Storytelling Problem Framing for Aviation

Shery Tavormina

Challenge  As a systems engineer, I am involved through the design, development, and deployment of new aviation  systems and services deployed. For the design process itself, I look for alternative, innovative ways to  address the problem faced by users in the aviation domain. Design Thinking adds value by providing new  techniques to extract operational shortfalls (issues) and needs (requirements) from the user community,  which includes air traffic controllers, safety and maintenance personnel, and pilots.

My current project is modernizing how information is shared and displayed to air traffic controllers.  Today, small pieces of paper capture a flight’s information, which includes destination and path taken to  get to the destination. The intent is to digitize this information, so electronic data can be easily displayed  and shared among air traffic controllers.

The challenge faced was to find innovative ways to solicit inputs on the problem space, gain consensus  on the problem, and identify possible solutions to address the problem with a very diverse group of  users. Traditionally, I would use surveys, interviews, loosely structured brainstorm sessions as a means  to quickly collect inputs regarding issues from the user community, who have different experiences, age,  and more. While these methods are valid ways to solicit user input, these traditional methods were  becoming very routine and we were having trouble soliciting diverse input and getting our users to fully  engage with us. I was concerned that my team was not going to be able to accurately articulate the  problem space, which we needed to be correct before having any discussions around the solution space.  I needed a more creative means to solicit user input, and Design Thinking afforded that opportunity.

Selection

Design Thinking provides a more methodological and objective way for problem solving. Storytelling is  one of the available tools within the Design Thinking toolkit, where a narrative (story) serves as a means  to communicate and share experiences in a very impactful way. This tool was selected to help facilitate a  discussion around the problem space. My team and I thought that Storytelling would be helpful in  framing the problem space and a strategy for solution, as described in Module 2. We wanted members  of our user community to tell about their experiences and problems that they faced.

This facilitation technique was helpful in that everyone was able to share their personal stories, events  they experienced, and lessons learned with the wider group. They shared what happened and who was  involved. These personal anecdotes were impactful and help build trust among the team. It helped my  team understand the operational shortfalls with how data is exchanged and displayed to air traffic  controllers.

Application  During the problem framing discussion, we wanted to explore the types of problems, the magnitude of  the problems, and the reason why the(se) issue(s) was unacceptable. We created a scenario that

sequentially laid out steps of what plane at an airport would be doing before departure. This scenario  served to guide our problem framing discussions and provide some context for our users, without trying  to limit the conversations too.

We asked our users to provide stories of the issues they faced (specifically any issues related to missing  data or getting data too late), in the context of how they would control the plane at their airport (the  scenario). The users shared stories about how information would be missed communicated during high  stressed situations. For example, large, popup, thunderstorms occur frequently in Chicago, Il, and one  controller from that area shared a story of how he had to write down on paper reminder notes to help  him keep track of which flights needed a reroute (to avoid the storm) or which ones wanted to depart  later after the storm had passed. They expressed how having information printed and written down was  very ineffective. And they shared how there could have been a big operational safety issue when his  papers accidently were shuffled and moved, because he had lost track of the flights he was working  with.

These personal stories included nuggets of the issues that the users faced, and we were able to capture  these issues. Others in the discussion were able to react to each other’s stories, empathize with one  another, and even coalesce around what they all felt were major issues that needed to be addressed.

Insight  The user community was a broad representation of air traffic controllers, with a range of experience.  Storytelling was a very valuable technique to use with my users because not all airports operate  similarly, so it was important for each member to listen and understand the experiences and pain points  that others face. It was very important that we had a pretty broad representation of the user  community to have a successful problem framing discussion. If we had a limited set of users, all with  similar experiences for the discussion, my team and I would have had had a very limited understanding  of the real issues, biasing any future discussions and limiting the solution space. Reflecting upon that  meeting, I also think trust is another key component to Design Thinking. It is necessary for everyone to  feel comfortable sharing their perspectives with one another. As stated in the videos for the course,  empathy is key, and it is important to listen, regardless if you are a user sharing your perspectives or an  engineer who is looking to develop a solution for the problem. In these discussions, I recognized that I  was not an expert on air traffic control, and that my role in these discussions was to recognize and  elevate the inputs to the problem space provided by everyone, only interjecting if I thought there was  an opportunity to dive further into the problem.

Storytelling is not a traditional systems engineering method for soliciting input on the problem or  solution space. Yet, it is critical for systems engineers to understand this from the intended users’  perspective. Design Thinking provides alternative methods for how to have these types of conversations.  Storytelling was a way to really engage with the user community, have a lively conversation, and  generate more meaningful feedback. In my job today, I am continuously looking for opportunities to  leverage these tools that will help with idea generation.

Approach  If I had to do this all over again, I may try Visualization or even mixing Storytelling with Visualization. We  had introduced a scenario in our Storytelling discussion as a means to provide some context (e.g., given

X scenario, what problems do you face). Visualization would be another way to express the problem  space, where our users could draw/map out their negative experiences in a storyboard. We could have  had a visual tool that outlined a journey map, and then collected inputs on what did not work. We did  not have any visual aids during the discussion, and only sticky notes to capture the issues gleaned from  the Storytelling exercises.


