . My recent challenge was to improve the account receivable process for a mobility transportation organization who operates in 100 + locations providing on demand service . This required breaking the silos barrier , have a shared understanding of complete end - to - end business process and information flow and then identify the process improvements opportunities before providing the possible solution . Selection – I use the tool of visualization with our customers for scenario visualization . Visualization plays a role throughout the design and development process . Visualization can materialize the concepts and make their characteristics more explicit . It makes them clearer and more understandable . It allows to communicate the ideas and sequence of thoughts . Many times , it helps to identify the hidden entity which was overlooked by silos between the units . I always start the process by specifying objective and creating the drawing of business process flow from stakeholders ’ input . This allows to create a document to work collaboratively and brainstorm to find the many alternative solutions . Application – Step 1 - To start the process , I reviewed the existing business process flow documents and operational training materials . I identified the various business unit and departments and the key stakeholders involved in the process and impacted by the process to conduct the discussion session . I explained them the objective of the exercise is to improve the accounts receivable process . We created groups of location heads responsible for dispatch system and accounts receivable personal and asked to identify the activities involved in AR process . We created a drawing on board with identified entities involved in the AR process and corresponding activity with each entity . During the brainstorming session , the groups identified 5 different activities required to be optimized . Step 2 – Establishing effective billing and cash application to invoices process was one of the activity identified by group , we decided to focus on it . Using the visualization tool , we started drawing the complete process . The process involved origination of service order , order dispatching , invoice generation , payment collection and applying to invoices . The organization used the Ride Dispatch System at each location for providing the on - demand service and generated the customer invoices . The payments were also collected at location . The invoice and payment collection details are communicated by location heads to central AR department and manually entered in ERP system . The visual representation used simple graphic to draw the picture of how the information flow from one system to another . Insight - Using the visualization tool , the stakeholders got the understanding of complete business process flow which was not very transparent earlier . The graphic also helped to gain the insight of relationship between different systems across organization and how the information is tightly integrated with each other . It helped to work collaboratively to identify the improvement areas in business process . The team got an insight of how the manual process created from two system created inconsistent report . Using the feedback , the team developed a revised activity plan and decided to automate the invoice and University of Virginia Rupesh Kumar Ahmad Design Thinking for Innovation Reflection – Visualization Page 2 of 2 payment information from dispatch system to ERP system . The process automation also improved the user experience . Approach – I discovered that using visualization tool helped to break the silos barriers among the diverse stakeholders and provided an insight to identify the improvement area . The stakeholders can see how information flows across the systems and impact the operational activities and user productivity . I will be using the visualization tool as starting tool for identifying the gaps in business process and improvement areas .