Challenge: I was working on a project with a design team (it was 6 of us, mainly from different  backgrounds, there were project managers, an operational director, an analyst, a UX designer and a  graphic designer) to develop new innovative solutions for helping people have healthier food  choices. We met on a weekly basis with our design team and went through the human-centered  design process together.

Selection: Once we gathered data through ethnographic research we decided to use mind-mapping  to look for patters and themes in our data. This tool is looking for patterns and insights in the large  quantity of data collected during our exploration of ‘what is’ through ethnographic research  methods. Our goal was to establish criteria for the ‘what if’ idea generation phase.

Application: the team set up in our dedicated workshop space, where we had large glass walls with  plenty of space for sticking post-it notes, we prepared with notebooks, pens, felt markers, etc and  started sharing the stories and information each team member had collected. While listening, each  team member had to write down notes and observations about the information we shared. We put  these key observations up on the wall. Once we had everything on the wall, everyone was asked to  pick the 5 most interesting or most insightful post-its and we moved these into a new group in a new  blank area on the wall. We then discussed why we have picked the chosen observations and  grouped them into clusters. Once we had the clusters, we identified connections and created  headlines for the clusters. Once we had the headlines, we created insight statements. We’ve then  worked individually for a few minutes to turn the insight statements into design criteria statements.  Then shared these design criteria statements and worked again as a group to refine the final design  criteria statements, conditions our design solution must satisfy in order to solve our original design  problem.

Insight & approach: I find mind-mapping for looking for patters and insights a very interesting and  energising exercise. It was filled with ‘AHA’ moments, where during uncovering insights some of us  came up with final design solutions, but had to be reminded to park those ideas and work through  the whole process first. Furthermore it was interesting to see, how a varied bunch of people can  create such a rich array of insights, so a key learning was the strong power of the collective mind.

If we had to do it again, I would make sure to use more visualisation tools and even images from the  ethnographic research phase and probably spend more time to wonder about ‘if anything was  possible’ when creating the design criteria.


Challenge : I was working on a project with a design team ( it was 6 of us , mainly from different backgrounds , there were project managers , an operational director , an analyst , a UX designer and a graphic designer ) to develop new innovative solutions for helping people have healthier food choices . We met on a weekly basis with our design team and went through the human - centered design process together . Selection : Once we gathered data through ethnographic research we decided to use mind - mapping to look for patters and themes in our data . This tool is looking for patterns and insights in the large quantity of data collected during our exploration of ‘ what is ’ through ethnographic research methods . Our goal was to establish criteria for the ‘ what if ’ idea generation phase . Application : the team set up in our dedicated workshop space , where we had large glass walls with plenty of space for sticking post - it notes , we prepared with notebooks , pens , felt markers , etc and started sharing the stories and information each team member had collected . While listening , each team member had to write down notes and observations about the information we shared . We put these key observations up on the wall . Once we had everything on the wall , everyone was asked to pick the 5 most interesting or most insightful post - its and we moved these into a new group in a new blank area on the wall . We then discussed why we have picked the chosen observations and grouped them into clusters . Once we had the clusters , we identified connections and created headlines for the clusters . Once we had the headlines , we created insight statements . We ’ve then worked individually for a few minutes to turn the insight statements into design criteria statements . Then shared these design criteria statements and worked again as a group to refine the final design criteria statements , conditions our design solution must satisfy in order to solve our original design problem . Insight & approach : I find mind - mapping for looking for patters and insights a very interesting and energising exercise . It was filled with ‘ AHA ’ moments , where during uncovering insights some of us came up with final design solutions , but had to be reminded to park those ideas and work through the whole process first . Furthermore it was interesting to see , how a varied bunch of people can create such a rich array of insights , so a key learning was the strong power of the collective mind . If we had to do it again , I would make sure to use more visualisation tools and even images from the ethnographic research phase and probably spend more time to wonder about ‘ if anything was possible ’ when creating the design criteria .