Example reflexion – Mind mapping

Challenge :

In October 2013 was launched the “Territory Start Up” initiative in Grenoble (France). The idea was to work on  40 new projects of sustainable development and social innovation, involving entrepreneurs or non-profit  organizations from the city. Lots of volunteers took part in workshops aiming to improve the projects, and to  suggest new insights regarding their business models. The purpose was to help entrepreneurs go back home  with stronger, more relevant projects that would attract investors.

As an HR consultant, I was invited to lead one of the workshops, to help the Emmaüs association, which  employs homeless people to collect second-hand objects and resell them in flea markets. The association  wanted to develop a new service: sandblasting old pieces of furniture, to allow their new owners to renovate  or decorate them as they please. Take a Louis XIII cabinet, remove old varnish or paint, and resell it so that  buyers may paint it according to their own taste and make it a customized design object (see below). Emmaus  wanted to open a point of sale in the city center, to address new well-off customers. My objective was to lead a  workshop with 8 volunteers, in order to find as many new insights as possible to optimize their project.

Selection:

The choice of the tool was imposed by the organizers, and it was common to all 40 workshops : a quick 45- minute creativity session and Mind Map, with 4 steps :  - Inclusion game : building a tower with sheets of paper  - Presentation of the project by Emmaüs, that had brought samples of sandblasted pieces of furniture. Actually,  everybody knows this very popular non-profit organization in France. They did not need long speeches.  - after some time for individual reflection, participants were asked to write down their ideas on sticky notes.  - MIND MAP: insights were shared and sorted into 8 themes that had been defined in advance.

Other tools could possibly have been used:  - The usual brain storming, with insight directly thrown on paper board, with the risk that the most talkative  people would monopolize speech.  - Drawing technique, which puts everyone on an equal footing, and which is sometimes more creative than  written expression. There may not have been consensus among the 40 facilitators to use this more  unconventional method.  - The themes for the MIND MAP could have been freely chosen during the animation, instead of being fixed in  advance, but organizers wanted to make the facilitators’ work easier.  The organizers chose a rather consensual and safe method, given the context of these 40 workshops at the  same time.

Unlike examples given buy Nicole Ferguson in her video, this mind map was not intended to sort out a large  amount of data collected upstream during a "What is" phase. The idea was to generate ideas on some pre- defined themes, and to quickly generate clear ideas for the rest of the evening. We actually had to summarize  the ideas afterwards into a business model and pitch it in front of investors and partners.

Application:

We used the method as described above. The participants generated a great deal of new ideas. The project was  indeed particularly exciting, and everyone could feel concerned by these products , as potential customers. An  Emmaus team attended the exchanges and was able to note everything that was said, live.

The ideas have been divided into the following topics:

-  Who are the potential customers for this furniture?

-  How could we get in touch with them?

-  How do you imagine the new point of sale in the city center?

-  Could we figure out other products or services that could be sold in the same shop ?

-  How could we use this service to enhance the image and social status of the Emmaus Companions?

In each section, insights were again grouped into themes. Key ideas emerged: cooperation with local art and  design schools, signature of each piece of furniture by the Companion who renovated it, participation in  student welcome days on the university campus, itinerant showroom bus...  This phase of ideation and Mind Mapping was followed by a “convergence” phase (i.e. focus on 3 possible  business models) and the writing of a final summarized business model and its pitch.

Insight :

During this workshop two social classes came together: on the one hand the Companions of Emmaus, who  were formerly homeless, rather manual people. They were very proud to show us photographs of their  sandblasting machine, but also eager to go one step further and be confronted with new, creative methods. On

the other hand, we had the participants in the workshop: that is to say, downtown residents, rather intellectual  and well-off people, who were also potential buyers. The workshop showed the unifying power of the MIND  MAPPING tool, and its ability to align people, as mentioned by Pr. Moore in her video. Everybody agreed on the  most relevant ideas and Emmaus was able to present their project and pitch it in front of the audience at the  end of the evening. Some ideas seemed to be obvious, and bound to be implemented quickly, even though  they did not even exist one hour before. We were between "What if" and "What wows", with participants  clearly expressing their preferences. Enthusiasm is key at this stage.     This could be a bias however: did not we go too fast, with this kind of animation ? Maybe other, less  spectacular ideas, would deserve a closer examination. "Remain in question" as Grazia Lee would say.

Approach

Mind mapping was only one of the steps of a very busy evening, and it was quite short. The purpose of this  evening was actually more public relations and promotion, than just ideation and the improvement of the  business models of the startups that were presented. What kind of results would the MIND MAPPING tool have  given if we had more time, for example 1:30 instead of 45 minutes? I'm not sure it would have generated many  more ideas. The goal was not necessarily to be comprehensive, but to generate enthusiasm. Therefore,  providing the context, we would probably do the same.


