Challenge 

 Re - vitalize through new product introductions the neglected core business segment . 

    Over a period of years , the development resources of the core business segment ( call it   Segment A ) were stripped away in order to support an emerging , faster growing   business segment ( call it Segment B ) that had already exceeded the revenue of Segment   A 

    Segment A was comprised of many varied products and families of products that were   used to make similar types of components but which were different in design . The   applications and end markets were numerous . However , revenue from new products   was flat over several years reflecting the lack of investment , technically and marketing- wise . Still opportunities seem to exist . 

    Segment B grew rapidly , as its end market exploded driven by technology advancement .   Competition in Segment B ’s market was fierce . Product performance advantage drove   adoptions and technology advanced relatively quickly . When competition overcame   performance advantage , price was used to mitigate share erosion until performance   advantage could be regained . Hence , the felt need to increase Segment B resource level . 

    The overall business was becoming quickly synonymous with Segment B , which made it   vulnerable to Segment B ’s single application , single market and limited customer base . 

    Even two years after restoring Segment A ’s resources , performance fell significantly   short of promises both in terms of new product introductions and revenue generated . 

    The Business Unit Vice President expressed strong disappointment in the Segment A   Manager and the Business Manager ( Segment A Manager ’s boss ) and sought   reassurance than the past failures would not be repeated . 

    Better tracking and prioritization process were launched to improve execution .   However , the approach to new business development and new product introduction   remained basically unchanged . Except for a recent hire of a new Research Director , the   management and support across functions remained unchanged . 

 Selection 

 Visualization – charts , diagrams , cartoons , maps , photos , videos , performances and anything which one   sees as a means to surface and resolve discord with that presented or missing ; so that , the final edited   depictions are   ones on which all agree are accurate and appropriate for the problem . While being used   here for problem definition , visualization could be used to create discussions and alignment throughout   the entire Design Thinking process . ( Ref :   Angela Meyer video on Visualization in the Week 1 material ) 

    Visualization is a means which could lead to a consensus understanding of the   challenge , and all relevant conditions , considerations and gaps that should be addressed   for a successful outcome . 

    It enables a holistic , strategic assessment of the “ environmental ” factors that influence   success . 

    It is a means to capture / consider the inputs from all stakeholders and subject matter   experts . 

    Visualization builds ownership and teamwork by assuring the voices of key   people / functions are heard at the beginning . 

    It is a means to assimilate all relevant information that enables people to more readily   identify levers that might enable success and weaknesses that could lead to failure . 

    It is a process that takes more time and cost than you want to spend but less time and   cost than fixing issues resulting from a poor understanding and redress of the current   state 

 I think visualization would have aligned all stakeholders on the factors that influenced segment   management decisions and execution . Visualization requires one to communicate through images which   helps clarify “ what , when , how and with whom ”   for review and discussion . 

 Although most of us had worked together for several years , my stakeholders still were a diverse group - functionally , by organizational level , by nationality , by language and by training / education . We did n’t   hear or process information the same way . We had n’t the same understanding or experiences .    Pictures / diagrams / process maps and the opportunity to edit them would have helped us create and   ensure a common understanding of the current state . 

 Application 

 First , I would describe the current state as well as possible through graphs , diagrams , and process maps .   This would include expectations , performance and a review of a representative sample of projects . I   would annotate the diagrams and process maps with sketches , cartoon and photos . I would incorporate   input from the two managers that were key stakeholders . Second , I would seek corrections ,   amendments and comments from the people in Research , Technical Service , Marketing , Sales and   Business Management that were performing or supporting the activities . In particular , I would seek to   learn about their execution problems and the barriers and challenges they faced . Finally , after having   gathered the inputs I would try to synthesize 2 - 3 definitions of the current state based upon these   inputs and the starting materials .   These definitions then would be used in the “ What If ” stage to   develop families of possible re - vitalization through new product solutions . 

 Insight 

 As I thought about using visualization for defining “ What Is ” , I struggled with scope and what to include   and what not ; what has been missed . I try to imagine the activity itself and the people who would   participate . What information would they feel was needed ; what information or resulting discussions 

 would enhance their engagement . I wonder how best to present information and perspectives . I am   sketching on paper the activities , defining them and considering how they relate . I am creating a mental   image of the interactions .   Basically , I am visualizing the construct of the visualization that I would use to   enable definition of the “ What Is ” state . 

 Approach 

 Rather than first developing the exercise material alone , I could engage the two other stakeholders from   the start . Doing so , the work load would be shared and the preparation time reduced but more   importantly , they would have ownership from the start and the materials would reflect consensus . 

 Another alternate approach was tried . The projected number of new product commercializations and   the resulting revenue was challenged based upon history but the challenge proved insufficient to   meaningfully alter the management approach and the results . This alternate approach failed because   the issues of the current state were not sufficiently understood and hence , interest in an alternate   management approach was not developed . 


