Reflection - Mind Mapping

Challenge

I am part of a team that has been tasked with helping to

determine whether to buy a career development tool from a vendor or  have one of the organization’s technology teams build our very own  technology tool for this. There are several thousand people in this  organization with many leaders, all of which have different opinions  on what a career development tool should be. That being said, it  would really help if we truly understood “what is” or what team  members/employees really want out of a career development tool.  Currently, for the career development process (performance  management, feedback, rewards, training, etc.) we have several  technology tools, one for each part of the career development  process. We are trying to streamline the process and house  everything in one tool for a more unified and consistent career  experience.

Selection

Mind mapping is a design thinking tool that provides patterns

and insights that may or may not have been uncovered from other  typical sources of data or research, as presented in Pat Lopez’s  Mind Mapping presentation. Mind mapping brings customers together  to review existing data and research on a topic so they can review  and provide their own insights on “what is.” I selected mind mapping  because I need to truly understand what it is that my clients (or team  members/employees) want and need from a career development tool,  to determine whether a third party’s vendor tool would meet the  needs of our team members/employees or if creating our own  technology tool would be best. Mind mapping also helps other  participants understand what the current reality is which will help  them understand and appreciate the challenges we face, as we also  learned from Pat Lopez's presentation.

Application

I brought together existing data that my project team gathered

thus far for the “what is” phase. This included focus group qualitative  data, metrics around current usage of internal career development  tools, and reviews from external people on the third party vendor  technology tools. I hung all of the data in a large conference room  and asked my participants, which included clients from multiple  different business areas, including leaders of teams within those  business areas, to review the posted data and research. I provided  sticky notes, a marker, and a clipboard, per Pat Lopez’s  recommendation, and asked everyone to write down any thoughts  that might inform new ideas or what fits/doesn’t fit as they were going  through the posted research and data. After allowing about 40  minutes for this process, I asked everyone to return to an assigned  seat (I planned to have a mixed representation of business areas at  each of the 3 tables). Following the steps in the presentation, I then  gave everyone roughly 10 minutes to review their own sticky notes  and then organize them into themes and clusters. Next, I asked one  person to start presenting their sticky notes and posting their themes/ clusters on the blank wall nearby their table. After that, each  participant at that table presented their sticky notes and added to the  existing sticky notes on the wall nearby their table. Once all members  of each group were finished posting all of their sticky notes on the  walls, I had everyone review the themes and clusters and identify the  root of what each cluster was getting at, or the insights. Everyone  was given larger notes and a half hour for this step.

Performing the Mind Mapping process effectively enabled me to

understand what team members/employees want and need from a  career development tool. Using these insights, I started the “what if”  process, as well, as recommended by Pat Lopez. I looked at all of  the insights uncovered during the Mind Mapping process and started  to think about what would meet our new design criteria.

Insight

From this mind mapping process, it was identified that team

members wanted a tool that was user friendly/easy to use,  personalized, and provided a seamless experience. Team members/

employees wanted simple processes when it comes to training,  performance management, and other aspects of career development.  Regarding the team members/employees wanting a personalized  experience, it was identified that team members/employees want  their previous trainings and performance conversations to pull into  one spot as it relates to them personally. They also wanted the tool to  use their historical information and provide recommendations on skills  they need to work on, trainings they should complete, or articles to  read. Additionally, housing everything in one tool would also create a  seamless experience, so team members/employees weren’t being  routed to several different sites for various aspects of the career  development process. That being said, we now know what to look for  in a third party vendor’s tool or what we need to create if a vendor is  unable to meet those needs.

It was very interesting to watch the process of uncovering

themes and clusters and then using those to identify the insights. The  uncovered insight of having a personalized experience that came  from a theme/cluster was fascinating to me. I don’t think the project  team was thinking that deep or far into the process so finding that  insight from team members/employees was very beneficial. It really  opened my eyes to the different types of insights you can uncover  from mind mapping.

Approach

I followed the process as described in Pat Lopez’s

presentation on Mind Mapping pretty closely and it worked very well.  That being said, I would use the same approach for any challenge  where I need to gain insight on what actually is regarding tools or  processes that team members/employees use or will use in the  future. If I had additional time for a project in the future, I suppose the  only thing I would do differently is add more groups to perform the  mind mapping process with to see what additional insights I could  gain. Bringing in team members/employees that may actually use the  tool to gain insights on what is or what they really want and need will  help ensure that the tool is used and well-liked for long-term adoption  and tool success.


