Reflection - Visualization

Challenge & Selection     The tool I chose was visualization due to the major impact it has helped me with throughout my  military career.  It was not that long ago that I was had the challenge of having to go brief  higher-ranking officers on ideas I had within the innovation realm; to try and improve concepts  and pre-existing structures within the military.  The only way I was able to show what I believed  to be a great idea, was by a 3-Dimensional proof of concept.     I had an idea of showing correlated-variables in vehicles that would become inoperable, by  collecting enough data and averaging/quantifying the causes for a vehicle to become  inoperable.  I was trying to pitch to this panel of judges that we need to develop a computer  program that can accumulate variables, spit out what these variables combined will do to your  vehicle, and you use this to forecast when to purchase vehicle parts.  In order to show exactly  why a program would be required, I needed to think of a way to first visually show that vehicles  become broken/deadlined repeatedly when specific variables arose, and I needed to show that  multiple variables showing up can be directly correlated to when we found specific parts on the  vehicles being broken or unserviceable.  Explaining this in just words, like I will try to in the  application section, shows exactly why a 3-D proof of concept is required.      Application     As you can imagine, there are hundreds of thousands of variables that can be stand-alone and  cause a vehicle to die, or can be grouped together in order for the vehicle to die.  I aimed at  creating a visual tool to show what I was talking about in front of this board of high-ranking  officers, and succeeded by making a 3-D cube made of plexiglass.  The had labels on the sides  of it that described general issues that could affect vehicle health, and then pieces of string  connected all around the sides, with different, more specific issues being labeled.   A white  bead, labeled with a number, will connect multiple pieces of string, showing how multiple  variables equal a specific part of the vehicle breaking and needing replacement.  Then there  would be an index of numbers for the beads in the cube, and would correlate to what part  required purchasing and replacement before the variables broke that specific part.    When I stood in front of the panel of service members that judged my idea, the cube did a  wonderful thing; it drew their attention not to fancy words I was saying, but the exact problem.  I  literally threw the problem in their face, and everyone in the room immediately knew what I was  talking about.  I had service members  with 26 years of experience in the room look at the cube  and say “Wow, I wish we had that in Iraq back in ‘06”, as I had shown them a new concept not  yet developed in the US military.  They immediately understood how important data collection  on something as simple as driving was.  As I turned the cube around all of its sides, I was able  to show that you can collect data and begin to correlate a vehicle driving at 25mph on a windy

day, in the rain, over rocks for a quarter mile, while going downhill with the vehicle in low-drive,  and that the vehicle also needed a new transmission three days later.  This was I was striving to  describe in words, but had difficulty in, and using the visualization tool helped me in succeeding.    Insight & Approach     My insight into using the visualization was very positive.  I was able to reach the “customer  basis” and get everyone on the same page and agree with the idea.  Doing it over, however, I  would have done a test-trial on my own and brought hard evidence that this method worked.  I  stood in front of the panel pitching a brand new idea, essentially with no hard facts that it would  work, even though theoretically it would.  In my line of work, however, hard facts win over theory  any time the two are compared.  I would say that using a combination of evidence with  scaled-down theory would have proven more effective, and more financial obligations would  have been given to my concept for further research.     For further approaches into this concept, I will definitely be using the after-actions gained from  my insights, and use a combination of hard, tested evidence that my theory will work, and then  the 3-D proof of concept into the theory to visualize what my data actually represents.  I believe  that others in the room who maybe still struggle believing that this concept of correlated  variables affecting vehicle health will be able to see that this is a real issue with the evidence I  bring, and then visualize the underlying problem with the visualization tool I provide.


Reflection - Visualization Challenge & Selection The tool I chose was visualization due to the major impact it has helped me with throughout my military career . It was not that long ago that I was had the challenge of having to go brief higher - ranking officers on ideas I had within the innovation realm ; to try and improve concepts and pre - existing structures within the military . The only way I was able to show what I believed to be a great idea , was by a 3 - Dimensional proof of concept . I had an idea of showing correlated - variables in vehicles that would become inoperable , by collecting enough data and averaging / quantifying the causes for a vehicle to become inoperable . I was trying to pitch to this panel of judges that we need to develop a computer program that can accumulate variables , spit out what these variables combined will do to your vehicle , and you use this to forecast when to purchase vehicle parts . In order to show exactly why a program would be required , I needed to think of a way to first visually show that vehicles become broken / deadlined repeatedly when specific variables arose , and I needed to show that multiple variables showing up can be directly correlated to when we found specific parts on the vehicles being broken or unserviceable . Explaining this in just words , like I will try to in the application section , shows exactly why a 3 - D proof of concept is required . Application As you can imagine , there are hundreds of thousands of variables that can be stand - alone and cause a vehicle to die , or can be grouped together in order for the vehicle to die . I aimed at creating a visual tool to show what I was talking about in front of this board of high - ranking officers , and succeeded by making a 3 - D cube made of plexiglass . The had labels on the sides of it that described general issues that could affect vehicle health , and then pieces of string connected all around the sides , with different , more specific issues being labeled . A white bead , labeled with a number , will connect multiple pieces of string , showing how multiple variables equal a specific part of the vehicle breaking and needing replacement . Then there would be an index of numbers for the beads in the cube , and would correlate to what part required purchasing and replacement before the variables broke that specific part . When I stood in front of the panel of service members that judged my idea , the cube did a wonderful thing ; it drew their attention not to fancy words I was saying , but the exact problem . I literally threw the problem in their face , and everyone in the room immediately knew what I was talking about . I had service members with 26 years of experience in the room look at the cube and say “ Wow , I wish we had that in Iraq back in ‘ 06 ” , as I had shown them a new concept not yet developed in the US military . They immediately understood how important data collection on something as simple as driving was . As I turned the cube around all of its sides , I was able to show that you can collect data and begin to correlate a vehicle driving at 25 mph on a windy day , in the rain , over rocks for a quarter mile , while going downhill with the vehicle in low - drive , and that the vehicle also needed a new transmission three days later . This was I was striving to describe in words , but had difficulty in , and using the visualization tool helped me in succeeding . Insight & Approach My insight into using the visualization was very positive . I was able to reach the “ customer basis ” and get everyone on the same page and agree with the idea . Doing it over , however , I would have done a test - trial on my own and brought hard evidence that this method worked . I stood in front of the panel pitching a brand new idea , essentially with no hard facts that it would work , even though theoretically it would . In my line of work , however , hard facts win over theory any time the two are compared . I would say that using a combination of evidence with scaled - down theory would have proven more effective , and more financial obligations would have been given to my concept for further research . For further approaches into this concept , I will definitely be using the after - actions gained from my insights , and use a combination of hard , tested evidence that my theory will work , and then the 3 - D proof of concept into the theory to visualize what my data actually represents . I believe that others in the room who maybe still struggle believing that this concept of correlated variables affecting vehicle health will be able to see that this is a real issue with the evidence I bring , and then visualize the underlying problem with the visualization tool I provide .