Visualization - Time Management Challenge

Challenge & Selection

Since a few month coronavirus pandemic impacts on our daily life causing especially time  management challenge. Going into more detail, one has to point out that this is above all the case  during our daily shopping activities for nourishments and the after-cleansing process of the bought  foodstuffs. The domains of the virus are still not finalized and there is yet no vaccine for treatment.  Due to this people tend to behave in a more time-consuming manner and pay special attention to  cleaning and hygiene for protecting themselves from the virus.

Thus, for understanding the problem in a better context and for finding appropriate solutions  regarding this issue, I preferred the visualization tool. The first and the most important step of design  thinking is visualization. Therefore, in order to design the solution, one has to understand the  problem/challenge to be solved clearly, and this is best done by visualizing it. Visualization tool helps  us to see the bigger picture easily and build connections between different approaches. Besides,  discussing the sketches of different people helps to generate ideas by adding different points, as it  was the case in the Good Kitchen Story being told in the video lecture.

Application

I initiate the process by drawing a stick man standing next to his house who tries to decide how he  can go to the supermarket for fulfilling the shopping of nourishments. This person has no car and  does not want to use public transportation owing to the high coronavirus impact as well as the  tremendous crowd in the vehicles. As a consequence, he decides to walk for more than 20 minutes  for arriving to the supermarket. After 20 minutes, he arrives at the supermarket but he is  disappointed since he has to wait in front of the market due to the queue. The reasons for this queue  are the restriction with regards to the number of people who are allowed to be inside the market  due to the virus and social distance rules. After finishing shopping this person, having many bags in  his hands, goes the same way back to his home by walking. However, this time the walk takes longer  because of the bags. Arriving at home, the whole process is not finished yet, since the cleaning  process of the nourishments begin. Walking to the supermarket, waiting for the queue, going back  home and doing cleansing takes at least one hour more as usually and causes time management  problems.

I did this activity with two different, separated groups. One group consists of family members and  the other group consists of friends. Showing my sketch of the problem to them, I asked them some  questions;

1) According to you, having a look at the sketch, what is the challenge we face in this case? (I asked  the question to understand if I conveyed the problem accurately by using visualization)

2) Are there any key elements missing? If yes, why do you think these elements you mentioned are  missing?

3) Would you change anything about the sketch? If yes, what would you change about the sketch?

I gave them all 25 minutes for reasoning. Afterwards, I asked them to answer the aforementioned  questions by showing their own additions to the sketch visually. Ultimately, for every group I made  the additions mentioned by them and revised the sketch. At the end there were two revised  sketches; one of the family group and the other one of the friend’s group.

Insight & Approach

By conducting this experiment with two groups, I got two insights showing differences as well as  similarities. The revised graphic incorporates their feedback and secures a better understanding of  the problem and the problem space. Discussing about the questions in group helps to understand  different perspectives contributing to finding the best solution. This likewise helps to gain deeper and  equally new insights concerning the challenge and develop potential root reasons. Visualization can  be seen as the skeleton for other steps of the design thinking process resulting in successful  outcomes. One has to visualize the problem space accurately in order to succeed and find the best  possible solution to alleviate pains or challenges.

For the next time, I would again prefer visualization for challenges I am exposed to, since from my  point of view visualizing the challenge or problem in a correct manner is the starting point for this  process and it will always help to solve problems effectively. Nonetheless, I would prefer combining  two different groups with each other for creating a better brainstorming with different insights and  perspectives instead of separating them. In this case, it should be highlighted that different groups  lead to various solution approaches and bolster creativity.

To cut a long story short, the aforementioned story depicts that visualization can be used in one’s  everyday life, not only for projects or business life. Hence, adapting the steps of design thinking in  our the daily lives can result in finding faster solutions to problems and live a more enjoyable and  problem-free life.


Visualization - Time Management Challenge Challenge & Selection Since a few month coronavirus pandemic impacts on our daily life causing especially time management challenge . Going into more detail , one has to point out that this is above all the case during our daily shopping activities for nourishments and the after - cleansing process of the bought foodstuffs . The domains of the virus are still not finalized and there is yet no vaccine for treatment . Due to this people tend to behave in a more time - consuming manner and pay special attention to cleaning and hygiene for protecting themselves from the virus . Thus , for understanding the problem in a better context and for finding appropriate solutions regarding this issue , I preferred the visualization tool . The first and the most important step of design thinking is visualization . Therefore , in order to design the solution , one has to understand the problem / challenge to be solved clearly , and this is best done by visualizing it . Visualization tool helps us to see the bigger picture easily and build connections between different approaches . Besides , discussing the sketches of different people helps to generate ideas by adding different points , as it was the case in the Good Kitchen Story being told in the video lecture . Application I initiate the process by drawing a stick man standing next to his house who tries to decide how he can go to the supermarket for fulfilling the shopping of nourishments . This person has no car and does not want to use public transportation owing to the high coronavirus impact as well as the tremendous crowd in the vehicles . As a consequence , he decides to walk for more than 20 minutes for arriving to the supermarket . After 20 minutes , he arrives at the supermarket but he is disappointed since he has to wait in front of the market due to the queue . The reasons for this queue are the restriction with regards to the number of people who are allowed to be inside the market due to the virus and social distance rules . After finishing shopping this person , having many bags in his hands , goes the same way back to his home by walking . However , this time the walk takes longer because of the bags . Arriving at home , the whole process is not finished yet , since the cleaning process of the nourishments begin . Walking to the supermarket , waiting for the queue , going back home and doing cleansing takes at least one hour more as usually and causes time management problems . I did this activity with two different , separated groups . One group consists of family members and the other group consists of friends . Showing my sketch of the problem to them , I asked them some questions ; 1 ) According to you , having a look at the sketch , what is the challenge we face in this case ? ( I asked the question to understand if I conveyed the problem accurately by using visualization ) 2 ) Are there any key elements missing ? If yes , why do you think these elements you mentioned are missing ? 3 ) Would you change anything about the sketch ? If yes , what would you change about the sketch ? I gave them all 25 minutes for reasoning . Afterwards , I asked them to answer the aforementioned questions by showing their own additions to the sketch visually . Ultimately , for every group I made the additions mentioned by them and revised the sketch . At the end there were two revised sketches ; one of the family group and the other one of the friend ’s group . Insight & Approach By conducting this experiment with two groups , I got two insights showing differences as well as similarities . The revised graphic incorporates their feedback and secures a better understanding of the problem and the problem space . Discussing about the questions in group helps to understand different perspectives contributing to finding the best solution . This likewise helps to gain deeper and equally new insights concerning the challenge and develop potential root reasons . Visualization can be seen as the skeleton for other steps of the design thinking process resulting in successful outcomes . One has to visualize the problem space accurately in order to succeed and find the best possible solution to alleviate pains or challenges . For the next time , I would again prefer visualization for challenges I am exposed to , since from my point of view visualizing the challenge or problem in a correct manner is the starting point for this process and it will always help to solve problems effectively . Nonetheless , I would prefer combining two different groups with each other for creating a better brainstorming with different insights and perspectives instead of separating them . In this case , it should be highlighted that different groups lead to various solution approaches and bolster creativity . To cut a long story short , the aforementioned story depicts that visualization can be used in one ’s everyday life , not only for projects or business life . Hence , adapting the steps of design thinking in our the daily lives can result in finding faster solutions to problems and live a more enjoyable and problem - free life .