Challenge

When I was called by the founder of a startup to support him with his idea, I was stroke by the  amount of paper work documented.  The startup wanted to create an app for business people to  interact, including different levels of privacy. They had already put together lots of information:  surely there where some wireframes already drawn, and quite a few ideas written down to paper,  but the big picture was missing. As a Business Consultant, the first step for me was to secure the big  picture, define where we are, and seek the common vision, considering that the idea the startup had,  was lost in detail at that point of time.

Selection

I decided as a first step to have a visualization session with the startup team, to secure shared  understanding on the idea we had, seeking to identify the facts surrounding our idea in a visual way,  so that we could reach a sound basis for further ideas generation.

I began with simple visualization drawings, so that anybody could join me on the board: the app we  were designing, the people surrounding it and interacting… Through this visualization technique I  managed to have the team standing up by the board, and this way we created an informal creative  meeting, where lots of ideas began to flow.

Application

I started by identifying in a visual way (drawing simple pictures) the way business people  communicate using existing tools like Facebook. As it was a co-located workshop, I could involve  everybody in standing up from their chair and actively participating, adding information on the  board.

After reaching a shared vision of what we could find in the market, on the second phase of the  seminar we began to put on the board any valuable idea the startup had already created, which we  considered it could bring any added value to the people using the new app we wanted to launch.

We very quickly realized that there were very different visions in the room, and by drawing and  working on the same board, and not using videoconferences to discuss, we were producing very  valuable insights on the different visions the team had.

As a moderator, by having all relevant information visualized on the board, I could drive the seminar  in an effective manner for the startup team, and by the end of the day we had been successful on  creating valuable output and pretty good assumptions to start prototyping.

While applying visualization techniques with a 5 persons team, moderation is key: I was very  concentrated on driving the workshop effectively. It is important that the team is creative and comes  up with a lot of ideas, but at the same time we had only one day where we wanted to have the  common vision as outcome of the workshop.

Insight

I really learned a lot out of this workshop. I had already had some videoconferences with the team,  where we discussed their ideas, and I saw a lot of potential  already in the suggestions which were

coming up. But I wanted to avoid some typical brainstorming, so I think visualizing all ideas in a  workshop with the complete team drawing their suggestions was just terrific.

Since this one workshop, whenever I moderate any team or group discussion, I make sure there is a  board in the room and enough materials to visualize whatever we are talking about!

Approach

I think Visualization was the best choice as approach for this workshop, in order to secure the shared  understanding of the startup team when it comes to setting up the vision of their new tool. What I  would do next is to connect the ideas right away by creating personas. Personas should have been  the result of the visualization workshop, as a lot of behaviour patterns came up, instead I collected  the ideas and we designed a story map to be implemented as first assumption.

Maybe connecting the outcome of the visualization workshop to personas in one go would have be a  better outcome.


Challenge When I was called by the founder of a startup to support him with his idea , I was stroke by the amount of paper work documented . The startup wanted to create an app for business people to interact , including different levels of privacy . They had already put together lots of information : surely there where some wireframes already drawn , and quite a few ideas written down to paper , but the big picture was missing . As a Business Consultant , the first step for me was to secure the big picture , define where we are , and seek the common vision , considering that the idea the startup had , was lost in detail at that point of time . Selection I decided as a first step to have a visualization session with the startup team , to secure shared understanding on the idea we had , seeking to identify the facts surrounding our idea in a visual way , so that we could reach a sound basis for further ideas generation . I began with simple visualization drawings , so that anybody could join me on the board : the app we were designing , the people surrounding it and interacting … Through this visualization technique I managed to have the team standing up by the board , and this way we created an informal creative meeting , where lots of ideas began to flow . Application I started by identifying in a visual way ( drawing simple pictures ) the way business people communicate using existing tools like Facebook . As it was a co - located workshop , I could involve everybody in standing up from their chair and actively participating , adding information on the board . After reaching a shared vision of what we could find in the market , on the second phase of the seminar we began to put on the board any valuable idea the startup had already created , which we considered it could bring any added value to the people using the new app we wanted to launch . We very quickly realized that there were very different visions in the room , and by drawing and working on the same board , and not using videoconferences to discuss , we were producing very valuable insights on the different visions the team had . As a moderator , by having all relevant information visualized on the board , I could drive the seminar in an effective manner for the startup team , and by the end of the day we had been successful on creating valuable output and pretty good assumptions to start prototyping . While applying visualization techniques with a 5 persons team , moderation is key : I was very concentrated on driving the workshop effectively . It is important that the team is creative and comes up with a lot of ideas , but at the same time we had only one day where we wanted to have the common vision as outcome of the workshop . Insight I really learned a lot out of this workshop . I had already had some videoconferences with the team , where we discussed their ideas , and I saw a lot of potential already in the suggestions which were coming up . But I wanted to avoid some typical brainstorming , so I think visualizing all ideas in a workshop with the complete team drawing their suggestions was just terrific . Since this one workshop , whenever I moderate any team or group discussion , I make sure there is a board in the room and enough materials to visualize whatever we are talking about ! Approach I think Visualization was the best choice as approach for this workshop , in order to secure the shared understanding of the startup team when it comes to setting up the vision of their new tool . What I would do next is to connect the ideas right away by creating personas . Personas should have been the result of the visualization workshop , as a lot of behaviour patterns came up , instead I collected the ideas and we designed a story map to be implemented as first assumption . Maybe connecting the outcome of the visualization workshop to personas in one go would have be a better outcome .