My Reflection- Mind Mapping

Challenge & Selection:

Mind mapping is a tool that has a great use. The mind mapping tool is used by most of the  people out there, without knowing that such a tool exists. Mind mapping tool helps me to  learn things in a better way. Realization of this tool’s importance is itself a great  achievement. When someone teaches me some technical stuff I use to hear them and by  the end of the day it deteriorates from my mind. This happens when I could not visualize  the things taught or when I cannot link things to its roots. This can be well explained with  an example: if someone says two locations at different places I just hear the names of  those places. But if I use this tool I can mind map the two locations and also create a route  between the two places. Though the route/link created is an assumption, in the later on life  that assumption might prove itself right or wrong. Usage of this tool starts when I visualize  things and sequence them, to prepare a story like format in my mind.

Application:

I not only use this tool at workplace but also in my daily life. I can explain you the application  of the mind mapping tool by using the Life cycle of a butterfly.

The normal letters are portraying story.

The sentences in italics are visualization/mind mapping

The butterfly life cycle has four stages- visualize the circle since it is a cycle and four blank  boxes on the circumference of the circle. Initially an adult butterfly gives eggs- butterfly’s  image in 1st empty box and eggs image in 2nd box. Then the eggs grows into larvae which  eats mulberry leaves throughout its lifetime- larvae eating mulberry leaves in 3rd box. Then  the larvae turns into pupae- similarly imagine pupae. Then pupae turns into a butterfly and  it marks the end of the cycle. -  A beautiful Butterfly. Now understanding the sequence add  arrows in the direction in which the cycle flows.

Thus the mind mapping tool helps us in visualizing things with a proper links between things  to sequence them in the order. This tool creates correlation among a set of data making  situations simpler and easier to understand.

Insights and Approach:

Mind mapping tool is a great visualization and sequencing technique. Using this tool helps  me to correlate the consequences of an action. And also the solutions for that  consequences which may lead to failure of the project. So in turn it forms a hierarchy image  of the whole process or project. Forming this hierarchy not only helps in understanding the  whole process better but also helps me from losing key areas that requires attention.

This tool not only helps me to understand the concepts but also helps me to convey the  concept to others in a better way. Since I have understood the concept using mind mapping  when I start explaining concepts I help the ones who cannot mind map for themselves.

I have selected this tool because this powerful tool involves other tools like visualization  and storytelling. To use mind mapping tool you initially need to visualize things  (visualization) then put those things in an order to create a chain between them.

Creating a links between data prepares a hierarchy/story of the data. So when we explain  concepts it becomes a storytelling process. Usage of this tool makes my work efficient  and effective. It makes work easier, clearer, faster and foolproof.

This course has helped me in understanding this tool better. The name design thinking  initially brings a thought that it is for designers. But as I went through the course the good  kitchen story, the IBM story, The George and Geoff’s story made me rethink that the tools  taught in this course can be utilized in any of the situations. I hope to use these tools in my  life and improve myself further.

