Reflection on Mind Mapping Tool

Challenge:​ I got an opportunity to work on a hands-on project to solve the age old wicked  problem of shortage of blood at the time of need. This was a project to redesign the existing  blood bank system of a small town in India. Each year more than 40 million units of blood are  required across India – yet access to information regarding bloodstock availability and blood  donation remain far from satisfactory. In a medical emergency, blood is usually a very critical  component and a needy citizen should know where they can go to get the blood or how to get  access to the required quantity of blood quickly. Because of the vastness of the problem, and  numerous stakeholders involved it became difficult to narrow down the exact underlying  problem areas to solve.        Selection:​ The project started with secondary research to understand the magnitude of the  problem. Through reports and statistics, online journals, research papers, we could thoroughly  understand the subject. Initial secondary research helped identify some of their responsibilities,  tasks and difficulties. We were then introduced to blood bank in-charges who gave some great  insights into their daily schedules and challenges. In the next phase, we decided to shadow  donors in blood donation camps to do some observational research and conducted online  surveys which were sent out to the around 100 residents of the city. The nurses at the hospitals  also described their actions and thoughts while we followed them through the recipient's rooms.  There were so many data sources and information that the best approach was to conduct a yard  sale kind of experiment with the participants to help in chunking and clustering the information  better. We went back to our whiteboards and started mind mapping all our findings from our  primary and secondary research.

Application:​ We conducted a mind mapping workshop with the participants who were  enthusiastic about solving this wicked problem. We arranged all our information from primary  and secondary research which were mostly interviews of the stakeholders, stats and facts of the  problem around the shortage of blood and loss of lives, blood bank ecosystem, communication  channels within the donor, blood bank and recipients etc. The participants then were given  post-its and pens and were made to understand the context of the problem i.e. solving the blood  shortage issues in our current blood bank system and ensure zero loss of lives. Participants  then started posting their sticky notes on the wall around the data source and once all were  done with the shopping, all the findings,insights were analyzed in the form of empathy mapping  and affinity mapping. Based on the cause and effect, this exercise helped us find gaps and  opportunities according to broader themes of process, people, technology, policy and  communication.

Insights: ​This tool was really helpful in identifying broader themes to focus on and coming up  with opportunity areas for each of the stakeholders i.e. blood donors, blood bank, recipients.  Instead of solving the problem as one whole blood bank problem, the problem got divided into  smaller chunks to solve individually which would eventually lead to a flawless ecosystem  ensuring zero loss of lives. From the blood donors’ point of view, the major problem was general  lack of knowledge about the process and demand. Similarly, major problems were identified  from the blood bank’s and recipients’ point of view, the major ones being oversupply season  and high demand season were easily trackable and unavailability of real-time tracking  respectively. Even though this problem was existent for a long time now, these deeper level  understanding of each of the stakeholders were never done and these insights turned out to be  really unique and something which can be solved easily. This led to three distinct problem  statements for each stakeholder in the What is phase which would help in brainstorming  solutions for each better in the What if phase.      Approach:​ This approach of using the mind mapping tool in the design thinking process was  really helpful for this mysterious problem with vast complex data and information. The approach  led to many solutions which went to the learning launch phase of the process and had an  impactful reaction from the stakeholders involved. So next time whenever I would be dealing  with such a complicated ecosystem of services and products, I would definitely go for the mind  mapping tool to come up with design criterias. Along with this, using the projective technique  tool and visualisation tool, the problem becomes one step closer to solving successfully.


Reflection on Mind Mapping Tool Challenge:​ I got an opportunity to work on a hands - on project to solve the age old wicked problem of shortage of blood at the time of need . This was a project to redesign the existing blood bank system of a small town in India . Each year more than 40 million units of blood are required across India – yet access to information regarding bloodstock availability and blood donation remain far from satisfactory . In a medical emergency , blood is usually a very critical component and a needy citizen should know where they can go to get the blood or how to get access to the required quantity of blood quickly . Because of the vastness of the problem , and numerous stakeholders involved it became difficult to narrow down the exact underlying problem areas to solve . Selection:​ The project started with secondary research to understand the magnitude of the problem . Through reports and statistics , online journals , research papers , we could thoroughly understand the subject . Initial secondary research helped identify some of their responsibilities , tasks and difficulties . We were then introduced to blood bank in - charges who gave some great insights into their daily schedules and challenges . In the next phase , we decided to shadow donors in blood donation camps to do some observational research and conducted online surveys which were sent out to the around 100 residents of the city . The nurses at the hospitals also described their actions and thoughts while we followed them through the recipient 's rooms . There were so many data sources and information that the best approach was to conduct a yard sale kind of experiment with the participants to help in chunking and clustering the information better . We went back to our whiteboards and started mind mapping all our findings from our primary and secondary research . Application:​ We conducted a mind mapping workshop with the participants who were enthusiastic about solving this wicked problem . We arranged all our information from primary and secondary research which were mostly interviews of the stakeholders , stats and facts of the problem around the shortage of blood and loss of lives , blood bank ecosystem , communication channels within the donor , blood bank and recipients etc . The participants then were given post - its and pens and were made to understand the context of the problem i.e. solving the blood shortage issues in our current blood bank system and ensure zero loss of lives . Participants then started posting their sticky notes on the wall around the data source and once all were done with the shopping , all the findings , insights were analyzed in the form of empathy mapping and affinity mapping . Based on the cause and effect , this exercise helped us find gaps and opportunities according to broader themes of process , people , technology , policy and communication . Insights : ​This tool was really helpful in identifying broader themes to focus on and coming up with opportunity areas for each of the stakeholders i.e. blood donors , blood bank , recipients . Instead of solving the problem as one whole blood bank problem , the problem got divided into smaller chunks to solve individually which would eventually lead to a flawless ecosystem ensuring zero loss of lives . From the blood donors ’ point of view , the major problem was general lack of knowledge about the process and demand . Similarly , major problems were identified from the blood bank ’s and recipients ’ point of view , the major ones being oversupply season and high demand season were easily trackable and unavailability of real - time tracking respectively . Even though this problem was existent for a long time now , these deeper level understanding of each of the stakeholders were never done and these insights turned out to be really unique and something which can be solved easily . This led to three distinct problem statements for each stakeholder in the What is phase which would help in brainstorming solutions for each better in the What if phase . Approach:​ This approach of using the mind mapping tool in the design thinking process was really helpful for this mysterious problem with vast complex data and information . The approach led to many solutions which went to the learning launch phase of the process and had an impactful reaction from the stakeholders involved . So next time whenever I would be dealing with such a complicated ecosystem of services and products , I would definitely go for the mind mapping tool to come up with design criterias . Along with this , using the projective technique tool and visualisation tool , the problem becomes one step closer to solving successfully .