Reflection ­ Visualization

Challenge

The challenge that I’m facing is related to a global harmonization initiative and I would like to learn from a group  of stakeholders (in a certain business area) how they actually do a specific part of their work. To be more  precise, I would like to understand which particular steps are required within a certain business process; what  type of information they need and deliver; who else (besides themselves) are involved within this process and  which computer systems or applications are used within this process.     Important to know is that these different stakeholders are based in different countries, while each of them might  do their work in a different manner. Another important element is that these different stakeholders might not  exactly know how their peers from the other countries do their work.  To so summarize my challenge: a) I would like to learn how each of the stakeholders does their work; b) I would  like to achieve that all the stakeholders also understand how their various peers do their work.

Selection

The tool that I have chosen is ‘Visualization’. It was my impression that this would enable us to achieve our  required results. I have learned that drawing can really help to understand ‘the story’ that someone else is  explaining. When actually drawing ‘the story’ live in front of a group of people, it would allow the person that is  explaining a particular ‘story’ to verify that it is accurate and complete while the other persons in the room would  actually learn from the story as it unfolds. Drawing will help cultivating the right side of our brain and improve  visual thinking. It helps to keep people actively involved while better remembering the content that was  presented and/or (co)created.    A drawing can literally be anything, but it is important to stick to a certain structure that anyone can easily  follow. This would also make it easier for example to compare different processes with each other. I have  decided to draw the process on wide horizontal paper that would be sticked to the wall. I would start on the left  side (which is the beginning of the process) and would end on the right side (which is the end of the process).  For each process step I would try to draw a little doodle (a simple and fast drawing) that symbolizes the activity.  It can include people, computers, communication balloons, text, etc. Basically everything that can help to clarify  the activity. Drawing elements can also be added to express personal experiences that are related to certain  activities. Any emotional state could be added with a simple doodle and some supporting text if needed.     Information about visualization can be found in ‘Week 1’ of this Design Thinking for Innovation course.

Application

I was able to plan and conduct a 4 hour afternoon session with our stakeholders while everyone was together in  the same room. Prior to the meeting, I’ve prepared the room in order to smoothly start and execute our session.  The 4 stakeholders were sitting behind a desk, facing a wall. There was sufficient space in the room in order for  people to stand­up and walk around whenever one would feel like doing this. The wall was prepared with 4 wide  sheets of paper, each dedicated for a stakeholder process.   For each stakeholder we’ve taken 30­40 minutes to draw their process. It was important to ask the right  questions in order to: a) draw the appropriate level of detail; b) have a consistent set of drawings that can be  approached by our stakeholders in the same manner; c) have a consistent set of drawings that can be  compared with each other by our stakeholders.  Each of the drawings ended up as a colorful and playful representation of a business process. It contained  illustrations for the various people that are involved in the process as well as illustrations for material and  information that are used/created within the process. The drawings also presented problems, discomforts and

frustrations that the stakeholders were experiencing (or seeing) within their process. These were drawn in a  playful manner in order to make them less personal and offencive.

Insight

During the 4 hours session I have experienced that the complete audience was actively involved. Instead of just  listening to someone who is telling about a process, they seemed to actually ‘experience’ the process. Other  participants also interacted various times and asked questions to the stakeholder that was explaining his/her  process. They would sometimes stand­up, walk to the drawing and actually use it to understand or deepen their  knowledge and improve the drawing (which made the drawing closer to the reality)  I have learned that this 4 hours session was extremely efficient: a) I was able to learn enough about their  current way of working and understand the main differences between the processes; b) The various  stakeholders experienced and learned about the processes of their peers; c) We have created valuable drawing  material which became a visual memory of all that we’ve learned in these 4 hours. By just looking at the  drawing (at any moment in time), the stakeholders will be able to directly connect with the information and  knowledge that was shared during that meeting.   Additionally, the drawings can be used to easily share knowledge with other persons that were not part of the  session.

Approach

A very important insight for me is that it is difficult to facilitate such a meeting while also doing the drawing work.  It requires someone to be comfortable in both skills. I have learned that facilitating meetings in a graphical  manner is a serious skill that requires to be developed. Personally I feel that I still need to develop this skill  much further. I have experienced positive results with my limited skills but do not feel fully comfortable in doing  it yet. I think I can become better in translating the story into a drawing, so I will continue developing this skill  because i’m fully convinced by its value.  Alternatively, in case a group is larger and requires more active facilitation effort, it would be worth to have a  dedicated graphical facilitator to create the drawings.


