Visualization

Challenge and Selection

I worked in a fintech company that develops a SaaS platform for global financial institutions to  effectively manage their technology vendors. I oversaw designing what is the data that we will  acquire and add to the platform that will empower the financial institutions most, balancing with the  cost for such data acquisition.

The first challenge my team encountered is that financial institutions are huge behemoth and the  complexities in their business lines, organizational structure and roles and functions, could all cast  different requirements and demand for the data. In the meantime, being an enterprise software that  aims to serve some of the largest organizations in the world, we were also aware of the cost of  making errors (i.e., poor quality data) that would harm our business.

Our team is composed of different talents from a wide domain of expertise hence we started with  brainstorming ideas. It was in that brainstorming stage, we decided to use Visualization as the key  tool for all of us to get a clear picture of what is the customer’s demand and where we want to be.  Visualization is a great tool to connect different pieces of information, insights, and knowledge when  the whole picture hasn’t emerged itself.  After the Product team and Technology team were  onboard, we started the design with visualization.

Application

We have applied Visualization in different product stages, as described below:

During the product ideation stage, we first conducted numerous open-end interviews with our  customers from different banks and gather the information and data about their current way of  managing their technology vendors, including how to find them, evaluate them, onboard them and  manage them on an ongoing basis. Then we sat down together among ourselves with a white board  to jot different pieces of happenings in their vendor management journey, following the order of  occurrence. Putting those pieces of information visually, the cross-functional team was able to  quickly identify what are the overlapping or inefficient tasks that our Product should help to  eliminate.  Based on visualizing customers’ current journey along with their wish list, we are able to  understand their real pain points, and what are the main value proposition our product should solve.

During the product development stage, we also applied visualization extensively. There could be  different stakeholders in a financial institution that will be using our platform, for example, lawyers,  business users, or engineers. As such, we visualize how different user will be doing with our platform  by drawing visual boards. The fact that all thoughts and ideas are all transparent and presented  visually to everyone, we were able to challenge, discuss, and agree on the most seamless customer  experience.

Insights and Approach

While visualization is a very powerful tool to organize and make sense of scattered information and  processes, it also relies on other design thinking tools to make most use of it. For example, without  brainstorming, the visualization tool will not be as powerful to include everyone’s expertise. And

often, mind mapping could follow after visualization to institutionalize the ideas even more and  build clearer framework for execution.

One thing also to mention, visualization should not be perfect at the first place, and it should also be  an iterative process for improving it as more insights are learned from the Product development  stages.


Visualization Challenge and Selection I worked in a fintech company that develops a SaaS platform for global financial institutions to effectively manage their technology vendors . I oversaw designing what is the data that we will acquire and add to the platform that will empower the financial institutions most , balancing with the cost for such data acquisition . The first challenge my team encountered is that financial institutions are huge behemoth and the complexities in their business lines , organizational structure and roles and functions , could all cast different requirements and demand for the data . In the meantime , being an enterprise software that aims to serve some of the largest organizations in the world , we were also aware of the cost of making errors ( i.e. , poor quality data ) that would harm our business . Our team is composed of different talents from a wide domain of expertise hence we started with brainstorming ideas . It was in that brainstorming stage , we decided to use Visualization as the key tool for all of us to get a clear picture of what is the customer ’s demand and where we want to be . Visualization is a great tool to connect different pieces of information , insights , and knowledge when the whole picture has n’t emerged itself . After the Product team and Technology team were onboard , we started the design with visualization . Application We have applied Visualization in different product stages , as described below : During the product ideation stage , we first conducted numerous open - end interviews with our customers from different banks and gather the information and data about their current way of managing their technology vendors , including how to find them , evaluate them , onboard them and manage them on an ongoing basis . Then we sat down together among ourselves with a white board to jot different pieces of happenings in their vendor management journey , following the order of occurrence . Putting those pieces of information visually , the cross - functional team was able to quickly identify what are the overlapping or inefficient tasks that our Product should help to eliminate . Based on visualizing customers ’ current journey along with their wish list , we are able to understand their real pain points , and what are the main value proposition our product should solve . During the product development stage , we also applied visualization extensively . There could be different stakeholders in a financial institution that will be using our platform , for example , lawyers , business users , or engineers . As such , we visualize how different user will be doing with our platform by drawing visual boards . The fact that all thoughts and ideas are all transparent and presented visually to everyone , we were able to challenge , discuss , and agree on the most seamless customer experience . Insights and Approach While visualization is a very powerful tool to organize and make sense of scattered information and processes , it also relies on other design thinking tools to make most use of it . For example , without brainstorming , the visualization tool will not be as powerful to include everyone ’s expertise . And often , mind mapping could follow after visualization to institutionalize the ideas even more and build clearer framework for execution . One thing also to mention , visualization should not be perfect at the first place , and it should also be an iterative process for improving it as more insights are learned from the Product development stages .