Reflection Tools: Visualization

Challenge & Selection

I use visualization most of the time. It is a handy tool that helps me out in almost all situations. From  explaining a simple working to people to decrypting complex matters so people can understand in  simple terms, it has aided me. In study sessions when I have to explain a concept to my peers, a simple  napkin drawing has helped understanding in a long way. My ideology is lots and lots of words to  explain a particular concept might give clarity but the human attention span is very limited and it is  essential that we make the most of the available attention span. In those cases, rather than oration,  visualization will prove to be useful. A vibrant, attractive explanation will always beat a long  monotonous paragraph. People tend to relate more to concepts and understand it better as compared  to plain words. I always use visualization when I have to explain something to my peers or my  superiors.

Application

The situation for employing visualization was when I had to explain a concept of how an electric motor  works as part of my syllabus. The working of an electric motor is familiar for many engineers but for  new students in the field, they would find it difficult to understand. Such was the case when I had to  explain the working of an electric motor to my junior, who was new to the realm of engineering. When  I explained the concept with simply words, my junior had a really vague idea of its working since the  technical terms were completely new and she couldn’t picture it. That is when I taught a few icons  and colours would draw an image to her head and this will help in better understanding. I picked up a  paper and simply used a pen to draw basic images of the different parts of a motor and where each  part fits in and how these parts come in together to make the motor running. Add a few more colours,  include more details, and the image will always be fixed in the viewer’s mind. It will be really hard for  the viewer to forget the image and the explanation behind it.

Insight & Approach

That particular incident proved to be the first step in me using visualizations to explain concepts. From  then on, for curriculum related subjects or any complex topic. This particular tool was useful to me  throughout even when I went into the work environment. Conveying a new idea to my manager  through a visual representation had a deeper impact as compared to what it would have been if I had  simply told it in words. A visualisation in his mind gave more clarity as to how the idea would work  out.

Although I had used the tool earlier, the inputs from this course  very valuable in showing me the right  approach to take when it comes to visualization. I was an amateur when I started using this tool, but  this course has helped me shape my methods and use this tool in a more refined manner.


Reflection Tools : Visualization Challenge & Selection I use visualization most of the time . It is a handy tool that helps me out in almost all situations . From explaining a simple working to people to decrypting complex matters so people can understand in simple terms , it has aided me . In study sessions when I have to explain a concept to my peers , a simple napkin drawing has helped understanding in a long way . My ideology is lots and lots of words to explain a particular concept might give clarity but the human attention span is very limited and it is essential that we make the most of the available attention span . In those cases , rather than oration , visualization will prove to be useful . A vibrant , attractive explanation will always beat a long monotonous paragraph . People tend to relate more to concepts and understand it better as compared to plain words . I always use visualization when I have to explain something to my peers or my superiors . Application The situation for employing visualization was when I had to explain a concept of how an electric motor works as part of my syllabus . The working of an electric motor is familiar for many engineers but for new students in the field , they would find it difficult to understand . Such was the case when I had to explain the working of an electric motor to my junior , who was new to the realm of engineering . When I explained the concept with simply words , my junior had a really vague idea of its working since the technical terms were completely new and she could n’t picture it . That is when I taught a few icons and colours would draw an image to her head and this will help in better understanding . I picked up a paper and simply used a pen to draw basic images of the different parts of a motor and where each part fits in and how these parts come in together to make the motor running . Add a few more colours , include more details , and the image will always be fixed in the viewer ’s mind . It will be really hard for the viewer to forget the image and the explanation behind it . Insight & Approach That particular incident proved to be the first step in me using visualizations to explain concepts . From then on , for curriculum related subjects or any complex topic . This particular tool was useful to me throughout even when I went into the work environment . Conveying a new idea to my manager through a visual representation had a deeper impact as compared to what it would have been if I had simply told it in words . A visualisation in his mind gave more clarity as to how the idea would work out . Although I had used the tool earlier , the inputs from this course very valuable in showing me the right approach to take when it comes to visualization . I was an amateur when I started using this tool , but this course has helped me shape my methods and use this tool in a more refined manner .