Reflection ­ Visualization Challenge The challenge that I ’m facing is related to a global harmonization initiative and I would like to learn from a group of stakeholders ( in a certain business area ) how they actually do a specific part of their work . To be more precise , I would like to understand which particular steps are required within a certain business process; what type of information they need and deliver; who else ( besides themselves ) are involved within this process and which computer systems or applications are used within this process . Important to know is that these different stakeholders are based in different countries , while each of them might do their work in a different manner . Another important element is that these different stakeholders might not exactly know how their peers from the other countries do their work . To so summarize my challenge : a ) I would like to learn how each of the stakeholders does their work; b ) I would like to achieve that all the stakeholders also understand how their various peers do their work . Selection The tool that I have chosen is ‘ Visualization ’ . It was my impression that this would enable us to achieve our required results . I have learned that drawing can really help to understand ‘ the story ’ that someone else is explaining . When actually drawing ‘ the story ’ live in front of a group of people , it would allow the person that is explaining a particular ‘ story ’ to verify that it is accurate and complete while the other persons in the room would actually learn from the story as it unfolds . Drawing will help cultivating the right side of our brain and improve visual thinking . It helps to keep people actively involved while better remembering the content that was presented and/or ( co)created . A drawing can literally be anything , but it is important to stick to a certain structure that anyone can easily follow . This would also make it easier for example to compare different processes with each other . I have decided to draw the process on wide horizontal paper that would be sticked to the wall . I would start on the left side ( which is the beginning of the process ) and would end on the right side ( which is the end of the process ) . For each process step I would try to draw a little doodle ( a simple and fast drawing ) that symbolizes the activity . It can include people , computers , communication balloons , text , etc . Basically everything that can help to clarify the activity . Drawing elements can also be added to express personal experiences that are related to certain activities . Any emotional state could be added with a simple doodle and some supporting text if needed . Information about visualization can be found in ‘ Week 1 ’ of this Design Thinking for Innovation course . Application I was able to plan and conduct a 4 hour afternoon session with our stakeholders while everyone was together in the same room . Prior to the meeting , I ’ve prepared the room in order to smoothly start and execute our session . The 4 stakeholders were sitting behind a desk , facing a wall . There was sufficient space in the room in order for people to stand­up and walk around whenever one would feel like doing this . The wall was prepared with 4 wide sheets of paper , each dedicated for a stakeholder process . For each stakeholder we ’ve taken 30­40 minutes to draw their process . It was important to ask the right questions in order to : a ) draw the appropriate level of detail; b ) have a consistent set of drawings that can be approached by our stakeholders in the same manner; c ) have a consistent set of drawings that can be compared with each other by our stakeholders . Each of the drawings ended up as a colorful and playful representation of a business process . It contained illustrations for the various people that are involved in the process as well as illustrations for material and information that are used / created within the process . The drawings also presented problems , discomforts and frustrations that the stakeholders were experiencing ( or seeing ) within their process . These were drawn in a playful manner in order to make them less personal and offencive . Insight During the 4 hours session I have experienced that the complete audience was actively involved . Instead of just listening to someone who is telling about a process , they seemed to actually ‘ experience ’ the process . Other participants also interacted various times and asked questions to the stakeholder that was explaining his / her process . They would sometimes stand­up , walk to the drawing and actually use it to understand or deepen their knowledge and improve the drawing ( which made the drawing closer to the reality ) I have learned that this 4 hours session was extremely efficient : a ) I was able to learn enough about their current way of working and understand the main differences between the processes; b ) The various stakeholders experienced and learned about the processes of their peers; c ) We have created valuable drawing material which became a visual memory of all that we ’ve learned in these 4 hours . By just looking at the drawing ( at any moment in time ) , the stakeholders will be able to directly connect with the information and knowledge that was shared during that meeting . Additionally , the drawings can be used to easily share knowledge with other persons that were not part of the session . Approach A very important insight for me is that it is difficult to facilitate such a meeting while also doing the drawing work . It requires someone to be comfortable in both skills . I have learned that facilitating meetings in a graphical manner is a serious skill that requires to be developed . Personally I feel that I still need to develop this skill much further . I have experienced positive results with my limited skills but do not feel fully comfortable in doing it yet . I think I can become better in translating the story into a drawing , so I will continue developing this skill because i ’m fully convinced by its value . Alternatively , in case a group is larger and requires more active facilitation effort , it would be worth to have a dedicated graphical facilitator to create the drawings .