Reflection – Mind Mapping

Challenge    We are making major revisions to our top-selling professional education course, which  historically has involved textbooks, some video lectures, and an online or in-person exam to  complete. Studying takes 2 to 6 weeks to take an exam and the full course, for a professional  designation, is 8 exams on different topics. Feedback from students indicates we need to  change the format to adapt to new learning needs.     Selection    A lot of work had been done prior to my joining the project.  Surveys, interviews with students  and with their employers, review of product feedback, competitive analysis, plus much more. In  addition, those involved in designing the new course and its content are very seasoned  professionals with a lot of experience in what works and what doesn't. In fact, most of them had  taken at least some of our courses as students, so were very familiar with the student  experience.     For example, we think students want more online courses, fewer printed textbooks, shorter  course segments, recorded live instructor segments, audio books. We think they want more  real-life examples, but does that look like case studies, or like industry-specific topics?    The key was to specify all the assumptions, data points, and hypotheses that were driving  decisions and be sure we agreed on what was important and how to proceed. As a market  researcher, my goal was to collect all the hypotheses and outstanding questions in a systematic  way so I could validate and/or understand them better through additional research. I decided  mind mapping was the technique to use.    Application    I started with a small group of key leaders and invited them to two meetings. The first was to lay  out what we were going to do and ask them to help. I gave them a sheet with some prompts and  categories for them to list their hypotheses and questions prior to the second meeting.    At the second, mind mapping, meeting, I had them transfer their hypotheses to sticky notes, one  to a note. This gave them a chance to review their questions, clarify them, and make sure they  had distinct ideas on separate notes. I had placed flipchart sheets on the wall with three key  topics – course content, course delivery methods, and the marketplace for the course.    Then we went around in turn, each person reading out one of their hypotheses and placing it on  the appropriate sheet. If someone had a similar one, we'd put that one up. We discussed where  they go and if we needed more key topics.     After all the hypotheses were on the sheets, we grouped them into broad research areas –  where we need more information before we make the significant investment to make critical  changes.     Once we had the groups, we voted on what was most important – on two levels – by placing dot  stickers as votes. The first level was what we needed to know before we started making  changes and the second what we needed to know before we decided what changes to make.

Insight    These were all people with a lot of experience and a lot of good ideas that just weren't well  documented and effectively collected and prioritized. Not all of the ideas were well-backed with  data, not because they were bad ideas, but just that we tend to rely on anecdotes and personal  experience to prioritize things. It was a revelation to the group how much we were assuming  without proper verification.    I was also impressed by how much agreement there was on both direction and key issues that  need to be validated. Not that everyone thought the same thing, but everyone agreed where we  really needed to focus to make the best use of resources and minimize the risk of a large  undertaking.    Finally, the team was able to take a hands-on approach to defining research objectives, agree  on a research plan, and commit to the appropriate research to design the best products for our  students and our own organization.     Approach    This was a very high-level exercise. I wanted to get something on the table to help our leaders  participate in the research process, which wasn't something the organization was used to. A  different approach would involve more detailed looks at these clusters of hypotheses and more  in-depth discussion of what we know and what we don't know.    In fact, this might be just the first step and we will dive more deeply into each of the hypotheses  as we generate more research results and combine it with information we already have, such as  business metrics and targeted analysis of the success of future courses.


Reflection – Mind Mapping Challenge We are making major revisions to our top - selling professional education course , which historically has involved textbooks , some video lectures , and an online or in - person exam to complete . Studying takes 2 to 6 weeks to take an exam and the full course , for a professional designation , is 8 exams on different topics . Feedback from students indicates we need to change the format to adapt to new learning needs . Selection A lot of work had been done prior to my joining the project . Surveys , interviews with students and with their employers , review of product feedback , competitive analysis , plus much more . In addition , those involved in designing the new course and its content are very seasoned professionals with a lot of experience in what works and what does n't . In fact , most of them had taken at least some of our courses as students , so were very familiar with the student experience . For example , we think students want more online courses , fewer printed textbooks , shorter course segments , recorded live instructor segments , audio books . We think they want more real - life examples , but does that look like case studies , or like industry - specific topics ? The key was to specify all the assumptions , data points , and hypotheses that were driving decisions and be sure we agreed on what was important and how to proceed . As a market researcher , my goal was to collect all the hypotheses and outstanding questions in a systematic way so I could validate and/or understand them better through additional research . I decided mind mapping was the technique to use . Application I started with a small group of key leaders and invited them to two meetings . The first was to lay out what we were going to do and ask them to help . I gave them a sheet with some prompts and categories for them to list their hypotheses and questions prior to the second meeting . At the second , mind mapping , meeting , I had them transfer their hypotheses to sticky notes , one to a note . This gave them a chance to review their questions , clarify them , and make sure they had distinct ideas on separate notes . I had placed flipchart sheets on the wall with three key topics – course content , course delivery methods , and the marketplace for the course . Then we went around in turn , each person reading out one of their hypotheses and placing it on the appropriate sheet . If someone had a similar one , we 'd put that one up . We discussed where they go and if we needed more key topics . After all the hypotheses were on the sheets , we grouped them into broad research areas – where we need more information before we make the significant investment to make critical changes . Once we had the groups , we voted on what was most important – on two levels – by placing dot stickers as votes . The first level was what we needed to know before we started making changes and the second what we needed to know before we decided what changes to make . Insight These were all people with a lot of experience and a lot of good ideas that just were n't well documented and effectively collected and prioritized . Not all of the ideas were well - backed with data , not because they were bad ideas , but just that we tend to rely on anecdotes and personal experience to prioritize things . It was a revelation to the group how much we were assuming without proper verification . I was also impressed by how much agreement there was on both direction and key issues that need to be validated . Not that everyone thought the same thing , but everyone agreed where we really needed to focus to make the best use of resources and minimize the risk of a large undertaking . Finally , the team was able to take a hands - on approach to defining research objectives , agree on a research plan , and commit to the appropriate research to design the best products for our students and our own organization . Approach This was a very high - level exercise . I wanted to get something on the table to help our leaders participate in the research process , which was n't something the organization was used to . A different approach would involve more detailed looks at these clusters of hypotheses and more in - depth discussion of what we know and what we do n't know . In fact , this might be just the first step and we will dive more deeply into each of the hypotheses as we generate more research results and combine it with information we already have , such as business metrics and targeted analysis of the success of future courses .