Example reflexion – Mind mapping Challenge : In October 2013 was launched the “ Territory Start Up ” initiative in Grenoble ( France ) . The idea was to work on 40 new projects of sustainable development and social innovation , involving entrepreneurs or non - profit organizations from the city . Lots of volunteers took part in workshops aiming to improve the projects , and to suggest new insights regarding their business models . The purpose was to help entrepreneurs go back home with stronger , more relevant projects that would attract investors . As an HR consultant , I was invited to lead one of the workshops , to help the Emmaüs association , which employs homeless people to collect second - hand objects and resell them in flea markets . The association wanted to develop a new service : sandblasting old pieces of furniture , to allow their new owners to renovate or decorate them as they please . Take a Louis XIII cabinet , remove old varnish or paint , and resell it so that buyers may paint it according to their own taste and make it a customized design object ( see below ) . Emmaus wanted to open a point of sale in the city center , to address new well - off customers . My objective was to lead a workshop with 8 volunteers , in order to find as many new insights as possible to optimize their project . Selection : The choice of the tool was imposed by the organizers , and it was common to all 40 workshops : a quick 45- minute creativity session and Mind Map , with 4 steps : - Inclusion game : building a tower with sheets of paper - Presentation of the project by Emmaüs , that had brought samples of sandblasted pieces of furniture . Actually , everybody knows this very popular non - profit organization in France . They did not need long speeches . - after some time for individual reflection , participants were asked to write down their ideas on sticky notes . - MIND MAP : insights were shared and sorted into 8 themes that had been defined in advance . Other tools could possibly have been used : - The usual brain storming , with insight directly thrown on paper board , with the risk that the most talkative people would monopolize speech . - Drawing technique , which puts everyone on an equal footing , and which is sometimes more creative than written expression . There may not have been consensus among the 40 facilitators to use this more unconventional method . - The themes for the MIND MAP could have been freely chosen during the animation , instead of being fixed in advance , but organizers wanted to make the facilitators ’ work easier . The organizers chose a rather consensual and safe method , given the context of these 40 workshops at the same time . Unlike examples given buy Nicole Ferguson in her video , this mind map was not intended to sort out a large amount of data collected upstream during a " What is " phase . The idea was to generate ideas on some pre- defined themes , and to quickly generate clear ideas for the rest of the evening . We actually had to summarize the ideas afterwards into a business model and pitch it in front of investors and partners . Application : We used the method as described above . The participants generated a great deal of new ideas . The project was indeed particularly exciting , and everyone could feel concerned by these products , as potential customers . An Emmaus team attended the exchanges and was able to note everything that was said , live . The ideas have been divided into the following topics : - Who are the potential customers for this furniture ? - How could we get in touch with them ? - How do you imagine the new point of sale in the city center ? - Could we figure out other products or services that could be sold in the same shop ? - How could we use this service to enhance the image and social status of the Emmaus Companions ? In each section , insights were again grouped into themes . Key ideas emerged : cooperation with local art and design schools , signature of each piece of furniture by the Companion who renovated it , participation in student welcome days on the university campus , itinerant showroom bus ... This phase of ideation and Mind Mapping was followed by a “ convergence ” phase ( i.e. focus on 3 possible business models ) and the writing of a final summarized business model and its pitch . Insight : During this workshop two social classes came together : on the one hand the Companions of Emmaus , who were formerly homeless , rather manual people . They were very proud to show us photographs of their sandblasting machine , but also eager to go one step further and be confronted with new , creative methods . On the other hand , we had the participants in the workshop : that is to say , downtown residents , rather intellectual and well - off people , who were also potential buyers . The workshop showed the unifying power of the MIND MAPPING tool , and its ability to align people , as mentioned by Pr . Moore in her video . Everybody agreed on the most relevant ideas and Emmaus was able to present their project and pitch it in front of the audience at the end of the evening . Some ideas seemed to be obvious , and bound to be implemented quickly , even though they did not even exist one hour before . We were between " What if " and " What wows " , with participants clearly expressing their preferences . Enthusiasm is key at this stage . This could be a bias however : did not we go too fast , with this kind of animation ? Maybe other , less spectacular ideas , would deserve a closer examination . " Remain in question " as Grazia Lee would say . Approach Mind mapping was only one of the steps of a very busy evening , and it was quite short . The purpose of this evening was actually more public relations and promotion , than just ideation and the improvement of the business models of the startups that were presented . What kind of results would the MIND MAPPING tool have given if we had more time , for example 1:30 instead of 45 minutes ? I 'm not sure it would have generated many more ideas . The goal was not necessarily to be comprehensive , but to generate enthusiasm . Therefore , providing the context , we would probably do the same .