Challenge  Since a couple of months I am involve in a non-profit organization in my town, near to Paris. It is a new  organization, which aims to manage a small garden in the neighborhood. I am interested in urban  agriculture. It is an important for me to learn how to grow vegetables, and to see how it is possible to  leave in town and to eat healthy low cost.

Attending meetings, I discover than more than a small  garden to manage, this non-profit organization would  be a mean to meet neighbors, to speak together and  share knowledge. More than gardening project, it  appears to be a way to create social link. In big cities,  people usually do not speak to each other: we did not  know each other few weeks ago, and now we have to  work in team.

For now, we do not have access to the field (the mayor  has decided to do some works before leaving us to  garden). We have six months to plan our actions. We

meet every 2 weeks. Observing few meetings, I found that some people give their opinion all the time,  while some other never speak in front of the group.

One of us has the idea to cultivate a part of the garden together, to share knowledge more efficiently.  How to organize ourselves to do so?

I asked to run the meeting: I choose the Mind Mapping tool to make people define all together the  role of a coordinator of the common field.

Selection  I was sure that design thinking would be the best way to help people imagine a new service. It’s an  exercise quite hard to do: we do not know each other and we have to imagine a common solution in  1h30, for a new service in town …

I choose the Mind Mapping because I found in previous meetings that many ideas had been brought  up but it was hard for the group to take advantage of all. Mind Mapping was a good way to keep in  mind all ideas while people were thinking and talking all together, and at the end, we keep a moment  to gather ideas and define how to do to achieve each.

Application  First, I asked people to take a paper to draw what they want to find in  the garden. I a way, I asked them why they took time to came and be  their together.

Then, I ask them to explain their ideas to other, without given their  opinion on each other ideas.

When everyone has spoken, I give them 5 more minutes to think about  their ideas and ideas of the others. Like that, everyone could think, speak  and participate.

After, I asked people to give their best ideas to the group, and allow  everyone to enrich every propositions. I took notes on post-it (one  idea per post-it).

At the end, I show the result of the debate to the group and we took  10 minutes to organize ideas, gathering propositions that were  similar or linked. 3 themes were distinguished. As long as we were,  agree on the goal, it was easy to spot responsibilities to people in  order to achieve our common vision.

Insight  I try for the first time a visualization approach thanks to the MOOC. Sandra Gonzalez’s demonstration  was very interesting. After my small experimentation, I am completely convinced. Drawing and Mind  Mapping are powerful tools to make people understand each other and share a common vision. I run  meetings in non-profit organization for almost 10 years; I never succeed to make people agree so fast.

I feel myself more confident in the visualization tools. So I try to use  Mind Mapping to take notes during a business meeting last week. Once  more, it was very efficient to understand other people’s approach of  the common project. I did not realize during lessons how powerful it  could be: Design Thinking tools change my way of working with other  people on projects. It is easier to understand how they see our  common goal.

Moreover, this experimentation make me realize how much time and energy we are used to lost in  project’s team because of misunderstandings. It was not so clear before, but using visualization I hear  a lot things like: “ah ! I did not understand that when you explain it, but now I see what you want!”

Approach  I would like to find a way to prepare people’s mind before meetings. Discussions are richer when  people arrive with some ideas to share. I plan to propose some forms in advance of meetings to make  people wondering themselves about the meeting subject. Like that, I think design thinking tools may  be even more efficient.


Challenge Since a couple of months I am involve in a non - profit organization in my town , near to Paris . It is a new organization , which aims to manage a small garden in the neighborhood . I am interested in urban agriculture . It is an important for me to learn how to grow vegetables , and to see how it is possible to leave in town and to eat healthy low cost . Attending meetings , I discover than more than a small garden to manage , this non - profit organization would be a mean to meet neighbors , to speak together and share knowledge . More than gardening project , it appears to be a way to create social link . In big cities , people usually do not speak to each other : we did not know each other few weeks ago , and now we have to work in team . For now , we do not have access to the field ( the mayor has decided to do some works before leaving us to garden ) . We have six months to plan our actions . We meet every 2 weeks . Observing few meetings , I found that some people give their opinion all the time , while some other never speak in front of the group . One of us has the idea to cultivate a part of the garden together , to share knowledge more efficiently . How to organize ourselves to do so ? I asked to run the meeting : I choose the Mind Mapping tool to make people define all together the role of a coordinator of the common field . Selection I was sure that design thinking would be the best way to help people imagine a new service . It ’s an exercise quite hard to do : we do not know each other and we have to imagine a common solution in 1h30 , for a new service in town … I choose the Mind Mapping because I found in previous meetings that many ideas had been brought up but it was hard for the group to take advantage of all . Mind Mapping was a good way to keep in mind all ideas while people were thinking and talking all together , and at the end , we keep a moment to gather ideas and define how to do to achieve each . Application First , I asked people to take a paper to draw what they want to find in the garden . I a way , I asked them why they took time to came and be their together . Then , I ask them to explain their ideas to other , without given their opinion on each other ideas . When everyone has spoken , I give them 5 more minutes to think about their ideas and ideas of the others . Like that , everyone could think , speak and participate . After , I asked people to give their best ideas to the group , and allow everyone to enrich every propositions . I took notes on post - it ( one idea per post - it ) . At the end , I show the result of the debate to the group and we took 10 minutes to organize ideas , gathering propositions that were similar or linked . 3 themes were distinguished . As long as we were , agree on the goal , it was easy to spot responsibilities to people in order to achieve our common vision . Insight I try for the first time a visualization approach thanks to the MOOC . Sandra Gonzalez ’s demonstration was very interesting . After my small experimentation , I am completely convinced . Drawing and Mind Mapping are powerful tools to make people understand each other and share a common vision . I run meetings in non - profit organization for almost 10 years ; I never succeed to make people agree so fast . I feel myself more confident in the visualization tools . So I try to use Mind Mapping to take notes during a business meeting last week . Once more , it was very efficient to understand other people ’s approach of the common project . I did not realize during lessons how powerful it could be : Design Thinking tools change my way of working with other people on projects . It is easier to understand how they see our common goal . Moreover , this experimentation make me realize how much time and energy we are used to lost in project ’s team because of misunderstandings . It was not so clear before , but using visualization I hear a lot things like : “ ah ! I did not understand that when you explain it , but now I see what you want ! ” Approach I would like to find a way to prepare people ’s mind before meetings . Discussions are richer when people arrive with some ideas to share . I plan to propose some forms in advance of meetings to make people wondering themselves about the meeting subject . Like that , I think design thinking tools may be even more efficient .