REFLECTION: MIND MAPPING

Challenge

I am managing a large, organizational transformation program for an international sporting  organization in Switzerland. The program portfolio includes over 15 internal projects and one of the  key projects for this year is working under a very strict timeline.

After an initial but short phase of well-intentioned discovery and data gathering, the project team  jumped into developing a new process, training a pilot population and implementing a new system to  support it. The team is making good progress according to their delivery plan while the significant  amount of data initially gathered has been left unanalyzed and unused.

However, early feedback and reporting emerging from pilot populations and senior management has  been very mixed and the team is growing frustrated. In addition, the project team’s laser focus on  delivery means that collaboration and alignment with colleagues and peers outside has suffered.  Finally, a program steering committee meeting is upcoming in the next two weeks and we are now at  pains to agree between the program and project teams on what to share with the senior  management.

Selection

To help the project team take a step back I decided to prepare the mind-mapping exercise. I initially  selected the exercise as a means of getting the team to take the time to immerse themselves in all  the available employee data they had amassed – but largely left aside –  since the beginning of the  project. I was tipped off to the idea from the Mind Mapping tool video in Week 3 with hbrown@yahoo.com  as a way we could “distill all that data into information and insights that can be easily  communicated.”

I also recognized the potential opportunity for the workshop to establish a “common mind”, i.e.  create alignment between the project team, the program management and some of the functional  colleagues. I proposed that we could use the workshop to produce learnings and insights that we  could share with the Steering Committee.

Application

Together with the project management officer we gathered elements from interviews, working  group summaries, surveys, governance minutes, training feedback forms etc., cleared a wall in our  project office and posted up all of the data we felt might be relevant. I invited the project team,  functional team members and the members of the program office to join the Gallery Walk and all  invited parties showed up. Everyone went through the gallery silently collecting ideas and notes on  post-its etc. Afterward, we worked in a group session to share each of our elements and  observations, identify themes and “map” them. Using the “So What?” prompt we were able to  identify a number of key insights.

Insights

Many insights emerged that were relevant for the project. One of the most important was that there  was a high level of agreement and alignment across the group on a limited number of important  themes. A common, clearer mind was emerging.

This led to a very open discussion on how these insights could not only be shared with the Steering  Committee but be integrated into the project scope, approach and delivery. Numerous new ideas  were born out of the session and all of us left energized by the shared clarity, which immediately  resulted in re-prioritization discussions, shared action plans and renewed overall commitment of the  entire group to the project.

Approach

Next time I would leave even more time for the discussion and formalization of common insights. I  would be more vigilant about keeping the team from jumping into solution-seeking and  brainstorming, which I found to be a strong temptation myself when confronted with such rich  conclusions.

Finally, I probably didn’t feel comfortable enough to trust the exercise as completely as I could have.  Having now seen the power of the exercise, I will feel more confident about the process and  wouldn’t hesitate to include even more people and breaking out into smaller discussion groups next  time.


REFLECTION : MIND MAPPING Challenge I am managing a large , organizational transformation program for an international sporting organization in Switzerland . The program portfolio includes over 15 internal projects and one of the key projects for this year is working under a very strict timeline . After an initial but short phase of well - intentioned discovery and data gathering , the project team jumped into developing a new process , training a pilot population and implementing a new system to support it . The team is making good progress according to their delivery plan while the significant amount of data initially gathered has been left unanalyzed and unused . However , early feedback and reporting emerging from pilot populations and senior management has been very mixed and the team is growing frustrated . In addition , the project team ’s laser focus on delivery means that collaboration and alignment with colleagues and peers outside has suffered . Finally , a program steering committee meeting is upcoming in the next two weeks and we are now at pains to agree between the program and project teams on what to share with the senior management . Selection To help the project team take a step back I decided to prepare the mind - mapping exercise . I initially selected the exercise as a means of getting the team to take the time to immerse themselves in all the available employee data they had amassed – but largely left aside – since the beginning of the project . I was tipped off to the idea from the Mind Mapping tool video in Week 3 with hbrown@yahoo.com as a way we could “ distill all that data into information and insights that can be easily communicated . ” I also recognized the potential opportunity for the workshop to establish a “ common mind ” , i.e. create alignment between the project team , the program management and some of the functional colleagues . I proposed that we could use the workshop to produce learnings and insights that we could share with the Steering Committee . Application Together with the project management officer we gathered elements from interviews , working group summaries , surveys , governance minutes , training feedback forms etc . , cleared a wall in our project office and posted up all of the data we felt might be relevant . I invited the project team , functional team members and the members of the program office to join the Gallery Walk and all invited parties showed up . Everyone went through the gallery silently collecting ideas and notes on post - its etc . Afterward , we worked in a group session to share each of our elements and observations , identify themes and “ map ” them . Using the “ So What ? ” prompt we were able to identify a number of key insights . Insights Many insights emerged that were relevant for the project . One of the most important was that there was a high level of agreement and alignment across the group on a limited number of important themes . A common , clearer mind was emerging . This led to a very open discussion on how these insights could not only be shared with the Steering Committee but be integrated into the project scope , approach and delivery . Numerous new ideas were born out of the session and all of us left energized by the shared clarity , which immediately resulted in re - prioritization discussions , shared action plans and renewed overall commitment of the entire group to the project . Approach Next time I would leave even more time for the discussion and formalization of common insights . I would be more vigilant about keeping the team from jumping into solution - seeking and brainstorming , which I found to be a strong temptation myself when confronted with such rich conclusions . Finally , I probably did n’t feel comfortable enough to trust the exercise as completely as I could have . Having now seen the power of the exercise , I will feel more confident about the process and would n’t hesitate to include even more people and breaking out into smaller discussion groups next time .