Example Reflection – Visualization

Challenge & Selection

I’m head of customer experience management team in telecom sector and my/ our challenge  is to improve the customer experinces (activities and process) for our customers in our service  channels which are digital, face to face and call center in the company.

Visualisation is a core component of the way that we communicate, whether we're aware of it  or not. When I’m dealing with very complex problems, I’m enacting a different kind of  problem solving that has to bring in more than just logic. Visualisation allows us to think in a  non-verbal way and access parts of our brain, our creativity. Visualisation is equal parts  listening, thinking and drawing. Listening is the input, thinking is the processing and drawing  is the output. These three skills work together equally in understanding complexity,  visualising outcomes to create new possibilities.

Our team has already gone through several design thinking activities/tools, so we are ready to  try the visualization tool. Visual tools that can be used for understanding the problem are for  e.g. personas, mind map, customer journey maps, moodboard.

I often use this approach with my collegues, customer experience designers working to  improve experiences of customers. Also I use this method while working on a problematic  issues and pain points in customer journeys with people working in different departments in  the company.

I recently have used the technique of using visualization tools to define the our problems in  customer complaint journey. Because while the stakeholders working in the channels  conveyed by the complaint said there was no problem, the increase in the number of  complaints indicated that there was a problem. We needed to define the main problems and all  related group of stakeholders have discussed the end to end process all service channells and  we learned from each others the pain points and opportunities our improvements or solutions  areas.

Application

I organized a workshop to discuss the all details of the customer journey with the related  steakholders in company. But before workshop I had to build a good understanding of the  problem that we are trying to solve. So I got all process informations, insights, data, photos  Because creating a research ewall is a great way to display insights, photos, and artifacts – all  the relevant research outputs in one place.

In an workshop I started to draw the process by creating a stickman which defines the our  client, I used some photos for defining the all kind of clients and The other existing materails  were operational data, complaint management system informations, customers’ complaints  reports, voice of customers and employees and some analytics data.

I also drew shapes of these materials on a whiteboard. I completed the simple end to end  complaint journey map for 3 personas.( we defined main personas with all participants in an  meeting)

Then I divided the participants in the workshop into 3 groups (representing a different  department or area of interest) I gave three diffrent colors (red&green&yallow) post-its to  write their comments

I defined three questions to answer, such as;   a) What are the parts you think are missing in the process?

b) What would you change about the graphic to make it better?

c) Which customer’s group do you think is having more problems in this journey map? Why?

Then they started to work on this process map. I gave them approximately 30 minutes to  discuss the questions and stick the comments the process map. When the work was finished,  the spokesperson of each group reported their findings on post-its, which he uploaded on the  drawing. After sharing all 3 teams, we finalized the process drawing by making a final  evaluation. Finally, we work on the drowing the process and achieved a sense of agreement  and consensus with my stakeholders. In an workshop,we were being able to understand each  others and aligned our ideas. After the session, I move the poster of each group to the digital  platform. I create final the end-to-end journey map, which includes information shared from  the group discussion. (emotions,pain points,channel interactions…)

Insight & Approach

Using the visualization method, I enabled the participants to see the whole picture, and when  ideas, thoughts and emotions were illustrated, a much more detailed Picture emerged.

The beauty of using Visualisation is that we can tap into a single picture. The more you begin  to use pictures, the more that you begin to diagram while you talk and create a visual image  for people of how you are thinking. Visualisation takes us beyond just using words or  language alone.

The world will always need people who can see the bigger picture - those who listen, who  find patterns, and make connections. The world around us is complex and needs us to  strengthen our ability capture and organise ideas. We need more clarity. We need more shared  understanding. We need more simplicity. The more likely you are to achieve a sense of  agreement and consensus with people, the more you are likely to draw out conversation. In an  environment where your ability to get things done and to solve problems is dependent on  other people being able to understand you and align their ideas with yours.

It's very easy to create a simple diagram –  and most anyone can draw a stick figure, a circle, a  square, or an arrow. Those are the basic building blocks of creating a Visualisation.

When you get to concept development, Visualisation becomes incredibly useful. Your brain is  creating pictures of something that doesn't yet exist. It's creating pictures of something that  will soon be. As we move forward into prototyping, we get much more detailed in the way  that we start to visualise. Then we create very complex diagrams or maps of how we think the  customer experience is going to work ideally.

Pictures and images enable us to not only help people understand what it is we're trying to do  but to help persuade them in the worthiness of that particular idea or the strength of that  concept.

This can be a little intimidating at first for some. I think that people will find that once they  start getting in the habit of doing that, you quickly see how the rest of the room responds to  you when you get up and you start drawing.


