Structured Visual Thinking
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Welcome to Structured Visual Thinking™ - Structured Visual Thinking™ is a significant approach to the needs of the 21st CENTURY ORGANIZATION. It is a response to the dynamic and changing world of business and enables CREATIVITY and INNOVATION within the fields of THINKING and COMPLEX problem solving. It applies the ideas of VISUALIZATION and DESIGN THINKING to the important CONVERSATIONS of today.
The 21st Century Organization requires new tools to create meaning. See Also 4D
In simple terms business needs to rethink the way it develops strategy, transformation and change. Structured Visual Thinking™ (SVT™) is designed to bring the basic human skills of collaboration, conversation, visualization together with structured logical models. We do this to improve understanding leading to decision making. And then communicating simplified messages via interactive systems delivering ready access to what are often complex issues.
A Rigorous ApproachGroup Partners brings structure, Collaboration, Visualization and rigorous architectures for thinking. We bring all of this and more to bear on complex problems... See also A Vision Model - Now and The 'Pixar' Of Consulting
The Detailed Road MapThe right environment for thinking - we describe the 'places' we create as Innovation Lounges. Places and spaces where we can encourage the best possible theater in which to create value... See also the Innovation Dimension
Our Overall Approach - 4D™4D™ Takes the entire through what we could do - Discovery - what we should do - Development - what we will do - Decision - and what we agreed we would do - Deployment See also 4D™ and Structured Visual Thinking™
A Systems ApproachSVT Live™ ensures that we create Visual Displays, that can quickly turn into A Vision Model to communicate the whole strategy or vision to the entire enterprise...
The Vision DiscussedArchitectures and frameworks at each step can act as important governance throughout complex change and transformation programs...See also Persistent Architecture
Developing StrategyAs we work through the assignments we can develop large representations of the progress this image is 30ft long and 8 ft tall and explains the 11 conversations of the Discovery Framework... See also Discovery Structure
The Detailed ActionsWe can take deep dives into complex programs and ensure clear line of sight between actions and initiatives...
Drawing ConclusionsThe Original Size that this was drawn was 8ft x 8ft. This meant that the team involved could get right into the details of the ideas we were discussing.
Making MeaningA 'visual' approach means that we can talk to the users, beneficiaries and the important stakeholders in language that they will readily understand. See also A Vision Model
An Interactive RoadmapThe vital roadmap and action plan for the program. In our framework this means what we stay doing, what we start doing and what we stop doing as a result of the outcomes of the assignment. See also A Vision Model
Interactive Customer JourneysExplaining the insights and events of a process change in this case along a specific stakeholders cycle/time-line. See also A Vision Model
Interactive Vision ScenariosA digitised explanation of a possible future for a complex enterprise undergoing a technology and cultural change. See also A Vision Model
The Future VisionRecognisable and evocative expressions of possible futures brought to life within the environmental ambitions of an enterprise. See also A Vision Model
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SVT™ is the name we have given to this overall approach.
As the name suggests it combines the need for better thinking with structure and visualization. When this approach is applied to answering Wicked Problems or the complex problems of business it is applied through structures are better known as 4D™
4D™ is a series of logical frameworks. Structured visualization techniques are unique and rich mixtures of logic, Facilitation, Pattern Recognition, Conversations and Collaboration. They then involve digital technology, together with a vast array of business objects plus the skills of the animator, the movie maker and the story teller.
With SVT™ we can literally 'see' the scenarios emerge, agree the strategies we might need, tell these new ideas to others very quickly. The whole framework itself a logical reflection of a new truth.
Structured Visual Thinking™ runs through everything we do...
"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." - Hans Hofmann
See Also Our work to enable the 21st Century Organization. The 'Pixar' Of Consulting, Our Interactive Systems Approach to creating new Meaning
Structured Visual Thinking and Decision Quality
What’s important to note is that building decision-making muscles - or making it a varsity sport as Bob Cronin likes to put it - doesn’t require organization redesign, new job descriptions, or any of the other expensive remedies organizations often try. Instead, the path to unleashing all the creative energy and bright thinking that already exists in clients already go through these three key thoughts...
Structure
A broad based understanding about how to organize a decision process, both in the small and in the large, to ensure adequate discovery of the relevant context, brilliant thinking about the range of possible solutions, sharp dialog when it comes to making trade-offs, and smart use of information.
Visual
Organizations so overvalue words and impenetrable PowerPoint decks that they easily lose sight of the elegance and simplicity of visualization: to create context and persistence; to create the place and opportunity for sparking new thoughts, discovering unexpected juxtaposition, or weird notions simply because of how something sits next to something else. In some cases, the right way to do that is creating massive maps on walls 40 feet long, in other cases, a stack of index cards and some markers might be the right tool.
Thinking
Sharp thinking is a function of many things. We want to be sure that we bring the very best thinking we can, and put our thinkers in spots where they can be the very best versions of themselves possible. From a process standpoint, this means bringing industrial-strength methods, frameworks, processes, and tools to bear—the right ones given the nature of the problem—to ensure that the people working the thing do what is necessary and sufficient to work the problem in a high-quality way.
We ensure adequate discovery of the relevant context, brilliant thinking about the range of possible solutions, sharp dialog when it comes to making trade-offs, and smart use of information...
What is Structured Visual Thinking™?
It’s our philosophy and approach for creating meaning and value through respectful dialog and the application of visualization to create results.