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: Challenge 

 Re - vitalize through new product introductions the neglected core business segment . 

    Over a period of years , the development resources of the core business segment ( call it   Segment A ) were stripped away in order to support an emerging , faster growing   business segment ( call it Segment B ) that had already exceeded the revenue of Segment   A 

    Segment A was comprised of many varied products and families of products that were   used to make similar types of components but which were different in design . The   applications and end markets were numerous . However , revenue from new products   was flat over several years reflecting the lack of investment , technically and marketing- wise . Still opportunities seem to exist . 

    Segment B grew rapidly , as its end market exploded driven by technology advancement .   Competition in Segment B ’s market was fierce . Product performance advantage drove   adoptions and technology advanced relatively quickly . When competition overcame   performance advantage , price was used to mitigate share erosion until performance   advantage could be regained . Hence , the felt need to increase Segment B resource level . 

    The overall business was becoming quickly synonymous with Segment B , which made it   vulnerable to Segment B ’s single application , single market and limited customer base . 

    Even two years after restoring Segment A ’s resources , performance fell significantly   short of promises both in terms of new product introductions and revenue generated . 

    The Business Unit Vice President expressed strong disappointment in the Segment A   Manager and the Business Manager ( Segment A Manager ’s boss ) and sought   reassurance than the past failures would not be repeated . 

    Better tracking and prioritization process were launched to improve execution .   However , the approach to new business development and new product introduction   remained basically unchanged . Except for a recent hire of a new Research Director , the   management and support across functions remained unchanged . 

 Selection 

 Visualization – charts , diagrams , cartoons , maps , photos , videos , performances and anything which one   sees as a means to surface and resolve discord with that presented or missing ; so that , the final edited   depictions are   ones on which all agree are accurate and appropriate for the problem . While being used   here for problem definition , visualization could be used to create discussions and alignment throughout   the entire Design Thinking process . ( Ref :   Angela Meyer video on Visualization in the Week 1 material ) 

    Visualization is a means which could lead to a consensus understanding of the   challenge , and all relevant conditions , considerations and gaps that should be addressed   for a successful outcome . 

    It enables a holistic , strategic assessment of the “ environmental ” factors that influence   success . 

    It is a means to capture / consider the inputs from all stakeholders and subject matter   experts . 

    Visualization builds ownership and teamwork by assuring the voices of key   people / functions are heard at the beginning . 

    It is a means to assimilate all relevant information that enables people to more readily   identify levers that might enable success and weaknesses that could lead to failure . 

    It is a process that takes more time and cost than you want to spend but less time and   cost than fixing issues resulting from a poor understanding and redress of the current   state 

 I think visualization would have aligned all stakeholders on the factors that influenced segment   management decisions and execution . Visualization requires one to communicate through images which   helps clarify “ what , when , how and with whom ”   for review and discussion . 

 Although most of us had worked together for several years , my stakeholders still were a diverse group - functionally , by organizational level , by nationality , by language and by training / education . We did n’t   hear or process information the same way . We had n’t the same understanding or experiences .    Pictures / diagrams / process maps and the opportunity to edit them would have helped us create and   ensure a common understanding of the current state . 

 Application 

 First , I would describe the current state as well as possible through graphs , diagrams , and process maps .   This would include expectations , performance and a review of a representative sample of projects . I   would annotate the diagrams and process maps with sketches , cartoon and photos . I would incorporate   input from the two managers that were key stakeholders . Second , I would seek corrections ,   amendments and comments from the people in Research , Technical Service , Marketing , Sales and   Business Management that were performing or supporting the activities . In particular , I would seek to   learn about their execution problems and the barriers and challenges they faced . Finally , after having   gathered the inputs I would try to synthesize 2 - 3 definitions of the current state based upon these   inputs and the starting materials .   These definitions then would be used in the “ What If ” stage to   develop families of possible re - vitalization through new product solutions . 

 Insight 

 As I thought about using visualization for defining “ What Is ” , I struggled with scope and what to include   and what not ; what has been missed . I try to imagine the activity itself and the people who would   participate . What information would they feel was needed ; what information or resulting discussions 

 would enhance their engagement . I wonder how best to present information and perspectives . I am   sketching on paper the activities , defining them and considering how they relate . I am creating a mental   image of the interactions .   Basically , I am visualizing the construct of the visualization that I would use to   enable definition of the “ What Is ” state . 

 Approach 

 Rather than first developing the exercise material alone , I could engage the two other stakeholders from   the start . Doing so , the work load would be shared and the preparation time reduced but more   importantly , they would have ownership from the start and the materials would reflect consensus . 

 Another alternate approach was tried . The projected number of new product commercializations and   the resulting revenue was challenged based upon history but the challenge proved insufficient to   meaningfully alter the management approach and the results . This alternate approach failed because   the issues of the current state were not sufficiently understood and hence , interest in an alternate   management approach was not developed .
### Output: 