Challenge & Selection

Information Visualization technics has been widely used in exploring complex data space. In  the area of management information systems visualization, the extreme complexity and  professional requirements of information needs of a diverse stakeholder make it hard to  design visualization strategies facilitating their daily works. This essay introduces an  interactive tool I used was the tool of Visualization, to achieve a shared understanding of a  problem space among a diverse group of stakeholders before attempting to identify and  define possible solutions to the problem. I use this approach often with our project  stakeholders, who are multilateral, bilateral, private sector, civil society and government  agencies working to apply technology innovations to modernize early warning triggers high  frequency monitoring system to UNDP project participants. I have used the technique of using  a straw man visualization of a problem domain with a set of questions or prompts for  discussion to allow a diverse group of stakeholders to learn from each other in the process of  defining the scope, boundaries, key elements, and relationships between elements to  consider when identifying pain points and opportunities for improvements or solutions.   Application

I start the process by creating a straw man graphic of the problem domain. This list is not  meant to be exhaustive but includes some examples of occasions when a straw man could be  used to drive team problem solving: Initial hypothesis for the overarching answer for a  stakeholder’s engagement; preliminary outline ("dot-dash") for a PowerPoint presentation  storyline; draft version of a PowerPoint page for making a particularly challenging point &  simple, working model in Excel that will eventually require more complex functionality.  To  this end, to develop the straw man graphic, I will draw from any existing material available to  understand the early warning function disaster early warning management environment in  Zimbabwe. The existing material may be operational or procedural documents, training  materials, or other context assessment reports. If materials are not available, then I conduct  informal interviews with all of the diverse stakeholders who serve as my main points of  contact on the project. If appropriate to the situation, I will borrow the concept to “front- stage/back-stage” from previous research, and discussed in David Gray’s book, “The  Connected Company”. The front-stage/back-stage approach helps to reinforce the notion  that every service – even an internal service – has project participants with whom the service  provider interacts and internal processes that enable the organization to provide the service.  The template I often start with also has a column on the left to identify potential role of the  stakeholders and a column on the right to identify the steering committee with oversight  functions. The straw man graphic is simple, using simple shapes and icons available in Visio or  on the Internet. If the front-stage/back-stage view doesn’t work, then I will create a different  type of visual, either based on a high-level process flow with swim lanes for different  stakeholders, or another format. For the activity, I will divide the stakeholders into groups of  7-8 participants each representing a different organization or area of interest. Each group  receives a poster-size copy of the straw man graphic that they can write on directly or use

sticky notes to make comments. I give them two-three questions to answer, such as: 1) What  key elements are missing from the graphic? 2) What would you change about the graphic to  make it more accurately reflect your problem space? 3) What key insights do you have about  the relationships between the entities in your problem space? I give them approximately 30  minutes to discuss the questions and mark up the graphic. Then I have each group report out  on their answers with their justifications to those three questions while pointing to the mark- ups on their poster. As each group reports out, I record commonalities in the insights of each  group, and then additional insights that come from the group discussion on an additional copy  of the graphic. After the session, I digitize each group’s poster as an item, create a view that  combines the shared and new insights from the group discussion, and then create a revised  graphic that incorporates their feedback and proposed changes that they agreed to as a  group.

Insight & Approach

The most important thing to design using the visualization tool is the user's conceptual model.  Everything else should be subordinated to making that model clear, obvious, and substantial.  That is almost exactly the opposite of how most technology-based solution is designed What  I have learned from conducting this exercise with several stakeholders is, in each of the  examples above, it is much easier for a group of people to engage in discussion about a draft  version of something rather than debating it in abstract.  The intent is never for the straw  man to be the ultimate answer, instead, it is a tool to help get to the best answer. The  arguments and ideas that arise from the straw man provide valuable feedback that inform  and improve the final answer.  Sometimes, the most successful straw man is the one that gets  discarded but adds tremendous value by revealing where the answer is NOT. Furthermore,  while the graphic – especially the revised graphic that incorporates their feedback – is  important for reinforcing their understanding of the problem they are working to solve; the  more valuable aspect of the activity is the shared insights and shared learning that occurs  while they are working to define their problem space. The graphic gives the diverse group of  stakeholders a focal point for discussion that allows them to share their perspectives and  develop insights into potential root causes of their problems. While they could create the  graphic from a blank slate in a collaborative manner, starting with a straw man jump starts  the conversation for them. They can quickly identify where they are in the graphic – or if they  are missing – and can more quickly gain new insights about relationships between key entities  instead of taking time to identify them. They can also identify variables in the problem space  – that is, it helps them to identify what they don’t know, in what areas they need to obtain  information or data to provide the values for the early warnings trigger indicators for  informing early warning and early action for the project stakeholders. Since I discovered that  the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning, next time I would use the  visualization tool as a starting point for a series of design thinking activities. Then the revised  graphic that incorporates their combined feedback can serve as a reference tool throughout  the remainder of their work.


