Planning and collected data in Deep Reflection phase

In the Deep reflection sessions, participants reflected on what they have done in the three-day tasks and received instructions to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas about the Visual Thinking in sessions. Their experiences were surfaced when they were asked to present and to explain their reflections of the possible problems and solution based on the conceptual framework (See Figure below). Interview questions were asked in each step of the session (See Table above). According to the result of the discussion, they were asked to map the possible problems and solutions in the conceptual framework. Three participants finished both of the sensitizing phase and deep reflection sessions.

The image below is an example of the interview in the Deep reflection phase.

Tasks and Materials in Sensitizing phase

Three-day sensitizing tasks consisting of small tasks each day are designed. JAMmers reflect on their personal information, general experience, and specific experience as a Visual Thinker in Visual Thinking sessions in the three-day tasks.

A. First-day tasks
The first-day tasks require the participants to describe their drawing history and characteristics. Each task is asked to finish in 15 minutes. (See Figures below)

The image below is an example of the first-day task, which is made by one of the JAMmers.

B. Second-day tasks
In the second-day task, participants answer what their roles, preparation, activities, tools, and techniques are in general Visual Thinking sessions. They are also asked to refer to the results of the first-day tasks. This task is asked to finish in 20 minutes. (See Figure below)

The image below is an example of the second-day tasks, which is made by one of the JAMmers.

C. Third-day tasks
In the third-day task, they are asked to reflect on their best and worst experience in Visual Thinking sessions. They are instructed to reflect on the results of the first-day and the second-day tasks. Each task is asked to finish in 20 minutes. (See Figures below)

The image below is an example of the third-day tasks, which is made by one of the JAMmers.

The Process of Sensitizing phase and Deep Reflection phase

Sensitizing over a period of time prepares participants to access their experience and to express and discuss these in Deep reflection sessions. Three-day sensitizing tasks consisting of little exercises each day are designed and sent to participants several days before the Deep reflection sessions. JAMmers reflect on their personal information, general experience, and specific experience as a Visual Thinker in Visual Thinking sessions in the three-day tasks (See Figure above). There are seven participants who finished the sensitizing phase. Five of the seven participants did the tasks as I observed them and asked them some questions about their doings in the phase.

Procedures of Contextmapping Research in JAM

Contextmapping research involves the following several phases: “Preparation phase”, “Sensitizing phase”, “Deep reflection sessions”, “Case studies”, “Analysis”, and “Communication” (See Figure above). The findings of the Sensitizing and Deep reflection sessions, and Case studies are analyzed in the Analysis phase. In the Communication phase, the findings in the Analysis phase are represented in a way to communicate learned insights to the following designers and inspire them.

Research Method: Contextmapping

I apply contextmapping research method in this research to explore subjects’ experience in both explicit and implicit information. Visual Thinking practice is non-linear, even non rational and mixing up within the interactions between participants and Visual Thinkers in sessions. In this case, the contextmapping method is helpful to record what JAMmers say, do, know, feel, and dream for their experience in the Visual Thinking sessions. The subjects can take the sensitizing steps as a stairway to gain deep personal knowledge effortlessly (See Figure above). This knowledge cannot readily be expressed in words, and people even do not know they possess but only feel it.

Further Interpretation About Visual Thinking Processes in Sessions

This drawing above depicts Visual Thinking processes in sessions: to reach hidden insights deep in people’s minds, come to shared visions and solutions, and finally realize the ideas in practical actions in Visual Thinking sessions. Different from the post: Does the Flow Run only on the Surface or Deep in Minds?, an extended explanation about realizing shared visions into actions is added in the drawing. This conceptual framework in the drawing can therefore be categorized in four major processes and five main stages (See the drawing below).

According to different features in Visual Thinking process, the five major processes are named: Grounding, Diving, Showing, Lifting, and Landing. The four main stages are named: Common Ground (Shared Mental Models), Personal Insights, Shared Visions, and Action.
The five major processes
1. Grounding
In a multi-disciplinary group, Visual Thinking can help to build shared understands in which people can communicate on a common ground. Visual Thinking in this process provides a common language (visual language) and works as a catalyst to create a fluid thinking flow. This process also includes the preparation before the sessions.

2. Diving
Visual Thinkers in this process dive with people to gain the personal insights. Visual Thinkers concentrate on all information they can detect in the process and help participants to gain deeper insights with instant sketches.

3. Showing
Visual Thinkers visualize the personal insights to bring it to the stage, “Shared Mental Models”, where people can really see and discuss each other’s ideas. As a result, the insights can be discussed and be built on with others’ ideas.

4. Lifting
The “Shared Mental Models” can be leveled up to the stage, “Shared vision” through the transformation in Visual Thinking, for example, to give a proper metaphor to describe a potential crisis in the market.

5. Landing
After a team forms a shared vision, the shared vision needs to be developed into a down-to-earth solution. In this process, Visual Thinkers will work with the clients closely to finalize the realistic solution. The “Landing” process can last longer after the session ends.

The four main stages
1. Common ground (Shared Mental Models)
Multi-disciplinary groups need to form shared Mental Models (Common ground) to communicate. The stage is the foundation for a group to talk and work together.

2. Personal insights
The stage, “Personal insights”, is where people’s personal ideas and thinking lie on. The drawings need to connect to people’s personal ideas. Visual thinkers have to work on detecting people’s real thinking and try to associate the different insights with each other.

3. Shared vision
“Shared Vision” is the stage where people share coherent ideas about the issues of the session. This vision is a higher level concept of the shared Mental Models, such as a shared future strategy to an issue. Shared visions in a team take more time to transform and develop in order to reach the core of issue and provide clear motivation for “Action”, compared to shared Mental Models.

4. Action
This stage, “Action”, is where people realize the shared vision in a practical plan. One of the purposes in the Visual Thinking is to eventually create new thinking with drawings which triggers people to action. However, having shared Mental Models is not enough to trigger radical or lasting actions for an organizational change. People need clear motivation with the shared vision.

A Fresh Start After a Long Pause

Hello all...

It's been a long pause for this blog. Actually it is four months long. I had some setbacks on my ill management of the graduation project. The pressure was quiet overwhelming and therefore I decided to pause the blog. It's a bitter but necessary decision. I had to focus intensively on making the project balanced again between two ends, TU Delft and JAM. It occupied my full energy to be back on the right track and could not afford to keep an eye on the blog.

I was insensitive about the gap in between the academy and the company, the expectations of mentors in TUD and mentor in JAM. It's a harsh lesson worth to learn.



Nevertheless, the end of the project is near. Before the curtain falls, there is time to move on and reflect the process in this blog. Please stay tuned...