Reflection – Visualization 

 Challenge and Selection 

 I needed to represent an abstract concept such as a use case for a new software platform handling test   done on a live mobile communication network . Customers would use this software to collect measurement   data from their test in different situations and from different sources . I had set up a workshop with different   stakeholders , i.e. people coming from different teams : 

 -   product manager - whose goal was to make sure customer requirements were fulfilled building   something that could easily sell 

 -   software developers - whose goal is to understand what needs to be implemented 

 -   architects – whose goal is to understand what software framework they would need to use , and if   the use case is in contradiction with what is already available 

 -   testers – whose goal is to make sure at this point requirements are properly documented and can   be tested in a repeatable and structured way 

 -   marketing communication manager – whose goal is to understand what needs to be   communicated and advertised to the market 

 Therefore , different stakeholders with a different background needed something immediate and easy to   understand that can engage them and switch into “ creative ” mode . 

 The choice for visualization was therefore the easiest and immediate since it allows having people with   different backgrounds and technical competences to create / brainstorm together . 

 Application 

 I have created a very basic representation of the different use case to explain the concept to each   stakeholder . We first started with a traditional set of slides , where I had drawn simple figures using clips   and standard shapes . 

 This was just to introduce the real work in a comprehensible manner to everyone and be able to be   prepared before the meeting . People would receive the main drawings and storyboard in their Email and   they would have the chance to check it out to get into the idea . 

 Use case representation is usually done with UML programming , however , my goal here was to represent   and encourage people not familiar with the UML , to actively participate and contribute to the creative   process . 

 During the meeting , a common wall - wide whiteboard was used to draw again the visualization of each   single use case . People would almost immediately add to the drawing or partially re - draw it in their way .   We started to see implications and influences of the different use cases with ( and against ) each other ’s .   After the initial phase of description of the use cases , and some personal reflection / elaboration , people   started naturally to use the board and draw their view of the possible solution . Different stakeholders   started to participate to the creative process , making it efficient and faster , since the common language   was visual and simple to use . 

 Insight and Approach 

 Indeed visualizing things unlocks different parts of the brain and creates almost immediately . Different set   of people , with different skillsets have helped to understand and creatively work on the problem at hand to 

 Visualization is indeed a process consisting of three main steps ( Rizvi , 2016 ): : 

 -   Listening – which is the input 

 -   Thinking – which is the “ elaboration process ” 

 -   Drawing/ visualizing – which is the output 

 One of the insights I have gained is that visualization itself is a powerful tool , but it even more powerful if   coupled with other design thinking tools , such as story telling or brainstorming . 

 In combination with story telling there could be another phase , in parallel to the “ listening ” , which is the   “ telling ” the story , the customer issue , the ability to bring the “ pain ” of the customer trying to solve a   problem . 

 In combination with brainstorming , there could be another phase , after the drawing / visualization which is   the collaborative creation / visualization of the problem and the possible solution . 

 Another insight is that visualization could be applied in different stages of the design thinking – from the   “ what is ” to the “ what works ” , but it is probably more effective in the creating concepts for possible working   prototypes and creating new solutions . 

 References 

 Rizvi , R. ( 2016 ) . Importance of visualisation in design thinking . Retrieved from 

 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-visualisation-design-thinking-rizan-rizvi/ 


EMAIL: 
ID_NUM: 
NAME_STUDENT: 
PHONE_NUM: 
STREET_ADDRESS: 
URL_PERSONAL: 
USERNAME: 

### Task: You are a PII (Personal Identity Information) Detection. Given a essays written by students, you have to identify ONLY the following:
NAME_STUDENT - The full or partial name of a student that is not necessarily the author of the essay. This excludes instructors, authors, and other person names.
EMAIL - A student’s email address.
USERNAME - A student's username on any platform.
ID_NUM - A number or sequence of characters that could be used to identify a student, such as a student ID or a social security number.
PHONE_NUM - A phone number associated with a student.
URL_PERSONAL - A URL that might be used to identify a student.
STREET_ADDRESS - A full or partial street address that is associated with the student, such as their home address.
### Input: Reflection – Visualization 

 Challenge and Selection 

 I needed to represent an abstract concept such as a use case for a new software platform handling test   done on a live mobile communication network . Customers would use this software to collect measurement   data from their test in different situations and from different sources . I had set up a workshop with different   stakeholders , i.e. people coming from different teams : 

 -   product manager - whose goal was to make sure customer requirements were fulfilled building   something that could easily sell 

 -   software developers - whose goal is to understand what needs to be implemented 

 -   architects – whose goal is to understand what software framework they would need to use , and if   the use case is in contradiction with what is already available 

 -   testers – whose goal is to make sure at this point requirements are properly documented and can   be tested in a repeatable and structured way 

 -   marketing communication manager – whose goal is to understand what needs to be   communicated and advertised to the market 

 Therefore , different stakeholders with a different background needed something immediate and easy to   understand that can engage them and switch into “ creative ” mode . 

 The choice for visualization was therefore the easiest and immediate since it allows having people with   different backgrounds and technical competences to create / brainstorm together . 

 Application 

 I have created a very basic representation of the different use case to explain the concept to each   stakeholder . We first started with a traditional set of slides , where I had drawn simple figures using clips   and standard shapes . 

 This was just to introduce the real work in a comprehensible manner to everyone and be able to be   prepared before the meeting . People would receive the main drawings and storyboard in their Email and   they would have the chance to check it out to get into the idea . 

 Use case representation is usually done with UML programming , however , my goal here was to represent   and encourage people not familiar with the UML , to actively participate and contribute to the creative   process . 

 During the meeting , a common wall - wide whiteboard was used to draw again the visualization of each   single use case . People would almost immediately add to the drawing or partially re - draw it in their way .   We started to see implications and influences of the different use cases with ( and against ) each other ’s .   After the initial phase of description of the use cases , and some personal reflection / elaboration , people   started naturally to use the board and draw their view of the possible solution . Different stakeholders   started to participate to the creative process , making it efficient and faster , since the common language   was visual and simple to use . 

 Insight and Approach 

 Indeed visualizing things unlocks different parts of the brain and creates almost immediately . Different set   of people , with different skillsets have helped to understand and creatively work on the problem at hand to 

 Visualization is indeed a process consisting of three main steps ( Rizvi , 2016 ): : 

 -   Listening – which is the input 

 -   Thinking – which is the “ elaboration process ” 

 -   Drawing/ visualizing – which is the output 

 One of the insights I have gained is that visualization itself is a powerful tool , but it even more powerful if   coupled with other design thinking tools , such as story telling or brainstorming . 

 In combination with story telling there could be another phase , in parallel to the “ listening ” , which is the   “ telling ” the story , the customer issue , the ability to bring the “ pain ” of the customer trying to solve a   problem . 

 In combination with brainstorming , there could be another phase , after the drawing / visualization which is   the collaborative creation / visualization of the problem and the possible solution . 

 Another insight is that visualization could be applied in different stages of the design thinking – from the   “ what is ” to the “ what works ” , but it is probably more effective in the creating concepts for possible working   prototypes and creating new solutions . 

 References 

 Rizvi , R. ( 2016 ) . Importance of visualisation in design thinking . Retrieved from 

 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-visualisation-design-thinking-rizan-rizvi/
### Output: 