Make your strategy work better for 5 billion people worldwide
Nothing beats a small, cohesive group of people who communicate and collaborate effectively. ( Dominica Degrandis)
Nothing beats a small, cohesive group of people who communicate and collaborate effectively. ( Dominica Degrandis)
Strategy implementation is probably the most difficult responsibility one can have, it usually lies on the shoulders of management and leadership. There are three reasons that make it more difficult:
- Tactics get lost: it is easy to focus too much on keeping the lights on. On a digital world, something between 50 to 70% of the IT budget is spent on maintenance and operations and if we do not align our growth strategy execution properly, time flies and this number will get higher. This is probably true for other fields as well;
- Resistance to change: can doom any strategy implementation. We need to recognize it and act properly.
- Teamwork is a must: and not always easy. There are many challenges in getting a group of people moving together in the same direction.
Two-thirds of the world population have a visual-spatial preference. 20% of our 100 billion neurons are devoted to analyzing visual information (Linda Kreger). Studies show that our brain can process, making something meaningful, images on only 13 milliseconds while text requires 200 milliseconds, that is 15+ times faster. Since there is no study pointing any specific trait like gender, color, age, or whatever, that make this more or less likely to be in this group, it means that 65%+ of your team need visuals to perform better.
Memories of visual images (e.g., dinner plates) are stored in what is called visual memory. Our minds use visual memory to perform even the simplest of computations; from remembering the face of someone we’ve just met, to remembering what time it was last we checked... ( Scientific American)
If we use visual for the simplest of computations, what to say about hard and complex strategy discussions and implementation?
Who never heard (or said) "They don't get it", "I told you this N times", or "The data is there, use it"? These sentences are symptoms that something is wrong, probably with the communication, and visual tools may come handy to the rescue.
Unfortunately, I see, more than not, people too skeptical about making things visible, underrating our need for visual tools.
Why it matters
Making things visual helps us because we all have two common characteristics:
- We're blind to our own capacity: We're optimistic by definition. Things tend to be easier and faster in our mind. Overconfidence also comes from our need to say YES and be likable to others. Because of this characteristic, we get in trouble over-committing, simplifying our understanding and super-estimating our communication/alignment;
- We forget: although we have virtually unlimited storage capacity in our brains, this applies only to our long-term memory. Our short-term memory is limited and fails more than not. Since you cannot pay attention to everything all the time, most of what you encounter every day is simply filtered out, and only a few stimuli pass into your conscious awareness, even things that you will need later, you just don't know it in advance and discard them anyway.
Next time you need to discuss priorities, a concept, work in progress or even a process, notice how exhausting is if you have no visual support.
The required mental processing to remember and organize the information/ideas on the go while using and communicating it, is stressy and limit our capacity to get our point across or get things done.
Making complex things, simple - Visualization based tools
It is not that these tools are created to make things visible, but they rely on visualization to materialize the concept, guide the process and communicate the message. Each of these tools may be applied to get the alignment, co-create strategy or communicate.
Even a boring comparison matrix can communicate better and becomes more powerful if we use visual aid content.
Canvas
There is a Canvas for every thinking process out there [sic]. You can use a canvas to design, test, assess and communicate complex ideas or concepts visually.
Canvases are used to organize the thinking process, not only the ending result, through a visual chart model.
A few examples (links will take you to introducing articles/material about each one):
Kanban
Kanban is a method that relies heavily on a visual board (the kanban board) to allow a better work and workflow understanding. Kanban uses the board to enforce and achieve challenging things like faster delivery cycles, continuous improvement, and even team (self) management.
Kanban originated as a production management method within Toyota's lean practices but is heavily adapted and used in knowledge work management areas like software development, project management, and other technology-related processes.
There are many board models for different processes, but understanding the concepts behind the board is key to success. Check out this introducing presentation.
Infographics
Infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present information quickly and clearly. They can improve cognition by utilizing graphics to enhance the human visual system’s ability to see patterns and trends. ( Wikipedia)
You can find marketplaces to find ready-to-use or specialized services on Infographics. Check out Visual.ly for example.
You can learn more about infographics on this infographic of Infographics:
Wardley Maps
Self-explained as "Topographical intelligence in business", it will help you to understand positional relevance and movements, in other words, context. It is heavily used to assess technology and business landscape.
Business competition can also be viewed as a landscape, and thus the value chain of customers, suppliers, activities and processes can be broadly mapped. ( Service Description)
Explore this 291 slides deck called "An Introduction to Wardley Maps" or read the Wardley Maps book online.
3-Horizons
An innovation framework to promote common understanding and language for sustained growth discussions laying out a visual model for current practices and forces (Horizon 1), disruptive/new future bets (Horizon 3) and organic innovation nurture practices (Horizon 2).
This presentation gives an overview of the possible 3-Horizon setups and a practical example:
The 3-Horizons book may also be a good start.
I'd love to hear more from your experience with visual tools, are you using them? Please, leave your comment.
