Modernizing customer relations in a Pharma company by

using Visualization approach

Selection:

The tool I used was the Visual Thinking, to achieve a shared understanding of situation  or problem among a varied group of contributors before attempting to identify and define  possible solutions to the problem.

Challenge:

I use this approach often with our customers, who are private organizations working to  apply technology innovations to modernize conveyance or delivery of their services to their  customer, which may be inhabitants, industries, and entrepreneurs. I have used the  technique of using a straw man visualization of a problem domain 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, limitations, key elements, and relationships between  elements to consider when identifying pain points and opportunities for improvements or  solutions.

Straw man strategy:

Application:

Started the process by creating conception of the problem domain. To develop the straw  man graphic, I will draw from any existing material available to understand the  environment. The existing material may be operational or procedural documents, training  materials, marketing materials and other auditing reports. If materials are not available,  then I conduct informal interviews with one-three of the stakeholders who serve as my  main points of contact on the initiative.

I will use the concept to “front-stage/back-stage” from one of the previous research book,  and this approach helps to reinforce the notion that every service – even an internal service  – has customers with whom the service provider interacts and internal processes that  enable the organization to provide the service. The template I often start with also has a  column on the left to identify Partners and Value Chain Providers and a column on the  right to identify Oversight Organizations, such as Suppliers, Contractors, labor unions,  sponsorship groups, and other entities that may add constraints to how the organization  operates. The straw man graphic is simple, using simple shapes and icons available in  Visio or on the Internet. If the front-stage/back-stage view doesn’t work, then I will create  a different type of visual, either based on a high-level process flow with swim lanes for  different stakeholders, or another format.

For the activity, I have divided the stakeholders into groups of 5-6 participants each  representing a different organization or area of interest. Each group receives a poster-size  copy of the straw man graphic 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 are missing from the graphic?

2) What would you change about the graphic to make it more accurately reflect your  problem space?

3) What key insights do you have about the relationships between the entities in your  problem space?

Questionnaire:

S. No  Question  Insight

1  What key elements are missing from  the graphic?

What would you change about the  graphic to make it more accurately  reflect your problem space?

What key insights do you have about  the relationships between the  entities in your problem space?

I gave them approximately 20 minutes to discuss the questions and mark up the graphic.  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 graphic. 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 graphic that incorporates their feedback and  proposed changes that they agreed to as a group.

Insight: What I have learned from conducting this exercise with several groups is that  while the graphic – especially the revised graphic that incorporates their 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.

Approach: The representation gives the diverse group of stakeholders a focal point for  discussion that allows them to share their perspectives and develop insights into potential  root causes of their problems. While they could create the graphic from a blank slate in a  collaborative manner, starting with a straw man jump starts the conversation for them.  They can quickly identify where they are in the graphic – or if they are missing – and can  more quickly 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 activity 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.

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Modernizing customer relations in a Pharma company by using Visualization approach Selection : The tool I used was the Visual Thinking , to achieve a shared understanding of situation or problem among a varied group of contributors before attempting to identify and define possible solutions to the problem . Challenge : I use this approach often with our customers , who are private organizations working to apply technology innovations to modernize conveyance or delivery of their services to their customer , which may be inhabitants , industries , and entrepreneurs . I have used the technique of using a straw man visualization of a problem domain 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 , limitations , key elements , and relationships between elements to consider when identifying pain points and opportunities for improvements or solutions . Straw man strategy : Application : Started the process by creating conception of the problem domain . To develop the straw man graphic , I will draw from any existing material available to understand the environment . The existing material may be operational or procedural documents , training materials , marketing materials and other auditing reports . If materials are not available , then I conduct informal interviews with one - three of the stakeholders who serve as my main points of contact on the initiative . I will use the concept to “ front - stage / back - stage ” from one of the previous research book , and this approach helps to reinforce the notion that every service – even an internal service – has customers with whom the service provider interacts and internal processes that enable the organization to provide the service . The template I often start with also has a column on the left to identify Partners and Value Chain Providers and a column on the right to identify Oversight Organizations , such as Suppliers , Contractors , labor unions , sponsorship groups , and other entities that may add constraints to how the organization operates . The straw man graphic is simple , using simple shapes and icons available in Visio or on the Internet . If the front - stage / back - stage view does n’t work , then I will create a different type of visual , either based on a high - level process flow with swim lanes for different stakeholders , or another format . For the activity , I have divided the stakeholders into groups of 5 - 6 participants each representing a different organization or area of interest . Each group receives a poster - size copy of the straw man graphic 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 are missing from the graphic ? 2 ) What would you change about the graphic to make it more accurately reflect your problem space ? 3 ) What key insights do you have about the relationships between the entities in your problem space ? Questionnaire : S. No Question Insight 1 What key elements are missing from the graphic ? What would you change about the graphic to make it more accurately reflect your problem space ? What key insights do you have about the relationships between the entities in your problem space ? I gave them approximately 20 minutes to discuss the questions and mark up the graphic . 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 graphic . 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 graphic that incorporates their feedback and proposed changes that they agreed to as a group . Insight : What I have learned from conducting this exercise with several groups is that while the graphic – especially the revised graphic that incorporates their 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 . Approach : The representation gives the diverse group of stakeholders a focal point for discussion that allows them to share their perspectives and develop insights into potential root causes of their problems . While they could create the graphic from a blank slate in a collaborative manner , starting with a straw man jump starts the conversation for them . They can quickly identify where they are in the graphic – or if they are missing – and can more quickly 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 activity 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 . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *