C0MM 1120 ASSESSMENT 1B: SELF-REFLECTION
Set 1: Self-reflection on innovation journey
Ever since I was little, I was very indecisive. It was difficult for me to decide on the
best option. For instance, I would often struggle to choose an outfit to wear as my
preference for many colours makes it hard for me to decide on which colour to wear
that day. This was also the case when I try to solve problems. When problems
appear, I tend to think of many different solutions, focusing more on divergent
thinking on the Double Diamond. Hence, I could never decide on the most
appropriate solution to address the problem. In degree choices, I had several
alternatives where I could transfer programs to Media, do a double degree, or stick
with my current Commerce program yet when I leaned towards one solution, I
hesitated on my decisions and ended up reconsidering my cancelled-out solution.
A gradual progress to the bigger picture
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As seen above, puzzle pieces that were initially separated are gradually combined,
forming a perfect and logical image, progressing to the bigger picture. This
represents my innovation journey, where the stages that I went through enable me to
reach to the best ideal solution rather than jumbled pieces of unsolved puzzles and
scatter of solutions. Week 3’s define process specifically opens my views towards
finding key details of the problem and developing an analysis based on the
implementation of cause-and-effect analysis as well as identifying gaps for value
creation. I realize it is important to focus on key areas rather than branching out to
several different solutions. Hence, “puzzles” would otherwise be unsolved due to
difficulty in connecting the pieces if there is a lack of focus in the issue on hand.
Furthermore, Week 4’s creative abrasion process through the HMW statement
anchors me to reflect on the initial purpose of the solution and the condition and
parameters surrounding the problem. Week 8’s application of the value proposition
canvas further trains me to focus on stakeholders’ value and needs rather than
constantly thinking of solutions that do not align with actual customers’ needs and
wants. Hence, I learned the crucial role in thinking convergently about a problem.
Word Count: 348
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Set 2: Self-reflection on collaboration journey
Working with people is one practice that I had plenty of experience in. Throughout
my years in high school, I had a reasonable amount of group projects where I had to
constantly apply collaboration tools to deliver a cohesive final presentation. Thus, I
dealt with conflicts and challenges in teamwork such as dealing with dominant and
lazy group members. Despite this advantage, moving to a completely different
environment in university slightly scares me. Luckily, I was in a group with
classmates of the same nationality as I am and so understanding of cultures is not a
problem but working together with other nationalities in the future would really help
me develop my cultural awareness.
With my introverted personality, I find it difficult to connect with new people and so, I
initially struggled to add into conversations and “hatch out of my shell”. As Skilton
and Dooley (2010) mentioned, teams that rush to convergence by disclosing ideas
are likely to produce outcomes that are less novel and useful. Thus, constricting my
own ideas will produce weaker deliverables.
Exploring the new world
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This picture represents my collaboration journey. Just as the baby bird is hatching
out of its shell, I need to “hatch out of my shell” and explore my newer external
environment. Through weeks of collaboration, I reached a stage where I started
becoming more comfortable and confident in expressing my ideas even if I did not
think they were great, most possibly representing the “Norming” stage of the team
development process. Moreover, developing prototypes allowed me to implement my
creativity and think of various ideas through divergent thinking.
Fortunately, my team did not experience any conflicts except for the problem in time
differences. The 3-hour time difference between Sydney and Jakarta cause some
implications in which some members need to sacrifice their sleeping times to attend
group meetings and practice the final presentation.
Word Count: 311
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Set 3: Self-reflection on the journey towards your life goal
My future path is yet to be certain, but I do have a particular interest in becoming an
international business consultant and work with the government or in an international
organisation. International business consultants are individuals who assist
companies to find answers regarding future activities in foreign markets (Global
Negotiator 2022). With this career, it is essential to have several skills such as
communication in plenty of languages especially English, accurately evaluate
information and make attainable future projections, and implement creativity and
produce a vision to see all the potential strategies that would benefit clients (Global
Negotiator 2022).
Working in a global context
Therefore, as mentioned in my 1A Assessment, through this course, I hoped to
develop interpersonal, critical, collaboration, communication, and teamwork skills.
This is reflected through my COMM1120 journey where the development of the
project proposal to the final presentation in a team enable me to strengthen my
interpersonal, collaboration, and teamwork skills. Moreover, applying relevant
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innovation tools such as cause-and-effect analysis, the fishbone diagram, and the
value proposition canvas practice my analytical and critical thinking skills, essential
for my future career as an international business consultant.
Furthermore, I will continue my personal growth at UNSW by joining several
programs in the UNSW Business school such as work-integrated learning courses,
summer internships, and co-curricular professional development programs. This can
also enhance my cross-cultural communication skills as I work with others from
different nationalities. Additionally, for enhancing my communication and
interpersonal skills, I will volunteer join several events from clubs and societies such
as the PPIA’s Indonesian Night Market to build effective collaboration with other
people and increase my team building experience.
Word Count: 269
Total Words: 928
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