Visualization

1. Challenge: Describe your challenge, including all relevant information.

I was working on the transformation of a complex delivery process. We had a service delivery of  200+ resources including analysts, developers, testers, delivering more than 300 simultaneous  projects. Projects were received via a demand manager, who was tracking the projects in Excel.  Team leads would pick up the project assignments via email, and it made it impossible to track.  We wanted to design a new process using a Project Portfolio management tool. However, the  implementation of the tool was quite time consuming, and we needed the key stakeholders to  visualize how the tool was going to work in real life, before actually having the tool available. The  key stakeholders would not approve the change to the new tool unless they could visualize that  the process was going to work.

2. Selection: In your own words, briefly describe the tool you selected (e.g., what it is and why you

selected it for your challenge -- including any appropriate video lecture references).

We decided to use visualization to resolve the challenge. We first had a workshop and used  visualization to represent the process in the whiteboard. Then, wWe created the updated process  in a swim lane diagram including some stick-mans and relevant pictograms of elements of the  process. We printed the diagram on an A2 paper so everyone could look at it and understand  how it was going to work.

3. Application: Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge (e.g., what you did

and how the tool was applied effectively or ineffectively).

On the first phase, the discovery workshop, it was absolutely key to use visualization to represent  the existing process. This process was not documented at all, and just being done. It was quite  revealing for stakeholders to see all the steps and boxes on the paper. We also used the  visualization to mark in a different colour all actions requiring manual consolidation, to highlight  inefficiencies.

On the second phase, we printed the new process in an A2. It was key to conduct all the  acceptance workshops of the first demo, as the stakeholders could follow the task with their eyes  in the process,  They would take notes on the margin if something had to be changed, and  visualizing how it was going to work.

4. Insight: Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your challenge

(e.g., how an insight affected your thinking about the challenge and about design thinking more  broadly).

I am generally a paperless person, but it made me think how people would feel more comfortable  having ideas and valuating their understanding using a paper representation. Being a big piece  of paper, we could stick it to the wall and run different scenarios using the process.

5. Approach: Describe what you might do differently next time -- applying the same tool you

selected or a different one -- and the reason(s) why.

I would have left the visualization permanently stuck to the wall, to help the team thinking about  improvements to the process and accepting this change as the new normal sooner.


Visualization 1 . Challenge : Describe your challenge , including all relevant information . I was working on the transformation of a complex delivery process . We had a service delivery of 200 + resources including analysts , developers , testers , delivering more than 300 simultaneous projects . Projects were received via a demand manager , who was tracking the projects in Excel . Team leads would pick up the project assignments via email , and it made it impossible to track . We wanted to design a new process using a Project Portfolio management tool . However , the implementation of the tool was quite time consuming , and we needed the key stakeholders to visualize how the tool was going to work in real life , before actually having the tool available . The key stakeholders would not approve the change to the new tool unless they could visualize that the process was going to work . 2 . Selection : In your own words , briefly describe the tool you selected ( e.g. , what it is and why you selected it for your challenge -- including any appropriate video lecture references ) . We decided to use visualization to resolve the challenge . We first had a workshop and used visualization to represent the process in the whiteboard . Then , wWe created the updated process in a swim lane diagram including some stick - mans and relevant pictograms of elements of the process . We printed the diagram on an A2 paper so everyone could look at it and understand how it was going to work . 3 . Application : Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge ( e.g. , what you did and how the tool was applied effectively or ineffectively ) . On the first phase , the discovery workshop , it was absolutely key to use visualization to represent the existing process . This process was not documented at all , and just being done . It was quite revealing for stakeholders to see all the steps and boxes on the paper . We also used the visualization to mark in a different colour all actions requiring manual consolidation , to highlight inefficiencies . On the second phase , we printed the new process in an A2 . It was key to conduct all the acceptance workshops of the first demo , as the stakeholders could follow the task with their eyes in the process , They would take notes on the margin if something had to be changed , and visualizing how it was going to work . 4 . Insight : Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your challenge ( e.g. , how an insight affected your thinking about the challenge and about design thinking more broadly ) . I am generally a paperless person , but it made me think how people would feel more comfortable having ideas and valuating their understanding using a paper representation . Being a big piece of paper , we could stick it to the wall and run different scenarios using the process . 5 . Approach : Describe what you might do differently next time -- applying the same tool you selected or a different one -- and the reason(s ) why . I would have left the visualization permanently stuck to the wall , to help the team thinking about improvements to the process and accepting this change as the new normal sooner .