Reflection on Mind mapping

Challenge

I work for a software company which primarily develops software products for airlines in cargo, revenue  management, and loyalty domains. In the past year, we have been thinking to refactor some of our  products and give them a new look by redesigning the user interfaces. Our products have rich  functionality and the market leaders in this category. However, they have and legacy architecture and  poor user experience. Therefore, we decided that we need to redesign the graphical user interface and  refactor the back-end architecture.

We have conducted workshops with five different customers from five different continents in the world,  Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. We sent our best architects, business analysts and user  experience experts to the client site for a week. They have been observing the business users and how  they use our products and tools. Also, they find the pain areas and problems that they face. Apart from  that, they have collected sample data entry forms, screenshots of error messages, user training  materials, data on slow response issues. They had video recorded some user stories and photographed  some teams and their environments.

After five days working with the customers and different segments of the user communities from  different customers, our teams are back in the office with a massive amount of information.

Selection

Now our management team faced with the problem what to do with the collected data from workshops  and how to use them effectively in designing new user experience and reshaping all of our product lines.  Then I suggested using the mind mapping technique we can categorize and transform these data into  useful information, identify patterns and generate ideas.

“Mind mapping is looking for patterns and insights in the large quantity of data you have collected  during your exploration of what is. The goal is to establish criteria for the what if idea generation phase,  which comes next” -- Design Thinking for Innovation, week 3

Application

We organized a two-day hackathon in the company to showcase the finding from our customers and  wanted all our staff to independently observe, understand and divide data into clusters before the idea  generation phase.

Firstly, we spread all data across the conference room. We hang all photos, reports, ethnographic data  of the business users around walls, and project video footages on big screens. Then we gave a brief to  our staff members about the project and asked them to go through the displayed data. Furthermore, we  asked them to note down any learning that they believe should inform new ideas. After the observation  round, we requested them to share their notes and then stick them on the wall by categorizing them  into main clusters—system performance problems, user training issues, user interface issues, cultural  behaviors and personal characteristics of the users such as age and disabilities. Then we asked them to

create groups of three to five members and build some relationships between those clusters and  develop some insights. We encourage them to ask few fundamental questions about the data and their  ideas.

Insights

On the second day of the hackathon, we asked teams to translate their insights to design criteria. It was  very successful, and we could ignite some of the most innovative ideas in our company. Some units  which were focusing on performance issues were managed to build a prototype of a superfast API  platform. There was a prototype to help call center app users with artificial intelligence. Another group  has presented how to use audio support to our apps to help visually impaired users.

Approach

Mind mapping technique was a powerful tool when there is a lot of data. However, individuals  participated in the exercise could be more engaged if we could use visualization. Initially, when we brief  the idea to the attendees, they were not very clear what is our objective and how they should  effectively contribute to the activity. Had they given a visual presentation or visual help for them to  understand the company’s aim, we could have got the maximum engagement of the employee  community.


Reflection on Mind mapping Challenge I work for a software company which primarily develops software products for airlines in cargo , revenue management , and loyalty domains . In the past year , we have been thinking to refactor some of our products and give them a new look by redesigning the user interfaces . Our products have rich functionality and the market leaders in this category . However , they have and legacy architecture and poor user experience . Therefore , we decided that we need to redesign the graphical user interface and refactor the back - end architecture . We have conducted workshops with five different customers from five different continents in the world , Asia , the Middle East , Europe , and the Americas . We sent our best architects , business analysts and user experience experts to the client site for a week . They have been observing the business users and how they use our products and tools . Also , they find the pain areas and problems that they face . Apart from that , they have collected sample data entry forms , screenshots of error messages , user training materials , data on slow response issues . They had video recorded some user stories and photographed some teams and their environments . After five days working with the customers and different segments of the user communities from different customers , our teams are back in the office with a massive amount of information . Selection Now our management team faced with the problem what to do with the collected data from workshops and how to use them effectively in designing new user experience and reshaping all of our product lines . Then I suggested using the mind mapping technique we can categorize and transform these data into useful information , identify patterns and generate ideas . “ Mind mapping is looking for patterns and insights in the large quantity of data you have collected during your exploration of what is . The goal is to establish criteria for the what if idea generation phase , which comes next ” -- Design Thinking for Innovation , week 3 Application We organized a two - day hackathon in the company to showcase the finding from our customers and wanted all our staff to independently observe , understand and divide data into clusters before the idea generation phase . Firstly , we spread all data across the conference room . We hang all photos , reports , ethnographic data of the business users around walls , and project video footages on big screens . Then we gave a brief to our staff members about the project and asked them to go through the displayed data . Furthermore , we asked them to note down any learning that they believe should inform new ideas . After the observation round , we requested them to share their notes and then stick them on the wall by categorizing them into main clusters — system performance problems , user training issues , user interface issues , cultural behaviors and personal characteristics of the users such as age and disabilities . Then we asked them to create groups of three to five members and build some relationships between those clusters and develop some insights . We encourage them to ask few fundamental questions about the data and their ideas . Insights On the second day of the hackathon , we asked teams to translate their insights to design criteria . It was very successful , and we could ignite some of the most innovative ideas in our company . Some units which were focusing on performance issues were managed to build a prototype of a superfast API platform . There was a prototype to help call center app users with artificial intelligence . Another group has presented how to use audio support to our apps to help visually impaired users . Approach Mind mapping technique was a powerful tool when there is a lot of data . However , individuals participated in the exercise could be more engaged if we could use visualization . Initially , when we brief the idea to the attendees , they were not very clear what is our objective and how they should effectively contribute to the activity . Had they given a visual presentation or visual help for them to understand the company ’s aim , we could have got the maximum engagement of the employee community .