Design Tool – Mind mapping

Challenge and Selection

The design thinking tool that I would like to use is mind mapping. Mind mapping provides a

diagrammatic representation of the ideas. It will help arrange ideas logically as well. I would like

to use this tool to bring out interesting ways to handle classes for post graduate students, especially

MBA students. The normal lecture sessions have long been found to be ineffective. What is

required is practical orientation. Along with incorporating this aspect, the sessions must be

designed to be interesting, engaging and effective. But, I am yet to give shape to the idea. This is

just the preliminary stage of the idea generation. But I would like to concentrate in this area and

bring in a creative solution to make sessions more engaging and interesting. For executing this

design thinking plan, I feel mind mapping will be the best suited. The main challenge I feel would

be to make all fellow teachers aware of the purpose and to ensure that all of them understands the

issue in the same intensity. Only then, good and creative ideas can be elicited. Also, many of them

might be hesitant as they might believe that they are already using engaging methods and also may

not want to share it. So, to overcome this, it’s important to bring all of them together in the same

track. Mind mapping tool helps to provide a visual representation of the various ideas.  A mind

map is a figure or a diagram used to visually represent and organize information. In this scenario,

mind mapping tool may aid in achieving the best possible solution.

Application

I plan to use the mind mapping tool to bring in creative solutions to the problem mentioned above.

For this, faculty members from various institutions (UG and PG) must be selected. Those who

strongly feel the need to revamp the pedagogy must be selected for the process. After briefing

them on the exact purpose of doing this, they will be asked to create a mind map, by placing the

main idea at the center and creative ideas as its branches. It literally 'maps' out the thoughts, using

associations, connections, and triggers to stimulate further ideas. Once, all the participants have

completed, all the mind maps will be displayed and the forum can be put for discussion. In the

course of discussion, the best solutions and creative ideas will be picked and decisions on how to

implement them can be taken.

At the same time, students can also be asked to prepare a mind map to bring in creative solutions

to the problems that they face and to convert the sessions into engaging ones. This helps to know

the exact demands of the customers (students), and will provide a base on which solutions can be

applied.

Insight and Approach

As I have not undertaken the activity, it’s difficult to give the practical insights. Due to the

pandemic situation, the plan couldn’t be executed. But, I feel that it will help all faculty members

to get an insight into how effective the current pedagogy is and better methods to follow.

The next time, I would like to do something related to including basic life skills and value

education in school syllabus. Basically, to bring a practical orientation. For this, the learning

launch method would be useful. It will be essential to create a plan and to do a trial run to find out

if it is effective or not.

