Reflection:  Mind Mapping Tool

Describe your challenge.

A few years ago, I was managing one of the largest frozen prepared meals brands in the United States. Our

media spend was in the double digits, but sales were softening, and appealing to new consumers was nearly

impossible. Several forces were colliding all at once, driving this downward trend. Consumers were growing

distrustful of large companies, and the definition of "healthy eating" was rapidly changing; frozen was out,

fresh /"homemade" was in, lengthy ingredient statements were out, short and simple was in, and so on. As

millennials grew up and the food network became their entertainment, meal expectations rose!

For a few years, the team believed that we didn't need to appeal to everyone and that our target market

(boomers) was satisfied. What the team failed to realize was the "health" revolution was not a characteristic

of a younger segment, but a massive trend impacting all consumer segments at different rates. Based on this

fact and the lack of growth, the organization agreed to move forward on a project that would guide the

evolution of the brand positioning. Evolving a brand positioning has impacts on both marketing and product

strategies, and it was critical to secure senior enrollment in the project and throughout the process.

Describe the tool you selected.

I choose to focus on Mind Mapping because it is a tool that serves as the foundation of the What if phase of

design thinking. It is also my most favorite part of design thinking because I get to play detective with my

teams. "Mind Mapping is looking for patterns and insights in the large quantity of data you collected during

the exploration of What is." Mind mapping bridges the What is and the What if stages by developing clear

design criteria statements that align with the problem or opportunity defined in What is. Because we are not

yet in concept development, it is critical to ask, if anything were possible, what criteria would the new design

meet. This keeps the team focused on the problem without constraints.

Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge.

First and foremost, we created a large cross-functional team made up of many different functions, including

marketing, research, finance, sales, operations, purchasing, food scientists, R&D, and more. We divided the

teams into top, medium, and low participants. The top participants were group leaders, and most of their time

was dedicated to the project. The medium participants were on the team and met weekly with the group

leaders. The low participants were the broader group and served to help secure data, insights, and provide

critiques. Before the mind mapping, we organized and analyzed data into four key themes: market trends,

consumer insights, competitive landscape, company orthodoxies. These four themes allowed the group to

form into four teams made up of top/medium/low participants. Each team (i.e., the market trends team, the

consumer insights team, the competitive landscape team, and the company orthodoxy team) had to provide

the data or insight on a ppt slide, a post-it, a picture, etc. to be hung in a war room.

It was now time to start mind mapping! The room looked like a modern art masterpiece, with pictures, words,

quotes, collages, and lots of post-it covering the walls. Each team read their insights and added some color

around the data point before the team physically connected the data points. Each team had a chance to

connect the insights to one another and form clusters. Project managers took notes and pictures of the

various clusters, keeping tabs of the "lone" insights. The top and medium participants regrouped and

discussed all the themes that had emerged. Examples of themes included "nutritious but taste good,"

"comfort food and emotional eating," "homemade vs. frozen," etc. These teams reorganized to create insight

statements that would guide the criteria in the What if stage.

The tool was extremely useful in taking a lot of information and aligning with the most relevant themes. As the

team narrowed in size (into marketing and research), it was easier to build insight statements. I believe the

key to the process was knowing when to expand and limit the participants. Most of the time, we did an

excellent job because we were aware of the design principles of collaboration. But there were a few moments

in the project that a smaller team of cross-functional members would have sufficed and prevented tangents.

Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your challenge

I believe the most essential part of mind mapping is the discussion. I think some folks thought the project was

complete once the insights and data were grouped into themes. There is a lot to articulate behind an idea. It is

incredible how people can see one theme and interpret it differently than another individual. Discussing the

themes after they were formed helped to generate keywords needed to build strong insight statements.

These insights statements guide the design criteria. This criterion is essential to thinking about possible

solutions to the design challenge and the foundation of the What if? phase.

Describe what you might do differently next time.

Mind mapping is an excellent tool to navigate through a lot of data and insights. It definitely takes a

commitment from many people in the organization, especially on a large-scale project like evolving the brand

positioning. The marketing team and market research team understood the process, but many other functions

quickly discussed solutions throughout the mind mapping process. This often-created moments of pause and

frustration. The next time I use this tool, I will use a storytelling technique to help cross-functional team

members understand the purpose and outcomes of  this process. Every meeting started with an objective, but

it was often forgotten. I believe repeating the "yard sale" example at the start of every meeting (and where we

are in the "yard sale") would have resonated with cross-functional team members not as familiar with design

thinking.


