Reflection – ​Visualization

Challenge and selection  I am a project leader in a software company. We work with clients that bring us some

needs, and we create a solution for them. We created what our clients tell us to do

without questioning whether the solution will really fit their needs. This approach

impacts the clients’ satisfaction at the end of the project. We had several dissatisfied

customers, even if we deliver the software as they asked. So, I realized that the

problem is not in the production, but it is in the idea conception.     We received a new project to design a website to help mothers buy baby and kids

clothes. In the first meeting, we proposed our client apply an ethnographic to help

understand the real problem. We aim to create a visualization of the process of the

clothes purchase of the mothers. The client is a little skeptical, but after we explained

the possible benefits, he accepted. So, we started our project by doing a Journey

Mapping with mothers. The main idea was to discover which are the primary needs

of these mothers in this process. Besides just analyze the process, we tried to

understand their fears and the emotions in the process.    Application  We selected 20 mothers from 22 years old up to 33 years old with newborn children

up to 3 years old. We follow these mothers in the entire process of searching and

buying clothes. We go along with each mother individually, from the shopping mall

entrance, choosing the right store, looking at the entire cloth catalog, finding the

clothes that fit in their kids, and, finally, finalizing the buy. We also accompanied how

they organized the clothes and what they did with the clothes that no longer fit.

Finally, we also asked these mothers to maintain a photo diary with each clothes the

kids used. They take pictures and created an album of them.     With these data, we created flows of each mother’s process to describe how they did

her process. We also used the album to see if the kids used the clothes recently

bought.     Insight  We discover a whole new world! The first thing is that the mothers have two types of

purchases that we classified as an emotional purchase and a daily purchase. The

emotional purchase is that clothes that generate a good feeling in it. The mothers

loved to search for a lovely piece of cloth for their kids and feel the material. This is a

moment of the mother with her kid. We do not think to change that. But the daily

purchase is fastly, and there is not an emotion in it. We found out that the daily

purchase is the purchase which fills the bigger part of the clothes necessity. Also,

this daily purchase is very stressful for the mothers.

We also discover that the process of deal with clothes that do not fit anymore is

complicated. Some mothers passed these clothes to other mothers, but most do not

have someone to transfer them. Therefore, the mothers maintain these clothes,

creating messy and difficult management. Another insight was that the clothes of

daily purchase are the clothes with more utilizations! We saw that in the pictures

from the album.     Approach  I think that the first experiment was excellent and deliver to our client a lot of

important insights. The next time, we need to found how to do this in a less invasive

way. We take a lot of time for these mothers, and this was stressful for both sides.

The album is a good idea for maintaining a diary easily. The mothers prefer that then

write which clothes are used.     Our client saw the visualizations created in this process and changed the entire

application to meet these needs better.


Reflection – ​Visualization Challenge and selection I am a project leader in a software company . We work with clients that bring us some needs , and we create a solution for them . We created what our clients tell us to do without questioning whether the solution will really fit their needs . This approach impacts the clients ’ satisfaction at the end of the project . We had several dissatisfied customers , even if we deliver the software as they asked . So , I realized that the problem is not in the production , but it is in the idea conception . We received a new project to design a website to help mothers buy baby and kids clothes . In the first meeting , we proposed our client apply an ethnographic to help understand the real problem . We aim to create a visualization of the process of the clothes purchase of the mothers . The client is a little skeptical , but after we explained the possible benefits , he accepted . So , we started our project by doing a Journey Mapping with mothers . The main idea was to discover which are the primary needs of these mothers in this process . Besides just analyze the process , we tried to understand their fears and the emotions in the process . Application We selected 20 mothers from 22 years old up to 33 years old with newborn children up to 3 years old . We follow these mothers in the entire process of searching and buying clothes . We go along with each mother individually , from the shopping mall entrance , choosing the right store , looking at the entire cloth catalog , finding the clothes that fit in their kids , and , finally , finalizing the buy . We also accompanied how they organized the clothes and what they did with the clothes that no longer fit . Finally , we also asked these mothers to maintain a photo diary with each clothes the kids used . They take pictures and created an album of them . With these data , we created flows of each mother ’s process to describe how they did her process . We also used the album to see if the kids used the clothes recently bought . Insight We discover a whole new world ! The first thing is that the mothers have two types of purchases that we classified as an emotional purchase and a daily purchase . The emotional purchase is that clothes that generate a good feeling in it . The mothers loved to search for a lovely piece of cloth for their kids and feel the material . This is a moment of the mother with her kid . We do not think to change that . But the daily purchase is fastly , and there is not an emotion in it . We found out that the daily purchase is the purchase which fills the bigger part of the clothes necessity . Also , this daily purchase is very stressful for the mothers . We also discover that the process of deal with clothes that do not fit anymore is complicated . Some mothers passed these clothes to other mothers , but most do not have someone to transfer them . Therefore , the mothers maintain these clothes , creating messy and difficult management . Another insight was that the clothes of daily purchase are the clothes with more utilizations ! We saw that in the pictures from the album . Approach I think that the first experiment was excellent and deliver to our client a lot of important insights . The next time , we need to found how to do this in a less invasive way . We take a lot of time for these mothers , and this was stressful for both sides . The album is a good idea for maintaining a diary easily . The mothers prefer that then write which clothes are used . Our client saw the visualizations created in this process and changed the entire application to meet these needs better .