Example Reflection – Mind Mapping (Module 3)

Challenge  My name is Angela and I´m a Regional Chief in the “Business Developing Department”. The main  objective of my team is to develop new market opportunities for the technology we sell. To gain the  goal we have to think “out of the box” all the time because our customers always has different needs  and sometimes the current business schemes are not compatible with their needs. The way we used  to design the solutions for the new projects involved just to the commercial department team. We  asked to customers about their needs, expectations and available resources. We concentrated this  information, analyzed in a commercial aspect and developed the commercial strategy to submit it  to the approval of other areas of the company whose tasks could be affected by the implementation  of the project. We submit the approval as a final part of the process and as individual action with  each Department. That chain of activities and its sequence translate the project design in a large  number of redesign actions because the solution offered at the beginning didn´t consider the other  department’s needs. In other words, our own collegues were a time launch´s obstacle to the  projects in order to adapt the business models to their needs. We needed to be faster and more  efficient, if we weren´t we would be obsolete.

Selection

Teamwork it would sounds easy but it isn´t at all mainly when it involves many stakeholders who  has their own rules and objectives to achieve. We realized that our work it wasn´t only ours, it was  a multidisciplinary work: commercial, financial, legal, logistics and operation, planning and  infrastructure, etc (depending of the project´s nature). So, we decided to implement a process to  allow us organize the data we had about the customer, and find the connections between those  data and the Company´s needs (all de departments involved, not only our). We decided that the  “Mind Mapping” tool was the best option for that because as we know its main function is to looking  for patterns and themes in your data. That would sounds easy either, right? I need to say that I´m  very surprised about the obtained results, let me share with you the process that we implemented.

Application

First of all, we worked in a journey mapping tool from the customer needs and how our currents  options works to solve it. We did it with customer interviews to know more about their needs,  expectations and available resources. If the current options or structures we had wasn´t enough or  available for it, then we started a new design project.

After  that,  we  decided  to  make  a  redefinition  of  some  concepts:  customer  as  an  “external   stakeholder” and the diverse Company´s departments as “internal stakeholders”. That actions let  us to study each stakeholder and needs in its “own box”. The power of that was the implementation  of the Co-Creation tool between the internal stakeholders. We scheduled project presentation  meetings to show them a “Design Brief” chart with the project description, current internal/external  needs and resources and the business proposal in order to bring them a better understanding about  the situation to solve (visualization tool). In those meetings, we throw them the question: "From  your eyes, what does the project need to be approved?”. That simple question allowed us to know  the internal stakeholders needs since the beginning not in the end of the process (projective  techniques tool), so we could design the projects efficiently. It also fostered de active collaboration  of the stakeholders in the idea generation (brainstorming tool) and opened our eyes to new  perspectives providing creativity and innovation to the design process (co-creation tool) attending  to each stakeholder needs, the connections between its and might translate this insights into design

criteria. We invited to the stakeholders to show them the projects before we design the solutions  at all with the purpose to know the possible changes we had to consider in an anticipate way.

Insights and Approach

Do you remember that I said I was surprised about the obtained results? Well, that´s because I  learned that Mind Mapping is not just a tool, it´s a chain of tools working together. For example, I  realize that Co-Creation is a powerful and indispensable tool for us now because reinforces the idea  that all we are important elements and one´s success is everyone´s success. Now we work together  in the same way, now the internal stakeholders are part of the solution not an obstacle for it.

The Mind Mapping tool allows us to know on time the whole conditions we must consider  developing projects, providing stronger structures for it and reducing the time invest on it. Those  simple activities could be strategic movements to achieve a better market positioning, satisfied  customers, innovative products and services, a faster commercial response and an adequate  compliance with company policies.

Design Thinking is a whole process of generating ideas and structures to order it looking forward to  solve a complex problem and you can implement its tools any time of the project developing.  Doesn´t matter how your brain works, you could be like Goeff or maybe you are more like George,  but if you understand the process of how Design Thinking works I´m sure you can develop the skills  to think solutions “out of this world” being creative and innovating.


