Reflection- Mind Mapping

Challenge

In order to increase revenues and better position ourselves in the market, it´s important that we  continue to please our customers, in both service and product range. This will ensure we are  better placed to compete against new entrants in the market, and that we can maintain/increase a  price premium for our products. Our current understanding of customers needs/wants is fairly  limited, and customer knowledge is concentrated to a few individuals in the sales team, whereas  the business development team who develop new potential products have limited customer  empathy. The challenge is use increased customer empathy to generate ideas for new products  and services.

Selection

The tool selected was Mind Mapping. This tool was selected because it quickly and easily allows  insights about customers gained through previous works with other tools (storytelling, etc) to be  shared with the whole team and used as a springboard to generate new ideas. It is the segway  from understanding of our current state (“what is”) to an innovative business development  pathway (“what if”), and is perfect for a multi-disciplinary team.

Application

Data collected in using previous tools in the design thinking methodology was spread around the  room in which the workshop was carried out. The workshop was run over half a day, and featured  a multidisciplinary team, including commercial, operational, new product development, logistics  and strategy team members. Participants were invited to discuss current state “what is”, with the  assistance of the information collated, and share experiences to give a common base of  understanding from which to generate ideas.

Participants were then given post its notes and asked to give a “first burst” of ideas based on the  material displayed in the room and the initial discussions. This was done in the “silent sharing”  mechanism, whereby participants write down their ideas in silence, and then afterwards share  them with the rest of the group. These post it notes were then placed up on the wall, with a  couple of very basic pattern groupings based on whether the idea related to new products, or  services.

Next, participants were asked to choose at random a couple of post it notes of ideas from the wall,  and try to further develop these ideas, and draw connections between different ideas (e.g. a new  product and a new service) to create compound ideas of increased value. The new ideas were then  placed back onto the wall, along with the original ideas. A couple of extra round of idea generation  and development were carried out.

As a second stage, to group the ideas into more definitive themes and to assess the timeline of the  idea (i.e. short term, medium term, long term) the group was reduced to a couple of core

members to represent the key stake holding departments, with several facilitators. The facilitators  helped the stakeholders to rapidly categorise each of the ideas, and replace them around the  room based on their categories. In later stages the ideas of highest priority (based on impact and  effort of implementation) were developed into projects for rapid prototyping and implementation.

Insight

I found the tool very interesting and useful, having the information collected in advance and  spread out over the room gave real depth and added useful insights to the idea generation. I think  that both the quality and quantity of the ideas was increased because of the supporting material.  More broadly, this tool demonstrated to me the value of the design thinking process, following the  various stages of “what is” to “what if” and then in later stages going through “what works” and  “what wows”.

When using this tool I also found a lot of value keeping in mind the idea of the “growth mindset”,  and this is one of the key aspects that I aim to keep thinking back on in future work.

Approach

If I was using the tool again I would send out relevant information to the participants in advance to  give them more time to absorb the “as is” information, as this time in the workshop was a little  more limited than ideal due to time pressures and the desire to get to the idea generation session.  I would like to try out sending information (gathered through tools such as visualization and  storytelling) one piece a day for the week leading up to the workshop, as I think this would build  up anticipation and generate interest and excitement, and also give the participants more time to  think of ideas in advance.


Reflection- Mind Mapping Challenge In order to increase revenues and better position ourselves in the market , it´s important that we continue to please our customers , in both service and product range . This will ensure we are better placed to compete against new entrants in the market , and that we can maintain / increase a price premium for our products . Our current understanding of customers needs / wants is fairly limited , and customer knowledge is concentrated to a few individuals in the sales team , whereas the business development team who develop new potential products have limited customer empathy . The challenge is use increased customer empathy to generate ideas for new products and services . Selection The tool selected was Mind Mapping . This tool was selected because it quickly and easily allows insights about customers gained through previous works with other tools ( storytelling , etc ) to be shared with the whole team and used as a springboard to generate new ideas . It is the segway from understanding of our current state ( “ what is ” ) to an innovative business development pathway ( “ what if ” ) , and is perfect for a multi - disciplinary team . Application Data collected in using previous tools in the design thinking methodology was spread around the room in which the workshop was carried out . The workshop was run over half a day , and featured a multidisciplinary team , including commercial , operational , new product development , logistics and strategy team members . Participants were invited to discuss current state “ what is ” , with the assistance of the information collated , and share experiences to give a common base of understanding from which to generate ideas . Participants were then given post its notes and asked to give a “ first burst ” of ideas based on the material displayed in the room and the initial discussions . This was done in the “ silent sharing ” mechanism , whereby participants write down their ideas in silence , and then afterwards share them with the rest of the group . These post it notes were then placed up on the wall , with a couple of very basic pattern groupings based on whether the idea related to new products , or services . Next , participants were asked to choose at random a couple of post it notes of ideas from the wall , and try to further develop these ideas , and draw connections between different ideas ( e.g. a new product and a new service ) to create compound ideas of increased value . The new ideas were then placed back onto the wall , along with the original ideas . A couple of extra round of idea generation and development were carried out . As a second stage , to group the ideas into more definitive themes and to assess the timeline of the idea ( i.e. short term , medium term , long term ) the group was reduced to a couple of core members to represent the key stake holding departments , with several facilitators . The facilitators helped the stakeholders to rapidly categorise each of the ideas , and replace them around the room based on their categories . In later stages the ideas of highest priority ( based on impact and effort of implementation ) were developed into projects for rapid prototyping and implementation . Insight I found the tool very interesting and useful , having the information collected in advance and spread out over the room gave real depth and added useful insights to the idea generation . I think that both the quality and quantity of the ideas was increased because of the supporting material . More broadly , this tool demonstrated to me the value of the design thinking process , following the various stages of “ what is ” to “ what if ” and then in later stages going through “ what works ” and “ what wows ” . When using this tool I also found a lot of value keeping in mind the idea of the “ growth mindset ” , and this is one of the key aspects that I aim to keep thinking back on in future work . Approach If I was using the tool again I would send out relevant information to the participants in advance to give them more time to absorb the “ as is ” information , as this time in the workshop was a little more limited than ideal due to time pressures and the desire to get to the idea generation session . I would like to try out sending information ( gathered through tools such as visualization and storytelling ) one piece a day for the week leading up to the workshop , as I think this would build up anticipation and generate interest and excitement , and also give the participants more time to think of ideas in advance .