Name: Rosnani Kiah

Reflection – Mind mapping

Challenge & Selection

The first tool I used was the tool of Mind mapping tool that help me to understand how to use

design thinking to generate innovative ideas during brainstorming meetings and problem-

solving sessions. I use this approach often with my customers and my working plans so that I

can build a perfect project in all aspects. Furthermore, as a Pre-sales engineer who always

research and study to apply new technology innovations and services to customers. Therefore,

I have to draw strategies to introduce and persuade the other people to use my products and

solutions which I prepare and show to them. For these reasons in my work and life, design

thinking methods aims to direct the attendees thinking towards a specific flow in order

to achieve creativity or find innovative solutions for problems, especially Mind mapping

is one of the efficient methods that organize all these in a formation and in a visually

brain-friendly method. In addition, apart from the benefits for myself, Mind mapping

also a useful tool to logical remember everything, particular for students who often learn

by heart some lesson in order to pass the exam.

Application

When I start to make a potential deal, I draw up a strategy so that it includes the attraction and

innovation which are the strong points to help customer understand the true value I bring to

them. However, what the most important for me is time management, I need to show the

deadline to customer so that they can arrange their time to listen my project. Mind mapping

improve my ability to understand ideas and collaborate during meetings. In a research by

Chuck Frey, mind mapping expert, employees who use a mind mapping method believe

that their productivity increased by 25 percent. Therefore, in the project two week ago, I

try to apply what I have learned from the mind mapping course to manage my time and as

the result, I had achieved the following:

•  Efficient meeting time and communicating ideas

•  Increase productivity through better thinking methods

•  Support the project management process as it can integrated with the project

management planning

•  Improve communication and collaboration inside and between teams

What is more, Mind mapping is not only bring the effects to my career but also my study

since I still attend the extra classes for soft skills. Unlike traditional teaching in classes,

visualizing ideas through mind mapping help me to think better and separate complex

problems into simpler topics. Furthermore, I also support me to understand and analyze

ideas through visual elements and colors. When I face problems to organize my thinking

flow, tools such as mind mapping help me to a better thinking experience through the

coherent process to analyze problems and situations. For instances:

•  Brainstorming and creative thinking sessions

•  Analyze research and projects

•  Find innovative solutions for projects

•  Training in decision making and understanding problems

Insight & Approach

What I have learned from conducting this exercise with several groups, I found that When we

are thinking of an idea, taste a specific food or visit a place, our mind starts to link this

action with our memories and previous experience using a relevant model. Our brain starts

with one center action, color, taste or image and builds branches of thoughts that are used

as a base for other multiplied ideas. How we think works very similar to tree branches.

This concept is used as the basis for all mind mapping systems and approaches. And for

what I known from the past - the usage for visual recording of ideas was first used in the

3rd century by Porphyry of Tyros to visualize concepts and theories from Aristotle and

Ramon Llull. However, it is introduced again as one of the thinking methods by British

psychologist, Tony Buzan – Mind mapping from this course add the powerful weapon to

my well-being. Furthermore, I realize that all mind mapping techniques follow similar

guidelines:

•  It starts with a single idea that is represented with text, color or image. Each idea should

be presented with one single word and use visual elements to categorize it such as,

upper an lower words, colors, codes and images.

•  More subsidiary ideas are added around the main idea and connect with it by lines. All

the branches should have connection lines that link it with the center idea.

•  Unified hierarchy styles should be implemented through the mind map. This style uses

different visual elements to organize ideas.

Since I discovered that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning, next time I

would use the visualization activity as a starting point for a series of design thinking activities.

Then the revised graphic that incorporates their combined feedback can serve as a reference

tool throughout the remainder of their work.

