Reflection - Visualisation

Challenge

I am a Transformation Program Manager working with Company A which specialises in patent  management. Patent management is a governance-led administrative process which ensures  patents stay validly registered so that inventors continue to reap the rewards of their work.  Company A acquired Company B last year. Company B is a start-up specialising in patent search.  Patent search uses sophisticated AI technology to search for patent infringements so that inventors  can protect their work.

Company A employed 500 people and had a culture based on deep knowledge of customer needs  and strong process expertise. Company B had 100 employees, many of whom were self-confessed  technology geeks. Integrating the two companies would open up a high-growth market but there  was concern that the two organisations would not understand or equally respect each other’s  contribution.  The challenge was how to blend two very different cultures starting with creating a  new integrated leadership team.

Selection

I decided to use visualization as a design thinking tool to help create a metaphor for the combined  leadership team. This is part of the ‘what is’ process and I chose it because, as Angela Myer states in  the Visualization Tool lecture, visualization encourages a different type of problem solving to just  logic. It stimulates the right-hand side of the brain, encourages creativity and alignment.

Application

The new leadership team had 8 people from Company A and 2 from Company B.  I divided them into  two groups ensuring a mix of representatives on each team. and gave them boxes of cards with  images on them. They were asked to choose images of the merger that resonated with the group  and to then explain their choice to the rest of the group. One team came up with the metaphor of a  beach for the combined company and it generated the most excitement in subsequent discussions.  Company A were the lifeguards keeping everyone (inventors) on the beach safe and Company B  were the search and rescue divers using helicopters (search algorithms) to locate people further out  in the sea in need of help. What they most liked about it was that both lifeguards and divers were  clearly valuable and prized. They then came up with the idea of having a monthly company-wide  beach bar-b-q to bond, share information and highlight what had been done to keep people  (inventors) safe that month.

Insight

The use of visualisation techniques led to a willingness to experiment and the atmosphere became  more open and fun. Enabling the team to create their own metaphor led to increased buy-in and  empowerment for the future of the company. They bonded around a shared concept of protecting  and saving the interests of inventors and even innovation itself.

Approach

The plan had been to present the results of the visualisation to second level management using  power-point and a town hall discussion. However, having seen that the leadership team got the  most learning out of the shared experiential nature of selecting images and creating a metaphor, I  agreed with them that we would instead enable their direct reports to have their own shared

experiential learning. I did this by setting up a room with high level visualisations of the beach  metaphor and then letting the 2nd level senior management team add their own ideas to it. This  helped them to understand the part both companies played and to embed their own feeling of the  merged company. I would use the visualisation technique again because it works to encourage  collaboration, create energy and fun, cut through resistance and help people to think out of the box.


Reflection - Visualisation Challenge I am a Transformation Program Manager working with Company A which specialises in patent management . Patent management is a governance - led administrative process which ensures patents stay validly registered so that inventors continue to reap the rewards of their work . Company A acquired Company B last year . Company B is a start - up specialising in patent search . Patent search uses sophisticated AI technology to search for patent infringements so that inventors can protect their work . Company A employed 500 people and had a culture based on deep knowledge of customer needs and strong process expertise . Company B had 100 employees , many of whom were self - confessed technology geeks . Integrating the two companies would open up a high - growth market but there was concern that the two organisations would not understand or equally respect each other ’s contribution . The challenge was how to blend two very different cultures starting with creating a new integrated leadership team . Selection I decided to use visualization as a design thinking tool to help create a metaphor for the combined leadership team . This is part of the ‘ what is ’ process and I chose it because , as Angela Myer states in the Visualization Tool lecture , visualization encourages a different type of problem solving to just logic . It stimulates the right - hand side of the brain , encourages creativity and alignment . Application The new leadership team had 8 people from Company A and 2 from Company B. I divided them into two groups ensuring a mix of representatives on each team . and gave them boxes of cards with images on them . They were asked to choose images of the merger that resonated with the group and to then explain their choice to the rest of the group . One team came up with the metaphor of a beach for the combined company and it generated the most excitement in subsequent discussions . Company A were the lifeguards keeping everyone ( inventors ) on the beach safe and Company B were the search and rescue divers using helicopters ( search algorithms ) to locate people further out in the sea in need of help . What they most liked about it was that both lifeguards and divers were clearly valuable and prized . They then came up with the idea of having a monthly company - wide beach bar - b - q to bond , share information and highlight what had been done to keep people ( inventors ) safe that month . Insight The use of visualisation techniques led to a willingness to experiment and the atmosphere became more open and fun . Enabling the team to create their own metaphor led to increased buy - in and empowerment for the future of the company . They bonded around a shared concept of protecting and saving the interests of inventors and even innovation itself . Approach The plan had been to present the results of the visualisation to second level management using power - point and a town hall discussion . However , having seen that the leadership team got the most learning out of the shared experiential nature of selecting images and creating a metaphor , I agreed with them that we would instead enable their direct reports to have their own shared experiential learning . I did this by setting up a room with high level visualisations of the beach metaphor and then letting the 2nd level senior management team add their own ideas to it . This helped them to understand the part both companies played and to embed their own feeling of the merged company . I would use the visualisation technique again because it works to encourage collaboration , create energy and fun , cut through resistance and help people to think out of the box .