Reflection – Visualization

Challenge

I am a design student and recently, while interning with an organisation, we worked on a  redevelopment project on one of our city’s Public Schools. Our aim was to make designs for the new  school, which would be first of its kind in terms of schooling and facilities, in order to improve the  level of education offered by current schools and likely, increase admission entries and  consequently, revenue generated. We were 5 in a team working on the designs but our superiors,  were officials who weren’t from the field of design.

The project faced a lot of hurdles and was limited to a set low budget, a hasty 45 days until  redesigned, redone and reopened for all, and indisputably faced challenges of bureaucratic  inefficiency. Trying to make the officials understand and align with our ideas and achieve a sense of  agreement & consensus was also a daunting and rigorous task as they were not used imagining the  invisible.

Selection

After much brainstorming on ways to make the officials more conformed to our designs, we finally  thought of taking the first plunge into the world of design thinking and ready the tool of  visualization. Visualization is about visual thinking, thinking in a non-verbal way. It is a core  component of the way that we communicate and moves mountains to make ideas comprehendible,  tangible and concrete from the designer to receiver’s brain, thus, is ideal for helping the executives  to picture the design ideas with ease.

Application

In order to reach out to our left-brained officials, we used a multitude of visual formats from “draw a  picture, tell a story, take a photo, or make a map” as informed by Ms Angela Myers (from Module 1).  As the challenge needs a simple, yet effective way of crisp communication, visualisation uses  dynamics beyond language/words.

Thus, instead of showcasing well-detailed technical drawings of the site or merely talking about the  spatial plan, business plan and other pitch worthy ideas, we decided to give them a whole tour of  the space. My colleague, capitalised on her artistic skills, created a series of detailed but aesthetic  site sketches and story board which helped understand the site with regard to this location, cultural  and educational context. For myself, I created a number of ‘Photoshopped’ images that helped  imagine the before and after scenarios with utmost ease and also created a set of digital renders  including a 360 degree VR experience, by putting to use my 3D modelling and rendering skills, to give  them the opportunity to immerse completely into the concept and emerge as more informed,  convinced and satisfied individuals who hopefully will come to a consensus with our ideology and  vision or better yet, give a fair, justified assessment of the suggested solutions.

Insight

By applying the mighty tool of visualisation, our team helped the officials think, imagine and  immerse into possibilities they have never seen before, with extrapolation and inductive reasoning.  Additionally, visualisation helped bring viable, critical feedback by the superiors which wouldn’t have  been possible otherwise. We got to hone on all the team members’ skillsets and apply them in a way  to maximise the project’s efficiency and eminence.

We expected the officials to just visually put together bits and pieces of the plan but they got to  really dive deep into not a 2D space but a 3D experience which was unprecedented and pleasantly  shocking for us and them. This kind of effort, made these stakeholders so happy that they approved  the designs after giving constructive criticism and also evolved to obtain a fairly open thought  process which let us wiggle with more levy and further, revisit our designs with all the essential  insights ready to analyse. I think visualization was the most ideal tool to use in such a situation and it  helped all the stakeholders directly and indirectly. This made me succumb to the power of design  thinking and truly appreciate how impressive, persuasive and dominant it is and can be.

Approach

Given that our team has already gone through several design thinking activities/tools to help boost  the relationship with our superiors, and are at this stage in the timeline, visualization was an ideal  and most appropriate tool. As previously mentioned, our team needs to review the insight gained  and incorporate this feedback into future spatial designs. These designs should include well- articulated, comprehensive visions which reflect the insights, the development and bring us closer to  a persuasive solution ready to be executed.

If asked to redo this design and/or developmental process, I would maybe look at using visualisation  along with storytelling while pitching my ideas for a more enhanced experience which could further  instil more confidence of our team and our work, amongst the once rigid thinking of officials.


Reflection – Visualization Challenge I am a design student and recently , while interning with an organisation , we worked on a redevelopment project on one of our city ’s Public Schools . Our aim was to make designs for the new school , which would be first of its kind in terms of schooling and facilities , in order to improve the level of education offered by current schools and likely , increase admission entries and consequently , revenue generated . We were 5 in a team working on the designs but our superiors , were officials who were n’t from the field of design . The project faced a lot of hurdles and was limited to a set low budget , a hasty 45 days until redesigned , redone and reopened for all , and indisputably faced challenges of bureaucratic inefficiency . Trying to make the officials understand and align with our ideas and achieve a sense of agreement & consensus was also a daunting and rigorous task as they were not used imagining the invisible . Selection After much brainstorming on ways to make the officials more conformed to our designs , we finally thought of taking the first plunge into the world of design thinking and ready the tool of visualization . Visualization is about visual thinking , thinking in a non - verbal way . It is a core component of the way that we communicate and moves mountains to make ideas comprehendible , tangible and concrete from the designer to receiver ’s brain , thus , is ideal for helping the executives to picture the design ideas with ease . Application In order to reach out to our left - brained officials , we used a multitude of visual formats from “ draw a picture , tell a story , take a photo , or make a map ” as informed by Ms Angela Myers ( from Module 1 ) . As the challenge needs a simple , yet effective way of crisp communication , visualisation uses dynamics beyond language / words . Thus , instead of showcasing well - detailed technical drawings of the site or merely talking about the spatial plan , business plan and other pitch worthy ideas , we decided to give them a whole tour of the space . My colleague , capitalised on her artistic skills , created a series of detailed but aesthetic site sketches and story board which helped understand the site with regard to this location , cultural and educational context . For myself , I created a number of ‘ Photoshopped ’ images that helped imagine the before and after scenarios with utmost ease and also created a set of digital renders including a 360 degree VR experience , by putting to use my 3D modelling and rendering skills , to give them the opportunity to immerse completely into the concept and emerge as more informed , convinced and satisfied individuals who hopefully will come to a consensus with our ideology and vision or better yet , give a fair , justified assessment of the suggested solutions . Insight By applying the mighty tool of visualisation , our team helped the officials think , imagine and immerse into possibilities they have never seen before , with extrapolation and inductive reasoning . Additionally , visualisation helped bring viable , critical feedback by the superiors which would n’t have been possible otherwise . We got to hone on all the team members ’ skillsets and apply them in a way to maximise the project ’s efficiency and eminence . We expected the officials to just visually put together bits and pieces of the plan but they got to really dive deep into not a 2D space but a 3D experience which was unprecedented and pleasantly shocking for us and them . This kind of effort , made these stakeholders so happy that they approved the designs after giving constructive criticism and also evolved to obtain a fairly open thought process which let us wiggle with more levy and further , revisit our designs with all the essential insights ready to analyse . I think visualization was the most ideal tool to use in such a situation and it helped all the stakeholders directly and indirectly . This made me succumb to the power of design thinking and truly appreciate how impressive , persuasive and dominant it is and can be . Approach Given that our team has already gone through several design thinking activities / tools to help boost the relationship with our superiors , and are at this stage in the timeline , visualization was an ideal and most appropriate tool . As previously mentioned , our team needs to review the insight gained and incorporate this feedback into future spatial designs . These designs should include well- articulated , comprehensive visions which reflect the insights , the development and bring us closer to a persuasive solution ready to be executed . If asked to redo this design and/or developmental process , I would maybe look at using visualisation along with storytelling while pitching my ideas for a more enhanced experience which could further instil more confidence of our team and our work , amongst the once rigid thinking of officials .