Visualization

Challenge & Selection

The tool I used was the tool of Visualization, or Visual Thinking, to achieve a shared unify  understanding of my company products specifications among a diverse group of my customers  and clients before attempting to identify and define possible solutions to their patients  problems and as a result they will be convinced to chose them as first choice over other  products. I use this approach often with our customers, who are healthcare providers ranging  from nurse to pediatric consultants working to apply nutritional innovations to modernize their  treatment services to their patients. I have used the technique of visualization of their patients  problems with a set of questions or prompts for discussion to allow a diverse group of  healthcare providers to learn from each other in the process of defining the issues, available  products in the market, and competitive edges between our product and others to consider  which is better and give best results and discover opportunities for improvements or solutions.

Application

I start the process by creating a survey of what are the most common clinical illness they are  facing in their everyday practices to understand the environment. Using flap charts or other  feedback reports. If materials are not available, then I conduct informal interviews with one-five  of the healthcare providers who serve as my main points of contact on the initiative. If  appropriate to the situation, I will borrow the concept to “front-stage/back-stage” which helps  to reinforce the notion that every service – even an internal service – has customers with whom  the service provider interacts the service. The template I often start with also has a column on  the left to identify clinical illnesses and a column on the middle to identify the required  components or description of product which is necessary to overcome these problems and  column on the right to identify an example of described product. The chart is simple, using  simple shapes and icons available in Internet. For the activity, I will divide the HCPs into groups  of 5-6 participants each representing a different clinical issue or area of interest. Each group  receives a poster-size flap chart that they can write on directly, or use sticky notes to make  comments. I give them two-three questions to answer, such as:

1) What key elements that you are looking for in the product?

2) What would you change about the product to make it more safe or efficient?

3) What key insights do you have about the most recommended product that you prefer to  overcome your patient’s problem?

I gave them approximately 20 minutes to discuss the questions and mark up the charts. Then I  have each group report out on their answers to those three questions while pointing to the  mark-ups on their poster. As each group reports out, I record commonalities in the insights of  each group, and then additional insights that come from the group discussion on an additional  copy of the chart. After the session, I digitize each group’s poster as an artifact, create a view  that combines the shared and new insights from the group discussion, and then create a revised  chart that incorporates their feedback and proposed changes that they agreed to as a group.

Insight & Approach

What I have learned from conducting this exercise with several groups is that while the feedback  is important for reinforcing their understanding of the problem they are working to solve, the  more valuable aspect of the activity is the shared insights and shared learning that occurs while  they are working to define their problem space. The charts gives the diverse group of HCPs a  focal point for discussion that allows them to share their perspectives and develop insights into  potential root causes of their patients problems. While they could create the chart from a blank  slate in a collaborative manner, starting with conversation for them. They can quickly identify  where they are in the chart – or if they are missing – and can more quickly gain new insights  about differences between products instead of taking time to identify them. They can also  identify variables in the problem space – that is, it helps them to identify what they don’t know,  in what areas they need to obtain information or data to provide the values for the variables.  Since I discovered that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning, next time I  would use the visualization activity as a starting point for a series of design thinking activities.  Then the revised chart that incorporates their combined feedback can serve as a reference tool  throughout the remainder of their work.


Visualization Challenge & Selection The tool I used was the tool of Visualization , or Visual Thinking , to achieve a shared unify understanding of my company products specifications among a diverse group of my customers and clients before attempting to identify and define possible solutions to their patients problems and as a result they will be convinced to chose them as first choice over other products . I use this approach often with our customers , who are healthcare providers ranging from nurse to pediatric consultants working to apply nutritional innovations to modernize their treatment services to their patients . I have used the technique of visualization of their patients problems with a set of questions or prompts for discussion to allow a diverse group of healthcare providers to learn from each other in the process of defining the issues , available products in the market , and competitive edges between our product and others to consider which is better and give best results and discover opportunities for improvements or solutions . Application I start the process by creating a survey of what are the most common clinical illness they are facing in their everyday practices to understand the environment . Using flap charts or other feedback reports . If materials are not available , then I conduct informal interviews with one - five of the healthcare providers who serve as my main points of contact on the initiative . If appropriate to the situation , I will borrow the concept to “ front - stage / back - stage ” which helps to reinforce the notion that every service – even an internal service – has customers with whom the service provider interacts the service . The template I often start with also has a column on the left to identify clinical illnesses and a column on the middle to identify the required components or description of product which is necessary to overcome these problems and column on the right to identify an example of described product . The chart is simple , using simple shapes and icons available in Internet . For the activity , I will divide the HCPs into groups of 5 - 6 participants each representing a different clinical issue or area of interest . Each group receives a poster - size flap chart that they can write on directly , or use sticky notes to make comments . I give them two - three questions to answer , such as : 1 ) What key elements that you are looking for in the product ? 2 ) What would you change about the product to make it more safe or efficient ? 3 ) What key insights do you have about the most recommended product that you prefer to overcome your patient ’s problem ? I gave them approximately 20 minutes to discuss the questions and mark up the charts . Then I have each group report out on their answers to those three questions while pointing to the mark - ups on their poster . As each group reports out , I record commonalities in the insights of each group , and then additional insights that come from the group discussion on an additional copy of the chart . After the session , I digitize each group ’s poster as an artifact , create a view that combines the shared and new insights from the group discussion , and then create a revised chart that incorporates their feedback and proposed changes that they agreed to as a group . Insight & Approach What I have learned from conducting this exercise with several groups is that while the feedback is important for reinforcing their understanding of the problem they are working to solve , the more valuable aspect of the activity is the shared insights and shared learning that occurs while they are working to define their problem space . The charts gives the diverse group of HCPs a focal point for discussion that allows them to share their perspectives and develop insights into potential root causes of their patients problems . While they could create the chart from a blank slate in a collaborative manner , starting with conversation for them . They can quickly identify where they are in the chart – or if they are missing – and can more quickly gain new insights about differences between products instead of taking time to identify them . They can also identify variables in the problem space – that is , it helps them to identify what they do n’t know , in what areas they need to obtain information or data to provide the values for the variables . Since I discovered that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning , next time I would use the visualization activity as a starting point for a series of design thinking activities . Then the revised chart that incorporates their combined feedback can serve as a reference tool throughout the remainder of their work .