Example Reflection – Mind Mapping ( Module 3 ) Challenge My name is Angela and I´m a Regional Chief in the “ Business Developing Department ” . The main objective of my team is to develop new market opportunities for the technology we sell . To gain the goal we have to think “ out of the box ” all the time because our customers always has different needs and sometimes the current business schemes are not compatible with their needs . The way we used to design the solutions for the new projects involved just to the commercial department team . We asked to customers about their needs , expectations and available resources . We concentrated this information , analyzed in a commercial aspect and developed the commercial strategy to submit it to the approval of other areas of the company whose tasks could be affected by the implementation of the project . We submit the approval as a final part of the process and as individual action with each Department . That chain of activities and its sequence translate the project design in a large number of redesign actions because the solution offered at the beginning didn´t consider the other department ’s needs . In other words , our own collegues were a time launch´s obstacle to the projects in order to adapt the business models to their needs . We needed to be faster and more efficient , if we weren´t we would be obsolete . Selection Teamwork it would sounds easy but it isn´t at all mainly when it involves many stakeholders who has their own rules and objectives to achieve . We realized that our work it wasn´t only ours , it was a multidisciplinary work : commercial , financial , legal , logistics and operation , planning and infrastructure , etc ( depending of the project´s nature ) . So , we decided to implement a process to allow us organize the data we had about the customer , and find the connections between those data and the Company´s needs ( all de departments involved , not only our ) . We decided that the “ Mind Mapping ” tool was the best option for that because as we know its main function is to looking for patterns and themes in your data . That would sounds easy either , right ? I need to say that I´m very surprised about the obtained results , let me share with you the process that we implemented . Application First of all , we worked in a journey mapping tool from the customer needs and how our currents options works to solve it . We did it with customer interviews to know more about their needs , expectations and available resources . If the current options or structures we had wasn´t enough or available for it , then we started a new design project . After that , we decided to make a redefinition of some concepts : customer as an “ external stakeholder ” and the diverse Company´s departments as “ internal stakeholders ” . That actions let us to study each stakeholder and needs in its “ own box ” . The power of that was the implementation of the Co - Creation tool between the internal stakeholders . We scheduled project presentation meetings to show them a “ Design Brief ” chart with the project description , current internal / external needs and resources and the business proposal in order to bring them a better understanding about the situation to solve ( visualization tool ) . In those meetings , we throw them the question : " From your eyes , what does the project need to be approved ? ” . That simple question allowed us to know the internal stakeholders needs since the beginning not in the end of the process ( projective techniques tool ) , so we could design the projects efficiently . It also fostered de active collaboration of the stakeholders in the idea generation ( brainstorming tool ) and opened our eyes to new perspectives providing creativity and innovation to the design process ( co - creation tool ) attending to each stakeholder needs , the connections between its and might translate this insights into design criteria . We invited to the stakeholders to show them the projects before we design the solutions at all with the purpose to know the possible changes we had to consider in an anticipate way . Insights and Approach Do you remember that I said I was surprised about the obtained results ? Well , that´s because I learned that Mind Mapping is not just a tool , it´s a chain of tools working together . For example , I realize that Co - Creation is a powerful and indispensable tool for us now because reinforces the idea that all we are important elements and one´s success is everyone´s success . Now we work together in the same way , now the internal stakeholders are part of the solution not an obstacle for it . The Mind Mapping tool allows us to know on time the whole conditions we must consider developing projects , providing stronger structures for it and reducing the time invest on it . Those simple activities could be strategic movements to achieve a better market positioning , satisfied customers , innovative products and services , a faster commercial response and an adequate compliance with company policies . Design Thinking is a whole process of generating ideas and structures to order it looking forward to solve a complex problem and you can implement its tools any time of the project developing . Doesn´t matter how your brain works , you could be like Goeff or maybe you are more like George , but if you understand the process of how Design Thinking works I´m sure you can develop the skills to think solutions “ out of this world ” being creative and innovating .