Reflection – Mind mapping tool

Since I am working in a design department of a specific product group of a  semiconductor company, out of four design thinking tools I feel mind mapping  tool is a very helpful tool for my nature of work. So, I have selected mind mapping  tool for my assignment.

Challenge

As you know semiconductor industry is a fast changing, so we need to create new  products to solve our customer’s high value problems in short period. Our  customers are in different geographies with different cultural people with variety  expectations. Our group has branches in different geographies with different  cultural people with variety of ideas for customers high value problems. So, the  challenge is to select a best suitable idea from the team members to solve our  customer’s high value problems

Selection

Mapping is an exercise to help organize and structure complex content. It focuses  on developing a hierarchy of information to work out key areas/assemblies, their  subsets/subassemblies and relation to each other. It helps to focus on one core  idea or central word and use branches to depict the importance of ideas.

Mind mapping can be used for individual activities or group activities or a mixture  of both activities to help with brainstorming, problem solving and memory. For a  given problem, we get lot of ideas/solutions and choose the best to make a  winning product within stipulated time. Mind mapping help us to identify and  pyritize the content, identify gaps in understanding and unlock creative ideas and  generate new ones.

Application:

Initially I study the customer high value problems. Then we segregate them as  small high value problems and large high value problems.

We give small high value problems for individual activities. We explain these  problems in team members and ask them to come up with concepts. With many  ideas floating around for a given problem, ask the team to list the challenges in

realizing these concepts to workable concept within a short time. As the team  comes up with their thoughts and ideas emerge to make every idea workable  concept, print one or two - word descriptions of the ideas on lines branching from  the central focus. Allow the ideas to expand outward into branches and sub- branches. Put down all ideas without any judgment or evaluation. The collection  of ideas gives us many possible ways to get a solution. Then decide on the best  way to do it based “What works”.

We give large high value problems for group activities. We split the team into  three to four groups so that each group would contain 4 to 5 members. We  explain them these problems briefly. Also, we give them customer preferences,  time line for achieving the goal and ask them to come up with concepts in 3 to 4  days. They analyze the problem based on their past product development  experience and build a best idea. Once the teams come up with ideas, brain storm  each idea with open mind, compare different ideas with merits and demerits. As  the teams brainstorm their idea, note down the key points, go deeper into  solutions both creative and analytical. Select optimal solution which is agreeable  by large team members and supported by facts and figures.

Insight and Approach:

I am combining the Insight and Approach of Mind mapping to explain…

By applying mind mapping tool, what I learnt from this exercise, gives equal  opportunity to each member or team to put forward their ideas and allows free  thinking, break boundaries, open mindedness. It gives opportunity for creative  and analytical thinking. Ideas to be brainstormed without pre-judging. It also  removes misconceptions on the final product.

I found that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning. Now  onwards I would use the mind mapping activity as a starting point for design  thinking activities as well as personal or family activities. In fact, by discussing  every idea for solving a single problem and selecting the best out of them  improves learning mind set, broad repertoire and customer empathy. Prepares  mind for next challenge. This helps the members to grow professionally as well as  it helps the growth of the company.

