Reflection–Visualization

Challenge & Selection

As a software engineer, I use visualization in many challenges I face whether during teaching  courses, delivering presentations or developing software. I particularly found it extremely  helpful when I worked as a mobile application developer freelancer. This job requires interacting  directly with customers from various backgrounds.

Typically, customers have hard time articulating their needs and expectations from a mobile  application project. Developing software for a client based on merely verbal communication is  quite risky as the end result might be completely different from the desired outcome. This does  not only upset the client but it wastes a lot of my time. Luckily, I was introduced to the  visualization tool by one of the clients and was amazed at how easy and efficient it made the  communication with my clients.

Application

In one of my projects, I requested the client to provide a requirement document that specifies  all the functionality they want to have in the application. I received that document and, to my  surprise, many other sketches showing how the client is envisioning the application to be. Each  sketch represents a single page with the required elements and their layout. These sketches  helped to evaluate whether the customer expectations were realistic at an early stage. Then,  together with the client, we started tweaking and manipulating the sketches to ensure that  expensive complex elements are simplified. After we finished modifying the sketches, I  estimated the development cost for each sketch weighing in the effort needed.

Insight

Using the visualization tool was really effective in avoiding future conflicts that are encountered  with verbal requirement documents which are more subjected to various interpretations. It  served as a decipherer of the client’s cluttered thoughts and as I roadmap during the project  lifecycle. Furthermore, some clients underestimate the complexity of software development  and tend to explain difficult features in a very simplistic and abstracted manner. Visualization  tool allow clients to build on top of that abstraction layer and expose the essential elements  they wish to have in the application.

Approach

I was always fascinated by visuals but I never imagined how practical visualization can be. After  discovering this tool through my experience and this course, I can think of many avenues to  utilize it and get the most from it. People understand words differently but visuals are much  more universal. I would like to uncover and master more aspects of visualization before jumping

to other design thinking tools because I believe effective communication is the secret to connect  deeply with clients and stakeholders.


Reflection – Visualization Challenge & Selection As a software engineer , I use visualization in many challenges I face whether during teaching courses , delivering presentations or developing software . I particularly found it extremely helpful when I worked as a mobile application developer freelancer . This job requires interacting directly with customers from various backgrounds . Typically , customers have hard time articulating their needs and expectations from a mobile application project . Developing software for a client based on merely verbal communication is quite risky as the end result might be completely different from the desired outcome . This does not only upset the client but it wastes a lot of my time . Luckily , I was introduced to the visualization tool by one of the clients and was amazed at how easy and efficient it made the communication with my clients . Application In one of my projects , I requested the client to provide a requirement document that specifies all the functionality they want to have in the application . I received that document and , to my surprise , many other sketches showing how the client is envisioning the application to be . Each sketch represents a single page with the required elements and their layout . These sketches helped to evaluate whether the customer expectations were realistic at an early stage . Then , together with the client , we started tweaking and manipulating the sketches to ensure that expensive complex elements are simplified . After we finished modifying the sketches , I estimated the development cost for each sketch weighing in the effort needed . Insight Using the visualization tool was really effective in avoiding future conflicts that are encountered with verbal requirement documents which are more subjected to various interpretations . It served as a decipherer of the client ’s cluttered thoughts and as I roadmap during the project lifecycle . Furthermore , some clients underestimate the complexity of software development and tend to explain difficult features in a very simplistic and abstracted manner . Visualization tool allow clients to build on top of that abstraction layer and expose the essential elements they wish to have in the application . Approach I was always fascinated by visuals but I never imagined how practical visualization can be . After discovering this tool through my experience and this course , I can think of many avenues to utilize it and get the most from it . People understand words differently but visuals are much more universal . I would like to uncover and master more aspects of visualization before jumping to other design thinking tools because I believe effective communication is the secret to connect deeply with clients and stakeholders .