Reflection : Mind Mapping Tool Describe your challenge . A few years ago , I was managing one of the largest frozen prepared meals brands in the United States . Our media spend was in the double digits , but sales were softening , and appealing to new consumers was nearly impossible . Several forces were colliding all at once , driving this downward trend . Consumers were growing distrustful of large companies , and the definition of " healthy eating " was rapidly changing ; frozen was out , fresh /"homemade " was in , lengthy ingredient statements were out , short and simple was in , and so on . As millennials grew up and the food network became their entertainment , meal expectations rose ! For a few years , the team believed that we did n't need to appeal to everyone and that our target market ( boomers ) was satisfied . What the team failed to realize was the " health " revolution was not a characteristic of a younger segment , but a massive trend impacting all consumer segments at different rates . Based on this fact and the lack of growth , the organization agreed to move forward on a project that would guide the evolution of the brand positioning . Evolving a brand positioning has impacts on both marketing and product strategies , and it was critical to secure senior enrollment in the project and throughout the process . Describe the tool you selected . I choose to focus on Mind Mapping because it is a tool that serves as the foundation of the What if phase of design thinking . It is also my most favorite part of design thinking because I get to play detective with my teams . " Mind Mapping is looking for patterns and insights in the large quantity of data you collected during the exploration of What is . " Mind mapping bridges the What is and the What if stages by developing clear design criteria statements that align with the problem or opportunity defined in What is . Because we are not yet in concept development , it is critical to ask , if anything were possible , what criteria would the new design meet . This keeps the team focused on the problem without constraints . Describe how you applied the tool you selected to your challenge . First and foremost , we created a large cross - functional team made up of many different functions , including marketing , research , finance , sales , operations , purchasing , food scientists , R&D , and more . We divided the teams into top , medium , and low participants . The top participants were group leaders , and most of their time was dedicated to the project . The medium participants were on the team and met weekly with the group leaders . The low participants were the broader group and served to help secure data , insights , and provide critiques . Before the mind mapping , we organized and analyzed data into four key themes : market trends , consumer insights , competitive landscape , company orthodoxies . These four themes allowed the group to form into four teams made up of top / medium / low participants . Each team ( i.e. , the market trends team , the consumer insights team , the competitive landscape team , and the company orthodoxy team ) had to provide the data or insight on a ppt slide , a post - it , a picture , etc . to be hung in a war room . It was now time to start mind mapping ! The room looked like a modern art masterpiece , with pictures , words , quotes , collages , and lots of post - it covering the walls . Each team read their insights and added some color around the data point before the team physically connected the data points . Each team had a chance to connect the insights to one another and form clusters . Project managers took notes and pictures of the various clusters , keeping tabs of the " lone " insights . The top and medium participants regrouped and discussed all the themes that had emerged . Examples of themes included " nutritious but taste good , " " comfort food and emotional eating , " " homemade vs. frozen , " etc . These teams reorganized to create insight statements that would guide the criteria in the What if stage . The tool was extremely useful in taking a lot of information and aligning with the most relevant themes . As the team narrowed in size ( into marketing and research ) , it was easier to build insight statements . I believe the key to the process was knowing when to expand and limit the participants . Most of the time , we did an excellent job because we were aware of the design principles of collaboration . But there were a few moments in the project that a smaller team of cross - functional members would have sufficed and prevented tangents . Describe the insight you gained from applying the tool you selected to your challenge I believe the most essential part of mind mapping is the discussion . I think some folks thought the project was complete once the insights and data were grouped into themes . There is a lot to articulate behind an idea . It is incredible how people can see one theme and interpret it differently than another individual . Discussing the themes after they were formed helped to generate keywords needed to build strong insight statements . These insights statements guide the design criteria . This criterion is essential to thinking about possible solutions to the design challenge and the foundation of the What if ? phase . Describe what you might do differently next time . Mind mapping is an excellent tool to navigate through a lot of data and insights . It definitely takes a commitment from many people in the organization , especially on a large - scale project like evolving the brand positioning . The marketing team and market research team understood the process , but many other functions quickly discussed solutions throughout the mind mapping process . This often - created moments of pause and frustration . The next time I use this tool , I will use a storytelling technique to help cross - functional team members understand the purpose and outcomes of this process . Every meeting started with an objective , but it was often forgotten . I believe repeating the " yard sale " example at the start of every meeting ( and where we are in the " yard sale " ) would have resonated with cross - functional team members not as familiar with design thinking .