Reflection - Mind Mapping Challenge I am part of a team that has been tasked with helping to determine whether to buy a career development tool from a vendor or have one of the organization ’s technology teams build our very own technology tool for this . There are several thousand people in this organization with many leaders , all of which have different opinions on what a career development tool should be . That being said , it would really help if we truly understood “ what is ” or what team members / employees really want out of a career development tool . Currently , for the career development process ( performance management , feedback , rewards , training , etc . ) we have several technology tools , one for each part of the career development process . We are trying to streamline the process and house everything in one tool for a more unified and consistent career experience . Selection Mind mapping is a design thinking tool that provides patterns and insights that may or may not have been uncovered from other typical sources of data or research , as presented in Pat Lopez ’s Mind Mapping presentation . Mind mapping brings customers together to review existing data and research on a topic so they can review and provide their own insights on “ what is . ” I selected mind mapping because I need to truly understand what it is that my clients ( or team members / employees ) want and need from a career development tool , to determine whether a third party ’s vendor tool would meet the needs of our team members / employees or if creating our own technology tool would be best . Mind mapping also helps other participants understand what the current reality is which will help them understand and appreciate the challenges we face , as we also learned from Pat Lopez 's presentation . Application I brought together existing data that my project team gathered thus far for the “ what is ” phase . This included focus group qualitative data , metrics around current usage of internal career development tools , and reviews from external people on the third party vendor technology tools . I hung all of the data in a large conference room and asked my participants , which included clients from multiple different business areas , including leaders of teams within those business areas , to review the posted data and research . I provided sticky notes , a marker , and a clipboard , per Pat Lopez ’s recommendation , and asked everyone to write down any thoughts that might inform new ideas or what fits / doesn’t fit as they were going through the posted research and data . After allowing about 40 minutes for this process , I asked everyone to return to an assigned seat ( I planned to have a mixed representation of business areas at each of the 3 tables ) . Following the steps in the presentation , I then gave everyone roughly 10 minutes to review their own sticky notes and then organize them into themes and clusters . Next , I asked one person to start presenting their sticky notes and posting their themes/ clusters on the blank wall nearby their table . After that , each participant at that table presented their sticky notes and added to the existing sticky notes on the wall nearby their table . Once all members of each group were finished posting all of their sticky notes on the walls , I had everyone review the themes and clusters and identify the root of what each cluster was getting at , or the insights . Everyone was given larger notes and a half hour for this step . Performing the Mind Mapping process effectively enabled me to understand what team members / employees want and need from a career development tool . Using these insights , I started the “ what if ” process , as well , as recommended by Pat Lopez . I looked at all of the insights uncovered during the Mind Mapping process and started to think about what would meet our new design criteria . Insight From this mind mapping process , it was identified that team members wanted a tool that was user friendly / easy to use , personalized , and provided a seamless experience . Team members/ employees wanted simple processes when it comes to training , performance management , and other aspects of career development . Regarding the team members / employees wanting a personalized experience , it was identified that team members / employees want their previous trainings and performance conversations to pull into one spot as it relates to them personally . They also wanted the tool to use their historical information and provide recommendations on skills they need to work on , trainings they should complete , or articles to read . Additionally , housing everything in one tool would also create a seamless experience , so team members / employees were n’t being routed to several different sites for various aspects of the career development process . That being said , we now know what to look for in a third party vendor ’s tool or what we need to create if a vendor is unable to meet those needs . It was very interesting to watch the process of uncovering themes and clusters and then using those to identify the insights . The uncovered insight of having a personalized experience that came from a theme / cluster was fascinating to me . I do n’t think the project team was thinking that deep or far into the process so finding that insight from team members / employees was very beneficial . It really opened my eyes to the different types of insights you can uncover from mind mapping . Approach I followed the process as described in Pat Lopez ’s presentation on Mind Mapping pretty closely and it worked very well . That being said , I would use the same approach for any challenge where I need to gain insight on what actually is regarding tools or processes that team members / employees use or will use in the future . If I had additional time for a project in the future , I suppose the only thing I would do differently is add more groups to perform the mind mapping process with to see what additional insights I could gain . Bringing in team members / employees that may actually use the tool to gain insights on what is or what they really want and need will help ensure that the tool is used and well - liked for long - term adoption and tool success .