Example Reflection – Visualization Challenge & Selection I ’m head of customer experience management team in telecom sector and my/ our challenge is to improve the customer experinces ( activities and process ) for our customers in our service channels which are digital , face to face and call center in the company . Visualisation is a core component of the way that we communicate , whether we 're aware of it or not . When I ’m dealing with very complex problems , I ’m enacting a different kind of problem solving that has to bring in more than just logic . Visualisation allows us to think in a non - verbal way and access parts of our brain , our creativity . Visualisation is equal parts listening , thinking and drawing . Listening is the input , thinking is the processing and drawing is the output . These three skills work together equally in understanding complexity , visualising outcomes to create new possibilities . Our team has already gone through several design thinking activities / tools , so we are ready to try the visualization tool . Visual tools that can be used for understanding the problem are for e.g. personas , mind map , customer journey maps , moodboard . I often use this approach with my collegues , customer experience designers working to improve experiences of customers . Also I use this method while working on a problematic issues and pain points in customer journeys with people working in different departments in the company . I recently have used the technique of using visualization tools to define the our problems in customer complaint journey . Because while the stakeholders working in the channels conveyed by the complaint said there was no problem , the increase in the number of complaints indicated that there was a problem . We needed to define the main problems and all related group of stakeholders have discussed the end to end process all service channells and we learned from each others the pain points and opportunities our improvements or solutions areas . Application I organized a workshop to discuss the all details of the customer journey with the related steakholders in company . But before workshop I had to build a good understanding of the problem that we are trying to solve . So I got all process informations , insights , data , photos Because creating a research ewall is a great way to display insights , photos , and artifacts – all the relevant research outputs in one place . In an workshop I started to draw the process by creating a stickman which defines the our client , I used some photos for defining the all kind of clients and The other existing materails were operational data , complaint management system informations , customers ’ complaints reports , voice of customers and employees and some analytics data . I also drew shapes of these materials on a whiteboard . I completed the simple end to end complaint journey map for 3 personas . ( we defined main personas with all participants in an meeting ) Then I divided the participants in the workshop into 3 groups ( representing a different department or area of interest ) I gave three diffrent colors ( red&green&yallow ) post - its to write their comments I defined three questions to answer , such as ; a ) What are the parts you think are missing in the process ? b ) What would you change about the graphic to make it better ? c ) Which customer ’s group do you think is having more problems in this journey map ? Why ? Then they started to work on this process map . I gave them approximately 30 minutes to discuss the questions and stick the comments the process map . When the work was finished , the spokesperson of each group reported their findings on post - its , which he uploaded on the drawing . After sharing all 3 teams , we finalized the process drawing by making a final evaluation . Finally , we work on the drowing the process and achieved a sense of agreement and consensus with my stakeholders . In an workshop , we were being able to understand each others and aligned our ideas . After the session , I move the poster of each group to the digital platform . I create final the end - to - end journey map , which includes information shared from the group discussion . ( emotions , pain points , channel interactions … ) Insight & Approach Using the visualization method , I enabled the participants to see the whole picture , and when ideas , thoughts and emotions were illustrated , a much more detailed Picture emerged . The beauty of using Visualisation is that we can tap into a single picture . The more you begin to use pictures , the more that you begin to diagram while you talk and create a visual image for people of how you are thinking . Visualisation takes us beyond just using words or language alone . The world will always need people who can see the bigger picture - those who listen , who find patterns , and make connections . The world around us is complex and needs us to strengthen our ability capture and organise ideas . We need more clarity . We need more shared understanding . We need more simplicity . The more likely you are to achieve a sense of agreement and consensus with people , the more you are likely to draw out conversation . In an environment where your ability to get things done and to solve problems is dependent on other people being able to understand you and align their ideas with yours . It 's very easy to create a simple diagram – and most anyone can draw a stick figure , a circle , a square , or an arrow . Those are the basic building blocks of creating a Visualisation . When you get to concept development , Visualisation becomes incredibly useful . Your brain is creating pictures of something that does n't yet exist . It 's creating pictures of something that will soon be . As we move forward into prototyping , we get much more detailed in the way that we start to visualise . Then we create very complex diagrams or maps of how we think the customer experience is going to work ideally . Pictures and images enable us to not only help people understand what it is we 're trying to do but to help persuade them in the worthiness of that particular idea or the strength of that concept . This can be a little intimidating at first for some . I think that people will find that once they start getting in the habit of doing that , you quickly see how the rest of the room responds to you when you get up and you start drawing .