Challenge:

Visualization is a greatest tool for problem solving. Our mind is the greatest visualizer. Whatever we think, mind creates a picture first. I am working in the field of engineering research and development. Problem solving and providing solutions is our daily job. As researchers we are expected to innovation every time, we start a work. My team was given a task to provide some innovative solutions which can delight customer. But I got stuck as to where from start. I had doubts as what kind of innovation would delight customer. I had no idea where to start. My perception was rather focusing on the outcome of innovation rather than focusing what I had and starting up from there. I used the approach of design thinking and innovation and visualization tool to come for solutions and I got very interesting solutions.

Selection and Application:

Before selecting the visualization tool, I started with identifying the opportunities. And I took the approach to be customer empathetic. I investigated some customer interaction data and found out that the pain point of customer was to visit the service center to rectify the defects in our products. Because of some product defects they were rather not focused on new features, they wanted a product which can work without any failure. That would give more value. Now this was bad for us as a company as well as we had to pay for warranty claims and customer was losing confidence. Now I knew where I had to focus. Rather that inventing something new I had to rectify current problems to gain customer confidence. So, I started with what is. I started collecting warranty data and analyzing them. Now there was lot of data. This is where used visualization for first time. I pictured in my mind set of critical categories of defects where many issues can be put in. I called in team and on board drew my table showing different categories of defects and each basket filled he individual problems. Now using visualization, we were clear that we had to focus on those categories. If we solve a category, then all problems in that category will be solved. The second visualization came in. Now on the board we could see the categories and we could easily identify which category was post priority and which was least.

Now I moved to second stage, What if. I called in a brainstorming session. We knew which category defect we had to solve first. Now the brainstorming started with all team members discussing about possible solutions. Now again Visualization came to play. Each team member showed his idea on the board using block diagrams. At the end of session, we had 8 block diagrams on the board. We can see all of them same time, analyze them and even compare them. And now the interesting thing happened, we picked blocks from different solutions which were good and created a new solution block diagram, which was complete new and solved the customers problems. We listed down our risks and assumptions as well. So, we had our solution right on the board. So, we did what wows as well.

Now we had to test our solution. Here comes what works part. Here we used visualization extensively. We created diagrams and computer Aided models of our solutions to see how our solution looks like. We showed it to various teams who will be involved right from design to prototyping to marketing to customer care and took their feedbacks. We did continuous improvements in our visual models until we got our solution really refined. Now we were finally ready for physical experiment to make a demo of solution. So, by using visualization, by making a soft model of our solution, we focused on failing early to succeed sooner. The physical demo was made, again we took feedback and improved. But we didn’t require any major improvement, as using visualization we had already refined our solution.

And finally, our solution came to production. Customer was happier. We increased our quality and saved many costs in warranty claims.

Insight and Approach

Using Design thinking method, my perspective broadened. My mindset changed. I was ready to take calculated risks. As I knew that was way to innovate. And best tool for all this which can make all steps of design thinking more easier, understandable, and structured was Visualization. Visualization need not to be any complex diagram or an art painting. Just simple things like

making a simple block diagram on board can make the ideas which emerge in our mind more structured, and we can think in a very broad manned. If we use visualization, we can see the bigger picture.

So next time when I’ll be doing innovation, I know that I have the tool and I know the steps I need to follow. I have the path which leads to innovation ready. And I need not to be Albert Einstein to be an innovator.


Challenge : Visualization is a greatest tool for problem solving . Our mind is the greatest visualizer . Whatever we think , mind creates a picture first . I am working in the field of engineering research and development . Problem solving and providing solutions is our daily job . As researchers we are expected to innovation every time , we start a work . My team was given a task to provide some innovative solutions which can delight customer . But I got stuck as to where from start . I had doubts as what kind of innovation would delight customer . I had no idea where to start . My perception was rather focusing on the outcome of innovation rather than focusing what I had and starting up from there . I used the approach of design thinking and innovation and visualization tool to come for solutions and I got very interesting solutions . Selection and Application : Before selecting the visualization tool , I started with identifying the opportunities . And I took the approach to be customer empathetic . I investigated some customer interaction data and found out that the pain point of customer was to visit the service center to rectify the defects in our products . Because of some product defects they were rather not focused on new features , they wanted a product which can work without any failure . That would give more value . Now this was bad for us as a company as well as we had to pay for warranty claims and customer was losing confidence . Now I knew where I had to focus . Rather that inventing something new I had to rectify current problems to gain customer confidence . So , I started with what is . I started collecting warranty data and analyzing them . Now there was lot of data . This is where used visualization for first time . I pictured in my mind set of critical categories of defects where many issues can be put in . I called in team and on board drew my table showing different categories of defects and each basket filled he individual problems . Now using visualization , we were clear that we had to focus on those categories . If we solve a category , then all problems in that category will be solved . The second visualization came in . Now on the board we could see the categories and we could easily identify which category was post priority and which was least . Now I moved to second stage , What if . I called in a brainstorming session . We knew which category defect we had to solve first . Now the brainstorming started with all team members discussing about possible solutions . Now again Visualization came to play . Each team member showed his idea on the board using block diagrams . At the end of session , we had 8 block diagrams on the board . We can see all of them same time , analyze them and even compare them . And now the interesting thing happened , we picked blocks from different solutions which were good and created a new solution block diagram , which was complete new and solved the customers problems . We listed down our risks and assumptions as well . So , we had our solution right on the board . So , we did what wows as well . Now we had to test our solution . Here comes what works part . Here we used visualization extensively . We created diagrams and computer Aided models of our solutions to see how our solution looks like . We showed it to various teams who will be involved right from design to prototyping to marketing to customer care and took their feedbacks . We did continuous improvements in our visual models until we got our solution really refined . Now we were finally ready for physical experiment to make a demo of solution . So , by using visualization , by making a soft model of our solution , we focused on failing early to succeed sooner . The physical demo was made , again we took feedback and improved . But we did n’t require any major improvement , as using visualization we had already refined our solution . And finally , our solution came to production . Customer was happier . We increased our quality and saved many costs in warranty claims . Insight and Approach Using Design thinking method , my perspective broadened . My mindset changed . I was ready to take calculated risks . As I knew that was way to innovate . And best tool for all this which can make all steps of design thinking more easier , understandable , and structured was Visualization . Visualization need not to be any complex diagram or an art painting . Just simple things like making a simple block diagram on board can make the ideas which emerge in our mind more structured , and we can think in a very broad manned . If we use visualization , we can see the bigger picture . So next time when I ’ll be doing innovation , I know that I have the tool and I know the steps I need to follow . I have the path which leads to innovation ready . And I need not to be Albert Einstein to be an innovator .