Reflection - Visualization

Challenge

I just joined as a Product Manager in a government agency with an engagement and product  management portfolio. I have been tasked by my supervisor to work with other government agencies  to understand their problem spaces and identify pain points and opportunities amongst diverse  groups of stakeholders within each government agency. Typically, how this is done is usually through  face-to-face discussion or skype calls, with the occasional screen-sharing of an email correspondence.  With that being said, there are hardly any visualization or visual thinking cues used during discussions  and this translates to me trying to imagine most of the stuff which the agencies have been describing  in the conversation, or that I’d have to spend time writing to them after the meeting to re-clarify on  the points discussed.

Selection

The tool selected was the tool of visualization which honestly was a tool which was underutilized in  my course of work. I chose the visualization approach as it was a tool that could help the stakeholders  and myself think in a non-verbal way, which was lacking in our usual mode of discussions. It has a role  to play in all phases and it basically emphasizes the use of diagrams and pictures to help with  extrapolation of a certain topic that we are concerned with. I began to use the visualization approach  on a couple of occasions starting with my discussions generally also because I wanted to hone the  ability to use the visualization tool, which made it possible with the daily discussions with multiple  stakeholders to understand their pain points.

Application

With the work-from-home situation and now that discussions are conducted via skype/zoom calls by  default, I started to share my screen to the stakeholders on every discussion, making sure there was  existing material or diagrams or drawing available on-screen for me to annotate or draw on. If I  required multiple stakeholders to provide their opinions, I’d make sure that I give them the access to  the annotation tool so that they are able to also draw on the existing material. If materials are not  available, then a white canvas (like powerpoint/paint etc) would suffice and the annotation tool will  be utilized in this case to draw on the white canvas. The process of visualization is simple as it only  requires the drawing of circles, squares, arrow-heads, stick-man, emotions on the stick-man. This  usually gives rise to very dependable conversations where stakeholders see the need to clarify each  single drawing that comes across ambiguous or non-defining. This gives rise to longer but deeper  conversations that can be further divided into sub-topics (with pictures) if need be. These sub-topics  pictures would then be further prioritized based on a needs-prioritization matrix – and this is via the  visualization tool again as each stakeholder has a list of sub-topics pictures to consider. During the  discussion, there will be interviews with all stakeholders to make sure that we address items that are  missing from the sub-topics, redefining the problem space if needed, and most importantly the sorting  of the various sub-topics into the needs-prioritization matrix. This will be digitized with insights and  sharings from the stakeholders to seek a common agreement on the proposed projects that they  agreed upon.

Insight & Approach

I have learnt that visualization gives rise to longer conversations that have more depth rather than  breadth, which is helpful in the case of getting the government agency’s stakeholder to identify the  operational pain points and their aspirations of the project. I believe this is possible because the

motivation and the lengths at which the stakeholders would define and redefine a visual that’s  representing the problem statement appears to be rather intrinsic and there is immeasurable value in  that. Discussion with visual cues also tended to be more focused and intense as compared to verbal  conversations without any visual cues. For newcomers like me, visualization actually helps to slow the  conversation down to a speed where everyone is on the same velocity, and that helps me to build a  conversation around small sub-topics more easily than I could if I were to just rely on verbal  discussions. Since the conversations are also now guided by visualization, discussions tend to be more  thorough with a very clear agenda, and where there are lapses in ideas, it is easier to spot and identify  them. I’ve since fully appreciate the effect and value that visualization brings about, and this would  shape my future discussions at any phase.


Reflection - Visualization Challenge I just joined as a Product Manager in a government agency with an engagement and product management portfolio . I have been tasked by my supervisor to work with other government agencies to understand their problem spaces and identify pain points and opportunities amongst diverse groups of stakeholders within each government agency . Typically , how this is done is usually through face - to - face discussion or skype calls , with the occasional screen - sharing of an email correspondence . With that being said , there are hardly any visualization or visual thinking cues used during discussions and this translates to me trying to imagine most of the stuff which the agencies have been describing in the conversation , or that I ’d have to spend time writing to them after the meeting to re - clarify on the points discussed . Selection The tool selected was the tool of visualization which honestly was a tool which was underutilized in my course of work . I chose the visualization approach as it was a tool that could help the stakeholders and myself think in a non - verbal way , which was lacking in our usual mode of discussions . It has a role to play in all phases and it basically emphasizes the use of diagrams and pictures to help with extrapolation of a certain topic that we are concerned with . I began to use the visualization approach on a couple of occasions starting with my discussions generally also because I wanted to hone the ability to use the visualization tool , which made it possible with the daily discussions with multiple stakeholders to understand their pain points . Application With the work - from - home situation and now that discussions are conducted via skype / zoom calls by default , I started to share my screen to the stakeholders on every discussion , making sure there was existing material or diagrams or drawing available on - screen for me to annotate or draw on . If I required multiple stakeholders to provide their opinions , I ’d make sure that I give them the access to the annotation tool so that they are able to also draw on the existing material . If materials are not available , then a white canvas ( like powerpoint / paint etc ) would suffice and the annotation tool will be utilized in this case to draw on the white canvas . The process of visualization is simple as it only requires the drawing of circles , squares , arrow - heads , stick - man , emotions on the stick - man . This usually gives rise to very dependable conversations where stakeholders see the need to clarify each single drawing that comes across ambiguous or non - defining . This gives rise to longer but deeper conversations that can be further divided into sub - topics ( with pictures ) if need be . These sub - topics pictures would then be further prioritized based on a needs - prioritization matrix – and this is via the visualization tool again as each stakeholder has a list of sub - topics pictures to consider . During the discussion , there will be interviews with all stakeholders to make sure that we address items that are missing from the sub - topics , redefining the problem space if needed , and most importantly the sorting of the various sub - topics into the needs - prioritization matrix . This will be digitized with insights and sharings from the stakeholders to seek a common agreement on the proposed projects that they agreed upon . Insight & Approach I have learnt that visualization gives rise to longer conversations that have more depth rather than breadth , which is helpful in the case of getting the government agency ’s stakeholder to identify the operational pain points and their aspirations of the project . I believe this is possible because the motivation and the lengths at which the stakeholders would define and redefine a visual that ’s representing the problem statement appears to be rather intrinsic and there is immeasurable value in that . Discussion with visual cues also tended to be more focused and intense as compared to verbal conversations without any visual cues . For newcomers like me , visualization actually helps to slow the conversation down to a speed where everyone is on the same velocity , and that helps me to build a conversation around small sub - topics more easily than I could if I were to just rely on verbal discussions . Since the conversations are also now guided by visualization , discussions tend to be more thorough with a very clear agenda , and where there are lapses in ideas , it is easier to spot and identify them . I ’ve since fully appreciate the effect and value that visualization brings about , and this would shape my future discussions at any phase .