Storytelling Problem Framing for Aviation Shery Tavormina Challenge As a systems engineer , I am involved through the design , development , and deployment of new aviation systems and services deployed . For the design process itself , I look for alternative , innovative ways to address the problem faced by users in the aviation domain . Design Thinking adds value by providing new techniques to extract operational shortfalls ( issues ) and needs ( requirements ) from the user community , which includes air traffic controllers , safety and maintenance personnel , and pilots . My current project is modernizing how information is shared and displayed to air traffic controllers . Today , small pieces of paper capture a flight ’s information , which includes destination and path taken to get to the destination . The intent is to digitize this information , so electronic data can be easily displayed and shared among air traffic controllers . The challenge faced was to find innovative ways to solicit inputs on the problem space , gain consensus on the problem , and identify possible solutions to address the problem with a very diverse group of users . Traditionally , I would use surveys , interviews , loosely structured brainstorm sessions as a means to quickly collect inputs regarding issues from the user community , who have different experiences , age , and more . While these methods are valid ways to solicit user input , these traditional methods were becoming very routine and we were having trouble soliciting diverse input and getting our users to fully engage with us . I was concerned that my team was not going to be able to accurately articulate the problem space , which we needed to be correct before having any discussions around the solution space . I needed a more creative means to solicit user input , and Design Thinking afforded that opportunity . Selection Design Thinking provides a more methodological and objective way for problem solving . Storytelling is one of the available tools within the Design Thinking toolkit , where a narrative ( story ) serves as a means to communicate and share experiences in a very impactful way . This tool was selected to help facilitate a discussion around the problem space . My team and I thought that Storytelling would be helpful in framing the problem space and a strategy for solution , as described in Module 2 . We wanted members of our user community to tell about their experiences and problems that they faced . This facilitation technique was helpful in that everyone was able to share their personal stories , events they experienced , and lessons learned with the wider group . They shared what happened and who was involved . These personal anecdotes were impactful and help build trust among the team . It helped my team understand the operational shortfalls with how data is exchanged and displayed to air traffic controllers . Application During the problem framing discussion , we wanted to explore the types of problems , the magnitude of the problems , and the reason why the(se ) issue(s ) was unacceptable . We created a scenario that sequentially laid out steps of what plane at an airport would be doing before departure . This scenario served to guide our problem framing discussions and provide some context for our users , without trying to limit the conversations too . We asked our users to provide stories of the issues they faced ( specifically any issues related to missing data or getting data too late ) , in the context of how they would control the plane at their airport ( the scenario ) . The users shared stories about how information would be missed communicated during high stressed situations . For example , large , popup , thunderstorms occur frequently in Chicago , Il , and one controller from that area shared a story of how he had to write down on paper reminder notes to help him keep track of which flights needed a reroute ( to avoid the storm ) or which ones wanted to depart later after the storm had passed . They expressed how having information printed and written down was very ineffective . And they shared how there could have been a big operational safety issue when his papers accidently were shuffled and moved , because he had lost track of the flights he was working with . These personal stories included nuggets of the issues that the users faced , and we were able to capture these issues . Others in the discussion were able to react to each other ’s stories , empathize with one another , and even coalesce around what they all felt were major issues that needed to be addressed . Insight The user community was a broad representation of air traffic controllers , with a range of experience . Storytelling was a very valuable technique to use with my users because not all airports operate similarly , so it was important for each member to listen and understand the experiences and pain points that others face . It was very important that we had a pretty broad representation of the user community to have a successful problem framing discussion . If we had a limited set of users , all with similar experiences for the discussion , my team and I would have had had a very limited understanding of the real issues , biasing any future discussions and limiting the solution space . Reflecting upon that meeting , I also think trust is another key component to Design Thinking . It is necessary for everyone to feel comfortable sharing their perspectives with one another . As stated in the videos for the course , empathy is key , and it is important to listen , regardless if you are a user sharing your perspectives or an engineer who is looking to develop a solution for the problem . In these discussions , I recognized that I was not an expert on air traffic control , and that my role in these discussions was to recognize and elevate the inputs to the problem space provided by everyone , only interjecting if I thought there was an opportunity to dive further into the problem . Storytelling is not a traditional systems engineering method for soliciting input on the problem or solution space . Yet , it is critical for systems engineers to understand this from the intended users ’ perspective . Design Thinking provides alternative methods for how to have these types of conversations . Storytelling was a way to really engage with the user community , have a lively conversation , and generate more meaningful feedback . In my job today , I am continuously looking for opportunities to leverage these tools that will help with idea generation . Approach If I had to do this all over again , I may try Visualization or even mixing Storytelling with Visualization . We had introduced a scenario in our Storytelling discussion as a means to provide some context ( e.g. , given X scenario , what problems do you face ) . Visualization would be another way to express the problem space , where our users could draw / map out their negative experiences in a storyboard . We could have had a visual tool that outlined a journey map , and then collected inputs on what did not work . We did not have any visual aids during the discussion , and only sticky notes to capture the issues gleaned from the Storytelling exercises .