Design Thinking reflections.  By Diogo Costa   Nov. 10th, 2018    Challenge:​ I just became a partner of a small consulting firm, in Brazil . Our focus is to help  medium to large businesses to build and implement Strategic Planning (key goals, KPIs, etc).  My typical customers are local companies, still led by the founders’ family members, looking for  improving profitability and paving the way for the next decades. My challenge is most of the time  related to selling a vision, both for the present and for the future of my customers. Many times,  words, numbers and spreadsheets are not enough, I need something more powerful and thatś  where VISUALIZATION tool has been helping me to deliver some compelling stories     Selection: ​ Visualization is a tool that by using visual elements, sometimes combined with data,  helps us to communicate more efficiently with our audiences. One example: when I say or write  something each person in the audience will make his or her own image of what I am trying to  communicate. But on the other hand, when I draw my idea and build a compelling story, people  will visualize the same way I do… they may disagree, but at least we are all in the same page. I  like the way the book “Designing for Growth΅ (chapter 3) describes how visualization is the  transformation of information into images and the impact visualization has on human beings.     Application:​ One of my recent customers is a family owned brewery. I was called there to help  the company to reach profitability and prepare for growth. I had a large number of meetings to  collect the financial and operational data… and I was about to start preparing the recovery  scenarios when one idea came to mind… do I see the future of this company the same way the  owners would like it to be? Then I’ve decided to test it. In the following meeting we did not  discuss any numbers, I just asked the board of directors to draw of what they actually  envisioned for the future, and then a big revelation came. For more than we all were talking  about the same numbers and projections, their dream was very different from mine. I was  preparing the company to grow big while they wanted quality (products, points of sale, etc) and  more importantly, they wanted to enjoy a good life style… no more working long hours.    Insight:​ Well, my insight was very impactful to me and to this case. Our cultural differences  combined with our life experiences build on each of us different expectations for the future and  also for what we consider success.  I was building a scenario to the company that was  “success” to me and to my partners, but not to the company owners/directors. I am glad I  noticed this and was able to fix it.    Approach:​ Since I’ve completed the work at this customer (few months ago), I’ve started to use  the Visualization tool way more often. In some cases, when I see that the customer is more  open minded, I ask them to draw their desired future in the first meeting. And only then I start  collecting hard data from operations, market, competitors, etc… The case described above  really changed my professional life and the way my firm communicates with our customers.


Design Thinking reflections . By Diogo Costa Nov. 10th , 2018 Challenge:​ I just became a partner of a small consulting firm , in Brazil . Our focus is to help medium to large businesses to build and implement Strategic Planning ( key goals , KPIs , etc ) . My typical customers are local companies , still led by the founders ’ family members , looking for improving profitability and paving the way for the next decades . My challenge is most of the time related to selling a vision , both for the present and for the future of my customers . Many times , words , numbers and spreadsheets are not enough , I need something more powerful and thatś where VISUALIZATION tool has been helping me to deliver some compelling stories Selection : ​ Visualization is a tool that by using visual elements , sometimes combined with data , helps us to communicate more efficiently with our audiences . One example : when I say or write something each person in the audience will make his or her own image of what I am trying to communicate . But on the other hand , when I draw my idea and build a compelling story , people will visualize the same way I do … they may disagree , but at least we are all in the same page . I like the way the book “ Designing for Growth΅ ( chapter 3 ) describes how visualization is the transformation of information into images and the impact visualization has on human beings . Application:​ One of my recent customers is a family owned brewery . I was called there to help the company to reach profitability and prepare for growth . I had a large number of meetings to collect the financial and operational data … and I was about to start preparing the recovery scenarios when one idea came to mind … do I see the future of this company the same way the owners would like it to be ? Then I ’ve decided to test it . In the following meeting we did not discuss any numbers , I just asked the board of directors to draw of what they actually envisioned for the future , and then a big revelation came . For more than we all were talking about the same numbers and projections , their dream was very different from mine . I was preparing the company to grow big while they wanted quality ( products , points of sale , etc ) and more importantly , they wanted to enjoy a good life style … no more working long hours . Insight:​ Well , my insight was very impactful to me and to this case . Our cultural differences combined with our life experiences build on each of us different expectations for the future and also for what we consider success . I was building a scenario to the company that was “ success ” to me and to my partners , but not to the company owners / directors . I am glad I noticed this and was able to fix it . Approach:​ Since I ’ve completed the work at this customer ( few months ago ) , I ’ve started to use the Visualization tool way more often . In some cases , when I see that the customer is more open minded , I ask them to draw their desired future in the first meeting . And only then I start collecting hard data from operations , market , competitors , etc … The case described above really changed my professional life and the way my firm communicates with our customers .