Reflection—Mind Mapping

Challenge and Selection    With decreased numbers of applicants and increasing frustrations of our selection processes  coupled with a mandate to grow and scale, I chose the tool of mind mapping as the initial tool  to lead us to a shared understanding of current processes and toward a vision of improved user  experience. With multiple co-dependent steps, unclear timelines, outdated digital platforms  and role confusion, our current process for application, assessments and approvals and overall  user experience is complex and unsustainable. Because of the complexity, the internal team  regularly feels overwhelmed and overworked which has led to a culture of short-sighted  decision making and a lack of long-term growth plans.     Application and Approach    The first step toward a possible growth solution was to gather all the data, collective  knowledge, forms, documents and currently required steps for the applicant user experience.  Together, as a team, we used a large whiteboard to begin to map the current processes,  requirements and applicant user data experience and insights. Not only did we have the need  to rightly understand the desires and jobs to be done by internal stakeholders, we also had to  develop empathy for our applicants.  As we were engaged in the exercise, it was clear that we  needed to account for both the internal and external stakeholders. The determined questions:  what is it that we as an organization must achieve and what are the desires of our applicants.     Cleary two perspectives were discovered and were at tension within our “what is”.  These  competing voices had led to the current complexity and frustrating user experience. To  effectively translate and initiate design criteria, I chose visualization as a second tool for the  purpose of creating audience empathy. Our mind mapping exercise uncovered a gapping hole  in our current understanding of our customer’s jobs to be done, pains, and desired gains. Using  a value proposition canvas, pictures of existing and potential applicants, the team utilized  stickie notes to begin to ideate the pains, jobs to be done and desired gains of our customers.  We discussed all the insight and then prioritized the list allowing us to select the top entries  based on those deemed most important to our customers.    Both the mind mapping tool and the visualization tool, enabled us to develop clear design  criteria for a newly designed user experience. The criteria prioritized the customer while also  enabling us to fulfill the necessary steps for organizational requirements. Currently, we are  prototyping the new user experience leveraging an updated digital platform which gives us the  ability to optimize within a continuous improvement process for the sake of delivering a  delightful user experience.     Insight

It was clear to me as a new leader in an organization that there was wide-spread knowledge  that a challenge or problem existed. Numbers of applicants were in steady decline yet the  members of the team seemed to be working harder and longer than ever. Identifying the  challenge or problem to solve for was step one. The problem and frustration had led to  paralysis and low morale. The mind mapping tool partnered with visualization became  welcomed gifts to the team as it enabled each of them to share their experiential insights,  gather and view relevant data and work together toward a potential solution leading to new  growth.     As we learned in the course, learning to adopt and utilize design thinking models takes practice.  I am learning that I will need to introduce multiple tools within each design process simply for  the purpose of building confidence and acclimation toward design thinking. Adding  whiteboards to our works spaces was a vital step.


Reflection — Mind Mapping Challenge and Selection With decreased numbers of applicants and increasing frustrations of our selection processes coupled with a mandate to grow and scale , I chose the tool of mind mapping as the initial tool to lead us to a shared understanding of current processes and toward a vision of improved user experience . With multiple co - dependent steps , unclear timelines , outdated digital platforms and role confusion , our current process for application , assessments and approvals and overall user experience is complex and unsustainable . Because of the complexity , the internal team regularly feels overwhelmed and overworked which has led to a culture of short - sighted decision making and a lack of long - term growth plans . Application and Approach The first step toward a possible growth solution was to gather all the data , collective knowledge , forms , documents and currently required steps for the applicant user experience . Together , as a team , we used a large whiteboard to begin to map the current processes , requirements and applicant user data experience and insights . Not only did we have the need to rightly understand the desires and jobs to be done by internal stakeholders , we also had to develop empathy for our applicants . As we were engaged in the exercise , it was clear that we needed to account for both the internal and external stakeholders . The determined questions : what is it that we as an organization must achieve and what are the desires of our applicants . Cleary two perspectives were discovered and were at tension within our “ what is ” . These competing voices had led to the current complexity and frustrating user experience . To effectively translate and initiate design criteria , I chose visualization as a second tool for the purpose of creating audience empathy . Our mind mapping exercise uncovered a gapping hole in our current understanding of our customer ’s jobs to be done , pains , and desired gains . Using a value proposition canvas , pictures of existing and potential applicants , the team utilized stickie notes to begin to ideate the pains , jobs to be done and desired gains of our customers . We discussed all the insight and then prioritized the list allowing us to select the top entries based on those deemed most important to our customers . Both the mind mapping tool and the visualization tool , enabled us to develop clear design criteria for a newly designed user experience . The criteria prioritized the customer while also enabling us to fulfill the necessary steps for organizational requirements . Currently , we are prototyping the new user experience leveraging an updated digital platform which gives us the ability to optimize within a continuous improvement process for the sake of delivering a delightful user experience . Insight It was clear to me as a new leader in an organization that there was wide - spread knowledge that a challenge or problem existed . Numbers of applicants were in steady decline yet the members of the team seemed to be working harder and longer than ever . Identifying the challenge or problem to solve for was step one . The problem and frustration had led to paralysis and low morale . The mind mapping tool partnered with visualization became welcomed gifts to the team as it enabled each of them to share their experiential insights , gather and view relevant data and work together toward a potential solution leading to new growth . As we learned in the course , learning to adopt and utilize design thinking models takes practice . I am learning that I will need to introduce multiple tools within each design process simply for the purpose of building confidence and acclimation toward design thinking . Adding whiteboards to our works spaces was a vital step .