Example	
  Reflection—Visualization

Challenge	
  &	
  Selection	
   	
   In	
  the	
  past	
  I	
  have	
  utilized	
  the	
  Visualization	
  tool	
  to	
  collaboratively	
   develop	
  strategies	
  for	
  achieving	
  desired	
  business	
  outcomes.	
  	
  	
  I	
  have	
   found	
  that	
  this	
  tool	
  works	
  very	
  well	
  when	
  developing	
  multi-­‐stakeholder	
   ecosystems	
  to	
  address	
  complex	
  business	
  challenges.	
  	
  	
   	
   As	
  described	
  in	
  this	
  course,	
  visualization	
  can	
  help	
  to	
  unlock	
  different	
   parts	
  of	
  the	
  brain	
  and	
  access	
  creativity	
  you	
  don’t	
  normally	
  use.	
  	
  An	
   example	
  of	
  steps	
  involved	
  in	
  the	
  visualization	
  process	
  include:	
  	
   	
   Exploration:	
  	
  Conducting	
  research;	
  understanding	
  customer	
   requirements	
   	
   Pattern	
  Finding:	
  Synthesizing	
  data	
  to	
  identify	
  key	
  patterns	
  that	
  help	
  to	
   identify	
  top	
  customer	
  requirements	
  and	
  possible	
  solutions	
   	
   Ideation:	
  where	
  collectively	
  the	
  team	
  generates	
  ideas	
  that	
  don’t	
   currently	
  exist	
  to	
  address	
  the	
  business	
  challenge	
   	
   Prototyping:	
  creating	
  storyboards	
  and	
  visual	
  scenarios	
  to	
  depict	
  new	
   ideas	
   	
   	
   Application	
   	
   The	
  visualization	
  tool	
  is	
  very	
  useful	
  when	
  trying	
  to	
  address	
  complex	
   global	
  challenges	
  in	
  business.	
  	
  In	
  my	
  line	
  of	
  work,	
  it	
  is	
  not	
  unusual	
  to	
   form	
  multi-­‐stakeholder	
  partnerships	
  to	
  work	
  on	
  global	
  initiatives.	
  	
  It	
  is	
   critical	
  to	
  involve	
  key	
  stakeholders,	
  and	
  to	
  develop	
  a	
  collaborative	
   framework	
  when	
  looking	
  for	
  innovative	
  solutions	
  to	
  complex	
  problems.	
  	
   By	
  engaging	
  with	
  team	
  members	
  across	
  the	
  ecosystem,	
  and	
  taking	
  into	
   account	
  multiple	
  perspectives,	
  the	
  exploration	
  and	
  pattern	
  finding	
  steps	
   of	
  the	
  visualization	
  process	
  often	
  uncover	
  customer	
  requirements,	
  gaps	
   in	
  existing	
  solutions	
  or	
  processes,	
  and	
  key	
  areas	
  that	
  need	
  to	
  be	
   addressed	
  that	
  would	
  have	
  been	
  missed	
  if	
  multiple	
  perspectives	
  had	
  not

been	
  taken	
  into	
  consideration.	
  	
  	
  It	
  has	
  been	
  my	
  experience	
  that	
  this	
   approach	
  also	
  ensures	
  that	
  there	
  is	
  a	
  common	
  understanding	
  of	
  the	
   problem	
  definition	
  and	
  the	
  desired	
  outcome	
  (the	
  design	
  criteria)	
  across	
   the	
  team	
  prior	
  to	
  moving	
  to	
  the	
  ideation	
  stage	
  of	
  the	
  visualization	
   process.	
  	
  	
   	
   In	
  the	
  ideation	
  /brainstorming	
  stage,	
  one	
  methodology	
  that	
  I	
  have	
  found	
   interesting	
  is	
  to	
  use	
  the	
  analogy	
  of	
  multiple	
  paths	
  to	
  the	
  top	
  of	
  the	
   mountain	
  (the	
  top	
  of	
  the	
  mountain	
  reflects	
  the	
  desired	
  business	
  goal).	
  	
