Pepa Medrano

Design Thinking for Innovation  April 2, 2020

Mind Mapping

Challenge:

I am on the Artist Relations team at a music sync company.  My job includes

organizing and listening to all the new music submissions that are sent to the label and  communicating with the creative department about possible signings. The creative team  pitches music to music supervisors and are aware of current trends and needs for TV,  Film, and Ads so they are a huge asset to the A&R team and our decision making  process. The challenge often encountered in the company is a lack of communication  between these two departments about new music. It’s often a challenge to get the  creative department to send back feedback on possible signings in a timely manner.  There is currently not a specific tool that is used for feedback so information gets lost in  emails. It creates confusion for the A&R team as well as the potential signings. The label  lacks an effective communication system to circulate and listen to new music in order  for the A&R team to sign new artists into the catalog quickly to match requests and  trends. The project is to build an effective online process to create a clear flow of  communication between the A&R team and the creative department. A process where  information on new artists, their music, and the creative team’s feedback, are organized  clearly and sent back to the A&R team smoothly in order for us to make final decisions.

Selection:

I decided to select the mind mapping tool to begin the innovative thinking

process. Mind Mapping is a brainstorming method often used to fuel a creative mindset  by using illustrations and graphs to express ideas. By using a visual tool to generate  concepts, it helps to collect, analyze, and structure new thoughts to create a better  understanding of the subject/challenge. I selected mind mapping for my challenge  because I am currently in the stage where I have identified the issue and need a place to  represent my information and ideas to create a hypothesis.

Application:

I used Adobe Illustrator to put together a mind map of my ideas (see below). I think it  was applied very effectively. Using mind mapping enabled me to let my thoughts flow.

DESIGN THINKING FOR INNOVATION	 �1

The current illustration will now help my team and I narrow down the best hypothesis  to move forward with the creation of this online communication portal.

Insight:

Mind mapping removes the pressure of coming up with a great idea/thought on

the first try. It allows your mind to flow freely without judgement. You’re not necessarily  looking for a hypothesis right away, you’re collecting key words and connections that  then creates a large visual map. The map helps you see all these connections in front of  you, which I realized helped me significantly! It also is a great tool for the entire team.  Mind mapping can be done in a group or individually to fuel understanding and  creativity.

DESIGN THINKING FOR INNOVATION	 �2

Regarding the specific challenge of creating an online communication system

between the A&R department and the creative team, I found that the best system  includes both an online method and an in person meeting. I also found that it went  further than just creating a tool with the creative team. We also would benefit from a  submission page on our main website for artists to submit their music to us. The A&R  team was mostly receiving our submissions through email, which left my inbox often  cluttered. By creating a page for artists to access, it creates a more organized place for  me to handle the submissions and listen through. I also realized that we need to narrow  down the music we send to the creative team. They were receiving too much and could  not handle all the music, on top of the tasks they were already doing. By limiting  unsolicited music, we will be able to narrow down our submissions and focus on what’s  really needed. My idea is to create a private page on our website that only the company  can access where the A&R team updates the page with new music to listen to. There will  be a space for feedback and also a deadline. When the A&R team updates the page, an  email notification is automatically sent ot the creative team. When the creative team  submits their feedback, a notification is then sent to the A&R team.  In addition to the  online page, I am thinking of implementing a monthly or biweekly creative meeting  where the A&R team and the creative team get together to discuss trends, new signings,  needs, etc.

Approach:

I think mind mapping is a really great, versatile tool that can be used lightly with

just a few thoughts or expanded into a whole wall of ideas and connections. Next time, I  would expand the map even further and dig a bit deeper into the brainstorming.

DESIGN THINKING FOR INNOVATION	 �3


Pepa Medrano Design Thinking for Innovation April 2 , 2020 Mind Mapping Challenge : I am on the Artist Relations team at a music sync company . My job includes organizing and listening to all the new music submissions that are sent to the label and communicating with the creative department about possible signings . The creative team pitches music to music supervisors and are aware of current trends and needs for TV , Film , and Ads so they are a huge asset to the A&R team and our decision making process . The challenge often encountered in the company is a lack of communication between these two departments about new music . It ’s often a challenge to get the creative department to send back feedback on possible signings in a timely manner . There is currently not a specific tool that is used for feedback so information gets lost in emails . It creates confusion for the A&R team as well as the potential signings . The label lacks an effective communication system to circulate and listen to new music in order for the A&R team to sign new artists into the catalog quickly to match requests and trends . The project is to build an effective online process to create a clear flow of communication between the A&R team and the creative department . A process where information on new artists , their music , and the creative team ’s feedback , are organized clearly and sent back to the A&R team smoothly in order for us to make final decisions . Selection : I decided to select the mind mapping tool to begin the innovative thinking process . Mind Mapping is a brainstorming method often used to fuel a creative mindset by using illustrations and graphs to express ideas . By using a visual tool to generate concepts , it helps to collect , analyze , and structure new thoughts to create a better understanding of the subject / challenge . I selected mind mapping for my challenge because I am currently in the stage where I have identified the issue and need a place to represent my information and ideas to create a hypothesis . Application : I used Adobe Illustrator to put together a mind map of my ideas ( see below ) . I think it was applied very effectively . Using mind mapping enabled me to let my thoughts flow . DESIGN THINKING FOR INNOVATION � 1 The current illustration will now help my team and I narrow down the best hypothesis to move forward with the creation of this online communication portal . Insight : Mind mapping removes the pressure of coming up with a great idea / thought on the first try . It allows your mind to flow freely without judgement . You ’re not necessarily looking for a hypothesis right away , you ’re collecting key words and connections that then creates a large visual map . The map helps you see all these connections in front of you , which I realized helped me significantly ! It also is a great tool for the entire team . Mind mapping can be done in a group or individually to fuel understanding and creativity . DESIGN THINKING FOR INNOVATION � 2 Regarding the specific challenge of creating an online communication system between the A&R department and the creative team , I found that the best system includes both an online method and an in person meeting . I also found that it went further than just creating a tool with the creative team . We also would benefit from a submission page on our main website for artists to submit their music to us . The A&R team was mostly receiving our submissions through email , which left my inbox often cluttered . By creating a page for artists to access , it creates a more organized place for me to handle the submissions and listen through . I also realized that we need to narrow down the music we send to the creative team . They were receiving too much and could not handle all the music , on top of the tasks they were already doing . By limiting unsolicited music , we will be able to narrow down our submissions and focus on what ’s really needed . My idea is to create a private page on our website that only the company can access where the A&R team updates the page with new music to listen to . There will be a space for feedback and also a deadline . When the A&R team updates the page , an email notification is automatically sent ot the creative team . When the creative team submits their feedback , a notification is then sent to the A&R team . In addition to the online page , I am thinking of implementing a monthly or biweekly creative meeting where the A&R team and the creative team get together to discuss trends , new signings , needs , etc . Approach : I think mind mapping is a really great , versatile tool that can be used lightly with just a few thoughts or expanded into a whole wall of ideas and connections . Next time , I would expand the map even further and dig a bit deeper into the brainstorming . DESIGN THINKING FOR INNOVATION � 3