VISUALIZATION TOOL

CHALLENGE & SELECTION  I am currently a graduate in business administration, a couple of years ago I was recruited along  with 7 people from different countries in Latin America by a published agency that conducts a  marketing study in Medellín, Colombia. The agency’s challenge was hired to identify clear patterns  about Spanish-speaking amateur athletes. The performance for that was awful, our boss explained  about dynamic work to us, it was important to have a team made up of people from different careers  and cultures so that their ideas converge at a point acceptable to all. The selected tool was  “Visualization” due to the facility it provides when grouping the data obtained, in principle  unrelated to each other, in the research, in this way associations can be established so that without  visual support it would be hard to find.

APPLICATION  The process started when we were divided the involved parties into a 4 pairs in order move faster  and try to reduce the discrepancy that would occur if everyone worked together. First, we entered  our social networks and looked at the profiles of “amateur athletes”. Then, if we  discovered something peculiar, we write it in post-it all characteristics that we found. After that we  looked at amateur athletes’ photos and identify if they practiced sport alone or with more people  and read their profile descriptions, the type of sport they practiced and their interaction on social  networks. Finally, we observed the type of publications they shared and the pages that followed,  everyone gathered their own database and then we pasted our notes on 4 blackboards that covered  the entire room, the order didn´t matter, nor did all the information be relevant, after a whole day of  jointly reviewing dozens of profiles we had a lot of notes throughout the room.

On the second day my parents and I did the next step, we were grouping agree with search for  patterns within our notes and place them in places distant from each other, after several hours we  managed to find patterns that were repeated over and over again, the main idea was relate  information. When we finished we had a minority of data that did not fit within any profile and  apparently they were not relevant but we leave them aside because they could take on importance  later in the process. After, we talked about and establish five groups of “amateur athletes” with  something in common.

So another way, we were to try put together a “straw man” for each one, and write down around  them possible things that would define their needs more exhaustively, for them we resorted to a  group brainstorming limited by the characteristics of our characters. At the end of the day we had a  more or less clear idea, but subject to possible changes, about our characters and their needs.

INSIGHT  At the beginning of the workshop, the cultural differences of each one were appreciated, but by  finishing unconsciously, we had managed to unify the perceptions in such a way that the process of  identifying qualities and characteristics was increasingly agile and effective, we didn´t seek to  coincide, but each one took his notes independently since in the end the important thing was the  variety of the data. However, by sharing our experiences, the cultural gap was reduced and, in a

certain way the data that was affected by our prejudice was reduced. At that time it was a totally  new methodology for everyone, we learned that having visual support was much easier to generate  ideas and maintain fluid communication in the group, the process was no tedious since it didn´t feel  like we were working, it was like being in a room playing writing down our ideas.

APPROACH  In order to improve the implementation of this tool, it would be better to set objectives and  limitations such as a certain amount of time for each task, since in another course called “Be more  creative” taught by the University of Ljubjana (Universidad Nacional de Colombia), I learned that by having a  defined time the parties involved improve their creative process and focus on ideas of greater  relevance. Otherwise, the number of members of the group would increase to have greater variety in  the information and not to leave without collecting the data that we surely left unaddressed. It  would be good to have a person from the group to act as an interlocutor maintain a little more order  since although it is entertaining to have the felling of playing, to have a more organized process.


VISUALIZATION TOOL CHALLENGE & SELECTION I am currently a graduate in business administration , a couple of years ago I was recruited along with 7 people from different countries in Latin America by a published agency that conducts a marketing study in Medellín , Colombia . The agency ’s challenge was hired to identify clear patterns about Spanish - speaking amateur athletes . The performance for that was awful , our boss explained about dynamic work to us , it was important to have a team made up of people from different careers and cultures so that their ideas converge at a point acceptable to all . The selected tool was “ Visualization ” due to the facility it provides when grouping the data obtained , in principle unrelated to each other , in the research , in this way associations can be established so that without visual support it would be hard to find . APPLICATION The process started when we were divided the involved parties into a 4 pairs in order move faster and try to reduce the discrepancy that would occur if everyone worked together . First , we entered our social networks and looked at the profiles of “ amateur athletes ” . Then , if we discovered something peculiar , we write it in post - it all characteristics that we found . After that we looked at amateur athletes ’ photos and identify if they practiced sport alone or with more people and read their profile descriptions , the type of sport they practiced and their interaction on social networks . Finally , we observed the type of publications they shared and the pages that followed , everyone gathered their own database and then we pasted our notes on 4 blackboards that covered the entire room , the order didn´t matter , nor did all the information be relevant , after a whole day of jointly reviewing dozens of profiles we had a lot of notes throughout the room . On the second day my parents and I did the next step , we were grouping agree with search for patterns within our notes and place them in places distant from each other , after several hours we managed to find patterns that were repeated over and over again , the main idea was relate information . When we finished we had a minority of data that did not fit within any profile and apparently they were not relevant but we leave them aside because they could take on importance later in the process . After , we talked about and establish five groups of “ amateur athletes ” with something in common . So another way , we were to try put together a “ straw man ” for each one , and write down around them possible things that would define their needs more exhaustively , for them we resorted to a group brainstorming limited by the characteristics of our characters . At the end of the day we had a more or less clear idea , but subject to possible changes , about our characters and their needs . INSIGHT At the beginning of the workshop , the cultural differences of each one were appreciated , but by finishing unconsciously , we had managed to unify the perceptions in such a way that the process of identifying qualities and characteristics was increasingly agile and effective , we didn´t seek to coincide , but each one took his notes independently since in the end the important thing was the variety of the data . However , by sharing our experiences , the cultural gap was reduced and , in a certain way the data that was affected by our prejudice was reduced . At that time it was a totally new methodology for everyone , we learned that having visual support was much easier to generate ideas and maintain fluid communication in the group , the process was no tedious since it didn´t feel like we were working , it was like being in a room playing writing down our ideas . APPROACH In order to improve the implementation of this tool , it would be better to set objectives and limitations such as a certain amount of time for each task , since in another course called “ Be more creative ” taught by the University of Ljubjana ( Universidad Nacional de Colombia ) , I learned that by having a defined time the parties involved improve their creative process and focus on ideas of greater relevance . Otherwise , the number of members of the group would increase to have greater variety in the information and not to leave without collecting the data that we surely left unaddressed . It would be good to have a person from the group to act as an interlocutor maintain a little more order since although it is entertaining to have the felling of playing , to have a more organized process .