Reflection - Visualization

Challenges and Selection

Having been a student from the past 5 years, whose main expertise lies in chemical engineering  and research, I have worked on several research-based projects to be presented on national level,  on behalf of my college. As a researcher, we are often presented with specific problems or we  choose them ourselves and it is up to us to present new, cutting edge solutions. More then often, I  have observed a lot of people explaining their work via mode of multiple heavy paragraphs in a  power point or even on a poster in a symposium that tends to lead the viewers to confusion, loss  of the line of thought or simply boredom. As a soon to be participant in these events, one of my  main challenges was to find a method to keep my audience engaged as well as make the work  presented to them clearer to understand. To find an effective tool to ensure this happens, I  questioned several of my peers as well as my professors as to which presentations stand out to  them and by the process of letting them lead the conversation I surmised that majorly visualization  as a mode was something that engaged and made them understand the concept well.

Application

I decided to first use this tool, not directly at the competition, but while presenting the idea behind  the research to my college professors at start. My project involved building a straw like prototype   which purified water as it passed different levels of the straw. Instead of rattling of numbers of  how scarce safe drinking sources of water are in my country, I showed them a short compilation  of videos of people from these villages to convey the intensity of the problem and get their  attention. I further backed it up with visual charts holding the statistics to cement a need for a  solution in my viewers. The next step I took, was to engage with the professors and ask them for  solutions they know to exist for this problem. I wrote them down in bubbles on the whiteboard and  verbally explained using data and information from my study to explain why a lot of them were  not feasible in these villages and crossed them out.

I then went further to introduce my prototype as a possible solution by means of a simulation of  the prototype right from construction to the expected result. Giving them the range for some of the  properties of water, I urged them to select their own numbers from the range and see the simulation  work and observe the results for themselves. This led to the foundation of their belief in my idea.  As a last step, I presented a network that lead to the finished product right from the sources of  procurement of materials as well as the construction and the planned tests for the protype and  explained it in a method close to a flow chart, for easier understanding and grasp.

While presenting this later, at the conference, I followed the same visualization techniques  mentioned above and include an overlook of the challenges faced while carrying out the research  project as well.

Insight and Approach

By incorporating such techniques in other projects as well, I learnt that the mode of visualization  (i.e. videos and networks of flow) help the audience to get engaged as well as helped them to feel  more connected to the idea behind the project as well as understand it. Furthermore, by involving  them in the process, such as letting them see for themselves the difference in a simulation by the  choice of data they feed, made them want to listen further and made them feel as if they’re part of  the presentation as a whole and the presentation was not merely a one sided conversation. It often  sparked a conversation between multiple viewers and me, which led to attraction of a bigger crowd  as well as inputs to the idea itself.

An alternative approach which I would like to try out for some future projects is the approach of  storytelling. I have found that storytelling is a compelling start to pitch in an idea and intend to use  it again by collection of data and interviews and presenting my idea as a plausible story in the  future, which might make them more intrigues before presenting the idea in detail.


Reflection - Visualization Challenges and Selection Having been a student from the past 5 years , whose main expertise lies in chemical engineering and research , I have worked on several research - based projects to be presented on national level , on behalf of my college . As a researcher , we are often presented with specific problems or we choose them ourselves and it is up to us to present new , cutting edge solutions . More then often , I have observed a lot of people explaining their work via mode of multiple heavy paragraphs in a power point or even on a poster in a symposium that tends to lead the viewers to confusion , loss of the line of thought or simply boredom . As a soon to be participant in these events , one of my main challenges was to find a method to keep my audience engaged as well as make the work presented to them clearer to understand . To find an effective tool to ensure this happens , I questioned several of my peers as well as my professors as to which presentations stand out to them and by the process of letting them lead the conversation I surmised that majorly visualization as a mode was something that engaged and made them understand the concept well . Application I decided to first use this tool , not directly at the competition , but while presenting the idea behind the research to my college professors at start . My project involved building a straw like prototype which purified water as it passed different levels of the straw . Instead of rattling of numbers of how scarce safe drinking sources of water are in my country , I showed them a short compilation of videos of people from these villages to convey the intensity of the problem and get their attention . I further backed it up with visual charts holding the statistics to cement a need for a solution in my viewers . The next step I took , was to engage with the professors and ask them for solutions they know to exist for this problem . I wrote them down in bubbles on the whiteboard and verbally explained using data and information from my study to explain why a lot of them were not feasible in these villages and crossed them out . I then went further to introduce my prototype as a possible solution by means of a simulation of the prototype right from construction to the expected result . Giving them the range for some of the properties of water , I urged them to select their own numbers from the range and see the simulation work and observe the results for themselves . This led to the foundation of their belief in my idea . As a last step , I presented a network that lead to the finished product right from the sources of procurement of materials as well as the construction and the planned tests for the protype and explained it in a method close to a flow chart , for easier understanding and grasp . While presenting this later , at the conference , I followed the same visualization techniques mentioned above and include an overlook of the challenges faced while carrying out the research project as well . Insight and Approach By incorporating such techniques in other projects as well , I learnt that the mode of visualization ( i.e. videos and networks of flow ) help the audience to get engaged as well as helped them to feel more connected to the idea behind the project as well as understand it . Furthermore , by involving them in the process , such as letting them see for themselves the difference in a simulation by the choice of data they feed , made them want to listen further and made them feel as if they ’re part of the presentation as a whole and the presentation was not merely a one sided conversation . It often sparked a conversation between multiple viewers and me , which led to attraction of a bigger crowd as well as inputs to the idea itself . An alternative approach which I would like to try out for some future projects is the approach of storytelling . I have found that storytelling is a compelling start to pitch in an idea and intend to use it again by collection of data and interviews and presenting my idea as a plausible story in the future , which might make them more intrigues before presenting the idea in detail .