   Each	
  path	
  represents	
  a	
  new	
  idea	
  or	
  strategy	
  for	
  reaching	
  that	
  goal.	
  	
   Team	
  members	
  are	
  asked	
  to	
  develop	
  the	
  idea	
  or	
  strategy	
  from	
  a	
  “tops	
   down”	
  perspective	
  or	
  a	
  “bottoms	
  up”	
  perspective.	
  	
  By	
  forcing	
  your	
  brain	
   to	
  work	
  both	
  ways,	
  you	
  uncover	
  ideas	
  or	
  steps	
  you	
  may	
  have	
  missed	
  by	
   just	
  focusing	
  on	
  one	
  way	
  of	
  thinking.	
  	
  	
   	
   Insight	
  and	
  Approach	
   	
   In	
  reflecting	
  on	
  my	
  utilization	
  of	
  the	
  tool,	
  I	
  see	
  that	
  I	
  am	
  naturally	
  drawn	
   to	
  exploration,	
  pattern	
  finding,	
  and	
  ideation.	
  	
  I	
  believe	
  that	
  I	
  have	
   successfully	
  leveraged	
  parts	
  of	
  the	
  visualization	
  tool—and	
  parts	
  of	
  the	
   design	
  process.	
  	
  One	
  of	
  the	
  greatest	
  insights	
  I	
  gained	
  as	
  a	
  result	
  of	
  this	
   course	
  is	
  the	
  importance	
  of	
  storyboarding/storytelling.	
  	
  As	
  a	
  result	
  of	
   this	
  course	
  I	
  will	
  focus	
  on	
  expanding	
  on	
  my	
  use	
  of	
   storyboarding/storytelling	
  to	
  develop	
  more	
  empathy/connection	
  with	
   my	
  target	
  audience.


Example Reflection — Visualization Challenge & Selection In the past I have utilized the Visualization tool to collaboratively develop strategies for achieving desired business outcomes . I have found that this tool works very well when developing multi-­‐stakeholder ecosystems to address complex business challenges . As described in this course , visualization can help to unlock different parts of the brain and access creativity you do n’t normally use . An example of steps involved in the visualization process include : Exploration : Conducting research ; understanding customer requirements Pattern Finding : Synthesizing data to identify key patterns that help to identify top customer requirements and possible solutions Ideation : where collectively the team generates ideas that do n’t currently exist to address the business challenge Prototyping : creating storyboards and visual scenarios to depict new ideas Application The visualization tool is very useful when trying to address complex global challenges in business . In my line of work , it is not unusual to form multi-­‐stakeholder partnerships to work on global initiatives . It is critical to involve key stakeholders , and to develop a collaborative framework when looking for innovative solutions to complex problems . By engaging with team members across the ecosystem , and taking into account multiple perspectives , the exploration and pattern finding steps of the visualization process often uncover customer requirements , gaps in existing solutions or processes , and key areas that need to be addressed that would have been missed if multiple perspectives had not been taken into consideration . It has been my experience that this approach also ensures that there is a common understanding of the problem definition and the desired outcome ( the design criteria ) across the team prior to moving to the ideation stage of the visualization process . In the ideation /brainstorming stage , one methodology that I have found interesting is to use the analogy of multiple paths to the top of the mountain ( the top of the mountain reflects the desired business goal ) . Each path represents a new idea or strategy for reaching that goal . Team members are asked to develop the idea or strategy from a “ tops down ” perspective or a “ bottoms up ” perspective . By forcing your brain to work both ways , you uncover ideas or steps you may have missed by just focusing on one way of thinking . Insight and Approach In reflecting on my utilization of the tool , I see that I am naturally drawn to exploration , pattern finding , and ideation . I believe that I have successfully leveraged parts of the visualization tool — and parts of the design process . One of the greatest insights I gained as a result of this course is the importance of storyboarding / storytelling . As a result of this course I will focus on expanding on my use of storyboarding / storytelling to develop more empathy / connection with my target audience .