Visualization Tool

Challenge

The challenge I’m facing is getting project stakeholders to agree on a final design of an
environmentally friendly car given that most of the stakeholders come from different
environments and they have different ideas and thought patterns.

Selection

In attempts to sensitize stakeholders about the project ideas and allow them to have a shared
understanding of the project design and the current problems which we are facing, I have decided
to implement the Tool of Visualization. The tool of visualization entails using the straw man
visualization of a problem domain technique which includes the use of questions to establish a
discussion forum which will allow the various stakeholders to share their knowledge and
concerns with each other in the process of defining the scope, boundaries, key elements, and
relationships between elements to consider when identifying key points and opportunities for
improvements or solutions.

Application

The application of the visualization process commenced with the creation of the straw man
graphic of the problem domain. In order to develop the straw man graphic I will utilize design,
procedural and operational documents in order to build a basic understanding of the task and
environment ah hand. However, if resources are not readily available then the traditional means
of gathering information will be utilized such as conducting interviews with a few stakeholders
who are actively involved in the process.

This Visualization Tool was used to unlock parts of our brains, to accesses our creativity which
we don’t normally used in conversation in order to get a better understanding of something using
visual icons, pictures, diagrams etc which allowing others to get a better understanding of what
someone is trying to say or do.
For the activity, the stakeholders who are the participants will be placed in groups of five (5)
where they will represent different organizations and the different areas of the design process. In
this session each participant will be given a copy of the straw man graphic to write, draw and
make comments on. The session will allow for various questions to be asked such as: 1. what
type of car design which should be implemented? 2. What kind of car features would you prefer
to be in cooperated into the design process? 3. What benefits should the car design have on the
environment? And 4. Which population should car design target? The duration of session will be
approximately 30 mins which give participants sufficient time to discuss and share knowledge on
the given questions while pointing to the mark-ups on their poster.

Further, each group will be required to report out and produce a poster and while this is being
conducted adequate documentation will be made on the insights of each group and from
additional insights from the group discussion on any additional copy of the graphic.

Upon completion of each groups poster will be digitized to display new insights, shared and
combined views which were developed during the group discussion and lastly, a Revised
Graphic will be established to incorporate the participants or stakeholders feedbacks and
proposed changes which was agreed upon in attempts to solve project issues.

Insight and Approach

From the exercise conducted with the various groups it was evident that the revised graphic was
important for highlighting stakeholder’s problem which they were working to resolve. However,
another valuable aspect of the activity was the shared insights and learning that which occurred
while working in their problem space. From the graphic Stakeholders were given opportunities
during group discussions to share their perspectives and develop insight into the root cause of
their various problems and concerns. Hence, through the straw man graphic they were able to
identify where they are in the graphic, what they missed and they were able to gain insight
quicker concerning the car design, processes, target population and also variables within the
problem space.
Lastly, because I learnt that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning next time
around I would reapply the same Visualization tool as a starting point for various designing
thinking activities while using the revised graphic as a key reference and feedback during the
design phase of the work.