Vision Mapping : Designing backwards
“Eyes on the prize and the way will reveal itself”.
Ever wondered, how do businesses and startup navigate themselves in a competitive world, today? Why do they write their vision and mission? If you don’t have the answer to why, read on and if do then just enjoy the ride. This article is an attempt to understand why we need to imagine the future first and how can it help us in creating successful digital product and services.
But before we begin, do you know, how many decisions does a human takes on an average per day? 35,000 is the answer as per online sources. This choices/ decision that we make today it define our tomorrow and the future ahead. Well, till the time we have a time machine or magic crystal ball to sneak — peek into the future lets try a method called “Vision Mapping” or can also be referred as backward thinking. And let’s explore how it can be used to make more guided decision today in our life and designing digital product.
It’s a problem solving/ decision making tool popularized mostly by spiritual gurus, but its logic can be applied to anything literally “A_N_Y_T_H_I_N_G”. The idea behind this tool is that the most complex problem is best solved when the solution is addressed backward. The problem or decision today that we face today are not linear in nature but rather multi-dimensional. Having solution based reactive approach is not going help us but rather proactive and multi-viewpoints.
For e.g.: While designing a product say a health app for diabetic patient, if we decide upon our vision like” Helping diabetic patients independently manage their wellbeing and health”. This would guide us in deciding the necessary user flows, relevant functionality and most importantly help us avoid and subtract all that is not required.
How to use:
1. Write down what you want the product/ idea to be in the next 5 years to be.
2. Be as simple, short and concise as possible, preferably a one liner. E.g.:” Helping diabetic patients independently manage their wellbeing and health
3. Now start writing backward, e.g. what affects the independence of a diabetic patient, how technology can make the diabetic patient more independent, etc.
4. Once, you have charted the route to your current state(beginning), you can put time line against each steps and start allocating/planning resources for the same.
5. Voila now you have your very own Vision Map.
In short, this tool would help to avoid clutter and achieve clarity in thinking. By helping us map the steps to our goals.