- Visualizing critical information and future scenarios - in context - ensuring multiple stakeholder access
- Causing vital conversation - building consensus around logic and structure
- Synthesizing large amounts of content and data within visual interfaces to ensure fast access and application
- Ensuring sharp and effective communication through world class visualization
- Demonstrating how change and transformation may look
- Creating clear and compelling stories about complex and often intangible business ideas
- A rapid way to align leadership around a strategy and vision
- Make decision quality a standard through logic frameworks
- Build engagement and ownership throughout the enterprise via shared and meaningful artifacts
Structured Visual Thinking™ In A Bit More Detail
“I confess that I do not know the shape of the new paradigm that explains these discontinuities, but I think there are so many cracks in the old one that a shift will or is taking place, and that the idea of cognition is dead center of the assumptions that no longer hold. Some people think this, some don't. There is a lot of vested interest in the idea of cognition. Science progresses one funeral at a time.” - Don Steiny
Check These...
See Visual Displays
See Digital Systems
See Visualisation
See SVT Approach
See SVT Live™
See Scenarios™
See Journeys™
See Visualism
See SVT Live
See 4D™
Our visual methods and tools are the central component of our work because visual methods have been proven in every walk of life. Proven to increase understanding and clarity between people and within every day conversation and working. We have taken the idea of visualisation to a new level within the 4D approach to problem solving and innovation in exploiting business opportunities.
See Frames, Journeys, Scenarios, SVT Live, Information Design
Explaining the values
Structured because it is important to think in more disciplined fashion. Structure organizes the complexity of every idea, every conversation and every component of strategy or transformation. Structure helps us rank and prioritize the choices and then the decisions we have to make every day.
Visual because whether it's words or pictures, the two prime modes of recorded communication in business, we major in the power of all things 'visual' to convey meaning. We design, develop and create much more powerful symbols by crafting them collaboratively with client teams using visual tools and techniques. These visual components are then used either to provoke further conversation or to translate ideas and concepts notions or feelings into something that can be shared. Telling stories!
Thinking because of the need to solve problems and identify new value. We are passionate about finding better ways to think. Uncovering new value through combined and more coherent thinking. We want to leverage the talent and skill in everybody we work with and we foster this through creativity, innovative techniques and our experiences.
Why it Works
SVT™ is the overall term we use to describe the technique/procedure of understanding complexity within visuals and visualisation. What is important to us is the blend of both structured and visual thinking within the context of problem solving. Because it's the two together that enable us to improve the outcome in our work with teams, improve the way which they approach the issues they face when considering how to solve problems or how to embrace opportunity.
The eye can process information in the ratio of 12:3 times faster than the ear.
Structured Visual Thinking™ could be thought of as the 'physics' involved in synthesising complex and disparate content to make meaning. The term encompasses our techniques for aggregating conversation and our use of frameworks deployed together with precisely designed tools designed to force clarity from chaotic and random information or knowledge.
Clear Thinking
Structured and Visual and Thinking creates the opportunity for clear thinking.
The definition of Structured Visual Thinking™ covers both the blending of facilitation and co-creation and the direct/live application of proprietary templates, blueprints, frameworks, grids, schemas, designs, stimulus materials, diagrams, devices, sets and frames.
SVT™ is a unique and specific approach to Thinking. Highly focused, it's designed to unlock energy and value for senior people who are tackling serious questions in business, and to encourage their rigorous thinking. It aims to enhance understanding within the strategy, planning and improvement process.
SVT™ has significant value for clients in the problem definition phase, in the prioritisation of alternate choices, the clarity of ranking, in creating preferential or time based decision making and planning, defining the state of current realities and describing the vision of future states. Our approach can use both a mixture of pre-built and/or co-created structures.Structured Visual Thinking is applied throughout the 4 'd's of 4D™
4D™ is a deliberate interruption to traditional working practices. 4D™ can be considered ‘visual reasoning’ of input in the pursuit of improved business outcomes. Unlike many forms of thinking and planning 'visual reasoning' makes dramatically improved ‘sense’ of the information at hand by the introduction of a visual framework.
The Display of Complex Information
See Visual Displays. A Vision Model and Information Design
Visual frameworks as we know them ‘display’ knowledge distilled by a team of people thinking through a rigorous and proven question-based framework. This means that they and we can literally see the multi-faceted richness of the information together with the relative importance of this ‘raw material’ engineered so that a singular set of thoughts can be worked (reasoned).
Our aim is that Structured Visual Thinking™ and this Visual Reasoning and 4D™ become a part of the formal process of organisational performance improvement. Since there is no longer any question of ignoring the variability of today’s markets, better by far to leverage it whilst being sure we have the required adaptability to deal with it in an operational sense. Innovation is always a large part adventure and discovery, a large part creativity and inspiration. With a visual frame within which to 'load' a question or series of questions, clients can begin to create an environment for more formalised levels of innovation and less risk in the decision-making process.
"Making this one of the ways an organisation thinks and acts is to win on the battlefield of competitive success."
Our approach encourages innovation, ideas, inspiration and involvement by means of collaboration; two-way engagement with as much of the reasoning as is practical and desired by the employees and key stakeholders.
We need to reward contributory behaviours, and build the positive culture within which that grows. We need to build a visually reasoned environment.
Group Partners - The Art of Strategy
These images illustrate the flexibility of our approach to new business thinking.See also The 'Pixar' Of Consulting
The 21st Century
The Art of Thinking
