Reflections – Mind Mapping

Challenge & Selection   The field of Product Management is pretty complex. It involves various stakeholders and their needs  have to be addressed at large. While building products, the demography that will use your service would  be wide, unless you know your target audience before your start your journey. During this process,  there are many stress points that go unnoticed causing unforced errors or delays. Mind mapping helps  you stream line this process which the help of brainstorming sessions. This technique provides you with  consolidated map that reflect the common ground as well as differences in understanding or generating  new ideas.

Application   Using mind maps follow a simple process. The problem or idea is usually drawn in the middle of the  board or paper and subtopics are written around the idea. In the simplest explanation, a mind map  looks like a visual spider diagram which captures the information around a single idea or topic. I use  simple techniques like whiteboard or paper mind map. It is a simple way of presenting the idea and it  can also be used to look into different ideas.

The most important benefit I derived was that it provided a visual way of expressing ideas and  communicating these ideas to the rest of the team members. Although basic as they are, mind maps  have been used by project managers for a long time and it is one of the tools in project management  planning.

Insight & Approach   After using mind maps, I noticed an increase in the participation of my team during meeting. Members  provided inputs which were impactful and achievable. Constructing mind maps helped us define  problems and then break them down into smaller iterations which were measurable and viable.


Reflections – Mind Mapping Challenge & Selection The field of Product Management is pretty complex . It involves various stakeholders and their needs have to be addressed at large . While building products , the demography that will use your service would be wide , unless you know your target audience before your start your journey . During this process , there are many stress points that go unnoticed causing unforced errors or delays . Mind mapping helps you stream line this process which the help of brainstorming sessions . This technique provides you with consolidated map that reflect the common ground as well as differences in understanding or generating new ideas . Application Using mind maps follow a simple process . The problem or idea is usually drawn in the middle of the board or paper and subtopics are written around the idea . In the simplest explanation , a mind map looks like a visual spider diagram which captures the information around a single idea or topic . I use simple techniques like whiteboard or paper mind map . It is a simple way of presenting the idea and it can also be used to look into different ideas . The most important benefit I derived was that it provided a visual way of expressing ideas and communicating these ideas to the rest of the team members . Although basic as they are , mind maps have been used by project managers for a long time and it is one of the tools in project management planning . Insight & Approach After using mind maps , I noticed an increase in the participation of my team during meeting . Members provided inputs which were impactful and achievable . Constructing mind maps helped us define problems and then break them down into smaller iterations which were measurable and viable .