Challenge

I am managing an extensive, organisational transformation program for an international sporting  organisation in India. The program portfolio includes over 15 internal projects, and one of the  critical projects for this year is working under a stringent 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. According to their delivery plan, the team is making good progress 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  have been very mixed, and the team is growing frustrated. Also, the project team's laser focus on  delivery means that collaboration and alignment with colleagues and peers outside have 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 activity as a means of getting the team to take the time to immerse  themselves in all the available employee data they had amassed – but mostly 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 Joanna Mejia as a way we could "distill all that data into information and insights  that can be easily communicated."

I also recognized the opportunity for the workshop to establish a "common mind," i.e., create  alignment between the project team, the program management, and some 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 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  locate several key insights.

Insights

Many insights emerged that were relevant to 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 pure, clearer mind was emerging.

This led to a very open discussion on how these insights could be shared with the Steering  Committee and 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 collective  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 when confronted with such fruitful  conclusions.

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


Challenge I am managing an extensive , organisational transformation program for an international sporting organisation in India . The program portfolio includes over 15 internal projects , and one of the critical projects for this year is working under a stringent 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 . According to their delivery plan , the team is making good progress 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 have been very mixed , and the team is growing frustrated . Also , the project team 's laser focus on delivery means that collaboration and alignment with colleagues and peers outside have 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 activity as a means of getting the team to take the time to immerse themselves in all the available employee data they had amassed – but mostly 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 Joanna Mejia as a way we could " distill all that data into information and insights that can be easily communicated . " I also recognized the opportunity for the workshop to establish a " common mind , " i.e. , create alignment between the project team , the program management , and some 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 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 locate several key insights . Insights Many insights emerged that were relevant to 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 pure , clearer mind was emerging . This led to a very open discussion on how these insights could be shared with the Steering Committee and 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 collective 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 when confronted with such fruitful conclusions . Finally , I probably did n't feel comfortable enough to trust the exercise as entirely as I could have . Having now seen the power of the activity , I will feel more confident about the process and would n't hesitate to include even more people and break out into smaller discussion groups .