Challenge & Selection Information Visualization technics has been widely used in exploring complex data space . In the area of management information systems visualization , the extreme complexity and professional requirements of information needs of a diverse stakeholder make it hard to design visualization strategies facilitating their daily works . This essay introduces an interactive tool I used was the tool of Visualization , to achieve a shared understanding of a problem space among a diverse group of stakeholders before attempting to identify and define possible solutions to the problem . I use this approach often with our project stakeholders , who are multilateral , bilateral , private sector , civil society and government agencies working to apply technology innovations to modernize early warning triggers high frequency monitoring system to UNDP project participants . I have used the technique of using a straw man visualization of a problem domain with a set of questions or prompts for discussion to allow a diverse group of stakeholders to learn from each other in the process of defining the scope , boundaries , key elements , and relationships between elements to consider when identifying pain points and opportunities for improvements or solutions . Application I start the process by creating a straw man graphic of the problem domain . This list is not meant to be exhaustive but includes some examples of occasions when a straw man could be used to drive team problem solving : Initial hypothesis for the overarching answer for a stakeholder ’s engagement ; preliminary outline ( " dot - dash " ) for a PowerPoint presentation storyline ; draft version of a PowerPoint page for making a particularly challenging point & simple , working model in Excel that will eventually require more complex functionality . To this end , to develop the straw man graphic , I will draw from any existing material available to understand the early warning function disaster early warning management environment in Zimbabwe . The existing material may be operational or procedural documents , training materials , or other context assessment reports . If materials are not available , then I conduct informal interviews with all of the diverse stakeholders who serve as my main points of contact on the project . If appropriate to the situation , I will borrow the concept to “ front- stage / back - stage ” from previous research , and discussed in David Gray ’s book , “ The Connected Company ” . The front - stage / back - stage approach helps to reinforce the notion that every service – even an internal service – has project participants with whom the service provider interacts and internal processes that enable the organization to provide the service . The template I often start with also has a column on the left to identify potential role of the stakeholders and a column on the right to identify the steering committee with oversight functions . The straw man graphic is simple , using simple shapes and icons available in Visio or on the Internet . If the front - stage / back - stage view does n’t work , then I will create a different type of visual , either based on a high - level process flow with swim lanes for different stakeholders , or another format . For the activity , I will divide the stakeholders into groups of 7 - 8 participants each representing a different organization or area of interest . Each group receives a poster - size copy of the straw man graphic that they can write on directly or use sticky notes to make comments . I give them two - three questions to answer , such as : 1 ) What key elements are missing from the graphic ? 2 ) What would you change about the graphic to make it more accurately reflect your problem space ? 3 ) What key insights do you have about the relationships between the entities in your problem space ? I give them approximately 30 minutes to discuss the questions and mark up the graphic . Then I have each group report out on their answers with their justifications to those three questions while pointing to the mark- ups on their poster . As each group reports out , I record commonalities in the insights of each group , and then additional insights that come from the group discussion on an additional copy of the graphic . After the session , I digitize each group ’s poster as an item , create a view that combines the shared and new insights from the group discussion , and then create a revised graphic that incorporates their feedback and proposed changes that they agreed to as a group . Insight & Approach The most important thing to design using the visualization tool is the user 's conceptual model . Everything else should be subordinated to making that model clear , obvious , and substantial . That is almost exactly the opposite of how most technology - based solution is designed What I have learned from conducting this exercise with several stakeholders is , in each of the examples above , it is much easier for a group of people to engage in discussion about a draft version of something rather than debating it in abstract . The intent is never for the straw man to be the ultimate answer , instead , it is a tool to help get to the best answer . The arguments and ideas that arise from the straw man provide valuable feedback that inform and improve the final answer . Sometimes , the most successful straw man is the one that gets discarded but adds tremendous value by revealing where the answer is NOT . Furthermore , while the graphic – especially the revised graphic that incorporates their feedback – is important for reinforcing their understanding of the problem they are working to solve ; the more valuable aspect of the activity is the shared insights and shared learning that occurs while they are working to define their problem space . The graphic gives the diverse group of stakeholders a focal point for discussion that allows them to share their perspectives and develop insights into potential root causes of their problems . While they could create the graphic from a blank slate in a collaborative manner , starting with a straw man jump starts the conversation for them . They can quickly identify where they are in the graphic – or if they are missing – and can more quickly gain new insights about relationships between key entities instead of taking time to identify them . They can also identify variables in the problem space – that is , it helps them to identify what they do n’t know , in what areas they need to obtain information or data to provide the values for the early warnings trigger indicators for informing early warning and early action for the project stakeholders . Since I discovered that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning , next time I would use the visualization tool as a starting point for a series of design thinking activities . Then the revised graphic that incorporates their combined feedback can serve as a reference tool throughout the remainder of their work .