Visualization Tool Design Thinking – Final Assignment

Challenge

I`m working for a cooperative shoe company in a dual study program. Every three months we organize  a trade fair for our affiliated distributors to inspire them and bring them finally to the point to buy the  shoes by our presented suppliers. Sadly our trade fairs are not that much frequented as they were five  years ago, even though the number of our affiliated distributors is still on the same level. Now the  challenge for us is it now to reactivate our customers, the affiliated distributors, to join our trade fairs  again and give them a benefit from our events. Unfortunately it was impossible for me to roll out this  project until today, so the following includes only assumptions and plans which hopefully will be  realized soon.

Selection

Caused by the fact that on our trade fairs nearly 300 different suppliers with different knowledge and  skills are attending, it is important to start from the beginning to catch all of them up. In addition, our  customers, who are necessary in the process of developing the concept of our trade fairs, also don`t  have that wide range of knowledge about design thinking. So I decided to use the visualization tool to  firstly create the same status in all heads and a consens about the problem. I`m referring here to the  video lecture from the first module.

Application

Besides my team I would like to invite a small number of suppliers, the affiliated distributors as well as  colleagues from the marketing and sales department for an evening event. Attatched to the invitation  they will get their task for the event: „Create a sketching about what is important to have for a  successful trade fair an why you visit our trade fairs!“ With whiteboards and pinboards the meeting  location will be prepared before the stakeholders arrive . In the middle of the room there will be a  whiteboard with a stickman sketching, showing one of our last trade fairs. You can see bored affiliated  distributors, unhappy suppliers and employees of my company. Next to this sketching will be a place  for these of the stakeholders. Separated in groups they will create a big graphic from their brought  along sketchings. While this process they can talk about their opinions about our trade fairs and it will  arise a feeling of ownership and engagement by the stakeholders. Based on these huge sketching my  team and I can understand the problems of former the trade fairs much better. Apart from that we  would be able to understand the reasons for the raised problems of the stakeholders much more,  than just giving them a questionnaire.

Insight

I assume that the visualization tool is a good starting point for a design thinking roll out, especially  when the stakeholders have created the graphic by themselves. As they would get a consens in the  group about the actual situation, further steps in the developing process will be much easier. All group  members would feel included, which would have been made tangible by the graphic, showing the  actual situation described by the sketches made from the stakeholders. Through the diversity of  persons and points of view it would it be  possible to solve the situation from many levels. Not only the  main problem but also some smaller conflicts around the topic would been more visible .

Approach

Another possible approach for this situation to start could be ethnographic research like it was  realized in ``TheGoodKitchen´´ Story. We could provide the lead to the affiliated distributors as they

explore our trade fair. While we would not be participating in their experience of getting to know our  own fair, we would have the opportunity to see our own event through their eyes.

The same we would do then with the suppliers and our colleagues who are working on this trade fair.  Based on this we will have a wide view of our own trade fair and will probably take problems for real.  All in all we would be able to learn a new point of view, one we wouldn´t have been able to see as an  organizer.   Besides this alternative approach, I would prefer to start with visualization, like I described before and  maybe then start ethnographic research by accompany our stakeholders on our own trade fair.


Visualization Tool Design Thinking – Final Assignment Challenge I`m working for a cooperative shoe company in a dual study program . Every three months we organize a trade fair for our affiliated distributors to inspire them and bring them finally to the point to buy the shoes by our presented suppliers . Sadly our trade fairs are not that much frequented as they were five years ago , even though the number of our affiliated distributors is still on the same level . Now the challenge for us is it now to reactivate our customers , the affiliated distributors , to join our trade fairs again and give them a benefit from our events . Unfortunately it was impossible for me to roll out this project until today , so the following includes only assumptions and plans which hopefully will be realized soon . Selection Caused by the fact that on our trade fairs nearly 300 different suppliers with different knowledge and skills are attending , it is important to start from the beginning to catch all of them up . In addition , our customers , who are necessary in the process of developing the concept of our trade fairs , also don`t have that wide range of knowledge about design thinking . So I decided to use the visualization tool to firstly create the same status in all heads and a consens about the problem . I`m referring here to the video lecture from the first module . Application Besides my team I would like to invite a small number of suppliers , the affiliated distributors as well as colleagues from the marketing and sales department for an evening event . Attatched to the invitation they will get their task for the event : „ Create a sketching about what is important to have for a successful trade fair an why you visit our trade fairs ! “ With whiteboards and pinboards the meeting location will be prepared before the stakeholders arrive . In the middle of the room there will be a whiteboard with a stickman sketching , showing one of our last trade fairs . You can see bored affiliated distributors , unhappy suppliers and employees of my company . Next to this sketching will be a place for these of the stakeholders . Separated in groups they will create a big graphic from their brought along sketchings . While this process they can talk about their opinions about our trade fairs and it will arise a feeling of ownership and engagement by the stakeholders . Based on these huge sketching my team and I can understand the problems of former the trade fairs much better . Apart from that we would be able to understand the reasons for the raised problems of the stakeholders much more , than just giving them a questionnaire . Insight I assume that the visualization tool is a good starting point for a design thinking roll out , especially when the stakeholders have created the graphic by themselves . As they would get a consens in the group about the actual situation , further steps in the developing process will be much easier . All group members would feel included , which would have been made tangible by the graphic , showing the actual situation described by the sketches made from the stakeholders . Through the diversity of persons and points of view it would it be possible to solve the situation from many levels . Not only the main problem but also some smaller conflicts around the topic would been more visible . Approach Another possible approach for this situation to start could be ethnographic research like it was realized in ` ` TheGoodKitchen ´ ´ Story . We could provide the lead to the affiliated distributors as they explore our trade fair . While we would not be participating in their experience of getting to know our own fair , we would have the opportunity to see our own event through their eyes . The same we would do then with the suppliers and our colleagues who are working on this trade fair . Based on this we will have a wide view of our own trade fair and will probably take problems for real . All in all we would be able to learn a new point of view , one we wouldn´t have been able to see as an organizer . Besides this alternative approach , I would prefer to start with visualization , like I described before and maybe then start ethnographic research by accompany our stakeholders on our own trade fair .