Visualization Tool

Challenge & Selection

Mind Map is a tool that I am familiar with as I used it to organize my ideas, thoughts and plans before  any meeting with my supervisor during my Master program. I believe that Visualization simplify and  consolidate large amounts of information into a readable format.

This course has showed me how visualization can be also used in a design process and how it can used to  tackle various challenges.

In a manufacturing industry where I work, there are different challenges we face during the stages of  releasing any new products. From my experience, the challenges we face are in the planning stage as it  consume a lot of time because it is the stage where the entire release is structured from the beginning to  the end. Also, the founder involves himself in all the stages and takes most of the important decisions  related to product design and execution without delegating them to other team members, hence new  ideas comes up during the mid of the process and we fall off track with the main goal which is another  major challenge.

Application

As mentioned earlier, I have used the visualization tool (Mind Mapping) during my Master program. I  used it to highlight the main discussion point I would like to discuss with my supervisor before any  meeting starting from the “Thesis Topic” in the center of the diagram and detailed every sub-topic to  include in the thesis. It was very useful for me and for my supervisor who finds it so easy and simple way  to have a clear vision and structure the thesis ahead of time which makes it very simple to follow later.

After this course, I suggested to use the visualization thinking in one of the meeting which focuses on  developing existing access and attendance software. We started by collecting clients feedback from  different departments (Sales, Marketing and Customer Service). The meeting started by displaying the  visualized data on a large screen and pre-prepared set of questions are asked to expand  creative thinking and ensure everyone participate in the meeting. Participants were from different  departments with different experience and not only the technical team, the meeting was led by the  founder who was amazed at the amount of valuable information that was presented at the meeting and  how participants learn from each other. This practice also encourages teamwork where a diverse  experience and background team meet, share their ideas, consider customer needs and the problem to be  solved. This helped them to discover a lot of thoughts that was not been thought of earlier and whether  the suggestions discussed will address the problem.

Insight & Approach

I found that conducting brainstorming session and Mind Mapping tools are a great way to visualize ideas  and organize thoughts more productively especially at early stages of the design process such as defining,  and ideating.

The data collected focused on additional features to be added to the software and some customizations  requests. The visualized thinking allowed the team to define the key common features that need to be  added to the coming release. It assists in having a structured framework that incorporates all objectives  in order to avoid wavering off track.

It also used to have powerful and fruitful meetings to get everyone on the same page. The team will be  aware of the design criteria and the action plan to follow which in consequence eliminates the risk of  changing the design continuously whenever a new idea comes up.

Since using visualization tool has significantly reduced the time involves at the planning stage and  provides higher efficiency process. The team and founder have agreed to use it for all upcoming design  meetings and activities. The final graph/diagram will be used as a shared framework and guidelines for  the product release process.


Visualization Tool Challenge & Selection Mind Map is a tool that I am familiar with as I used it to organize my ideas , thoughts and plans before any meeting with my supervisor during my Master program . I believe that Visualization simplify and consolidate large amounts of information into a readable format . This course has showed me how visualization can be also used in a design process and how it can used to tackle various challenges . In a manufacturing industry where I work , there are different challenges we face during the stages of releasing any new products . From my experience , the challenges we face are in the planning stage as it consume a lot of time because it is the stage where the entire release is structured from the beginning to the end . Also , the founder involves himself in all the stages and takes most of the important decisions related to product design and execution without delegating them to other team members , hence new ideas comes up during the mid of the process and we fall off track with the main goal which is another major challenge . Application As mentioned earlier , I have used the visualization tool ( Mind Mapping ) during my Master program . I used it to highlight the main discussion point I would like to discuss with my supervisor before any meeting starting from the “ Thesis Topic ” in the center of the diagram and detailed every sub - topic to include in the thesis . It was very useful for me and for my supervisor who finds it so easy and simple way to have a clear vision and structure the thesis ahead of time which makes it very simple to follow later . After this course , I suggested to use the visualization thinking in one of the meeting which focuses on developing existing access and attendance software . We started by collecting clients feedback from different departments ( Sales , Marketing and Customer Service ) . The meeting started by displaying the visualized data on a large screen and pre - prepared set of questions are asked to expand creative thinking and ensure everyone participate in the meeting . Participants were from different departments with different experience and not only the technical team , the meeting was led by the founder who was amazed at the amount of valuable information that was presented at the meeting and how participants learn from each other . This practice also encourages teamwork where a diverse experience and background team meet , share their ideas , consider customer needs and the problem to be solved . This helped them to discover a lot of thoughts that was not been thought of earlier and whether the suggestions discussed will address the problem . Insight & Approach I found that conducting brainstorming session and Mind Mapping tools are a great way to visualize ideas and organize thoughts more productively especially at early stages of the design process such as defining , and ideating . The data collected focused on additional features to be added to the software and some customizations requests . The visualized thinking allowed the team to define the key common features that need to be added to the coming release . It assists in having a structured framework that incorporates all objectives in order to avoid wavering off track . It also used to have powerful and fruitful meetings to get everyone on the same page . The team will be aware of the design criteria and the action plan to follow which in consequence eliminates the risk of changing the design continuously whenever a new idea comes up . Since using visualization tool has significantly reduced the time involves at the planning stage and provides higher efficiency process . The team and founder have agreed to use it for all upcoming design meetings and activities . The final graph / diagram will be used as a shared framework and guidelines for the product release process .