Challenge:

Visualization is a great tool that I use all the time. I work as manager of business inteligence  and use this tool to achieve a shared understanding of a problem space among a diverse group  of co-workers before attempting to identify and define possible solutions to the problem.  Sometimes when we can take a step back and look at the problem from another angle make  things much more clearly. I have used the technique with a set of questions or prompts for  discussion to allow a diverse group of stakeholders to learn from each other in the process of  defining the scope, boundaries, key elements, and relationships between elements to consider  when identifying pain points and opportunities for improvements or solutions.

Application:

I start the process by doing a brainstorm with white board trying to draw the problem from  abstract side to more concrete topics. The abstraction could be a user that want to buy  something online and as we dig into asking “and so...?”  we could come up with a algorithm ta  solve the question, a new way of looking at the problem or even so conclude that we already  has the solution. But all of this demand the team to be prepared with the right midset because  if they’re not prepared this could be a completely waste of time. Usually we make squads of 4- 5participants to do this and try to answer “What is” and “What if”.

Insight & Approach

Well, wow, that was an eye-opener. What I’ve learned from conducting this exercise is that  while the visualization 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. They can gain new  insights about relationships between key entities 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 as a starting point for a series of design  thinking activities. Then the revised graphic that incorporates their combined feedback can  serve as a reference tool throughout the remainder of their work.


Challenge : Visualization is a great tool that I use all the time . I work as manager of business inteligence and use this tool to achieve a shared understanding of a problem space among a diverse group of co - workers before attempting to identify and define possible solutions to the problem . Sometimes when we can take a step back and look at the problem from another angle make things much more clearly . I have used the technique with a set of questions or prompts for discussion to allow a diverse group of stakeholders to learn from each other in the process of defining the scope , boundaries , key elements , and relationships between elements to consider when identifying pain points and opportunities for improvements or solutions . Application : I start the process by doing a brainstorm with white board trying to draw the problem from abstract side to more concrete topics . The abstraction could be a user that want to buy something online and as we dig into asking “ and so ... ? ” we could come up with a algorithm ta solve the question , a new way of looking at the problem or even so conclude that we already has the solution . But all of this demand the team to be prepared with the right midset because if they ’re not prepared this could be a completely waste of time . Usually we make squads of 4- 5participants to do this and try to answer “ What is ” and “ What if ” . Insight & Approach Well , wow , that was an eye - opener . What I ’ve learned from conducting this exercise is that while the visualization 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 . They can gain new insights about relationships between key entities 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 as a starting point for a series of design thinking activities . Then the revised graphic that incorporates their combined feedback can serve as a reference tool throughout the remainder of their work .