MIND MAPPING

Challenge & Selection    Mind maping is a great tool that I use all the time to look for patterns and insights in the large  quantity of data, I have collected during my exporation of "What is". The goal is to establish criteria  for the "What if" idea generation phase, which comes next. This is a pivotal point of the design  thinking process. I use this approach often to connect with customers, the delivery of their services to  their customer, which may be vendor, businesses with their needs. I have used the visualization of a  problem domain with a set of questions or prompts for discussion to allow a diverse group of  stakeholders to learn from each other in the process of defining the Journey mapping, Value chain  analysis, Mind mapping, Brainstroming, Concept development, Assumption testing, Rapid prototying,  Customer co-creation and Learning launch to consider when identifying pain points and opportunities  for improvements or solutions.    Application    I start the process by creating a dynamic prospective view of the problem domain. To develop the  dynamic prospective view, I will have to look for the pattern and themes from the data to understand  the environment. The existing material may be operational or procedural documents, training  materials, marketing materials, GAO or other auditing reports. If materials are not available, then I  conduct informal interviews with one-three of the stakeholders who serve as my main points of  contact on the initiative.    If appropriate to the situation, I will borrow the concept to “front-stage/back-stage” from previous  research, and discussed in David Gray’s book, “The Connected Company”. The front-stage/back-stage  approach helps to reinforce the notion that every service – even an internal service – has customers  with whom the service provider interacts and internal processes that enable the organization to  provide the service. The template I often start with also has a column on the left to identify Partners  and Value Chain Providers and a column on the right to identify Oversight Organizations, such as  Congress, GAO, labor unions, advocacy groups, and other entities that may add constraints to how  the organization operates. The dynamic prospective viewing is simple, just need to understand the  gap and fill it with a different prospective. If the front-stage/back-stage view doesn’t work, then I will  create a different type of visual, either based on a high-level process flow with swim lanes for  different stakeholders, or another format.    For the activity, I will divide the stakeholders into groups of 5-6 participants each representing a  different organization or area of interest. Each group receives a copy of the same problem senario  that they can give solution on thier view by make comments in a isolated fashion. I give them  approximately 20 minutes to discuss the questions and mark up a appropriate solution. Then I have  each group report out on their answers. As each group reports out, I record commonalities in the  insights of each group, and then additional insights that come from the group discussion on an  additional copy. After the session, create a view that combines the shared and new insights from the  group discussion, and then create a revised solution that incorporates their feedback and proposed  changes that they agreed to as a group.    Insight & Approach

What I have learned from conducting this exercise with several groups is that while the comments –  especially the revised solution that incorporates their feedback – is important for reinforcing their  understanding of the problem they are working to solve, the more valuable aspect of the activity is the  shared insights and shared learning that occurs while they are working to define their problem space.  The prospective solution gives the diverse group of stakeholders a focal point for discussion that allows  them to share their perspectives and develop insights into potential root causes of their problems.  While they could create patterns from a blank slate in a collaborative manner, starting with theme   starts the conversation for them. They can quickly identify where they are in or if they are missing –  and can more quickly gain new insights about relationships between key entities instead of taking time  to identify them. They can also identify variables in the problem space – that is, it helps them to  identify what they don’t know, in what areas they need to obtain information or data to provide the  values for the variables.    Since I discovered that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning, next time I would  use the Mind-mapping for a series of design thinking activities. Then the revised patterns and themes  that incorporates their combined feedback can serve as a reference tool throughout the remainder of  their work.


MIND MAPPING Challenge & Selection Mind maping is a great tool that I use all the time to look for patterns and insights in the large quantity of data , I have collected during my exporation of " What is " . The goal is to establish criteria for the " What if " idea generation phase , which comes next . This is a pivotal point of the design thinking process . I use this approach often to connect with customers , the delivery of their services to their customer , which may be vendor , businesses with their needs . I have used the visualization of a problem domain with a set of questions or prompts for discussion to allow a diverse group of stakeholders to learn from each other in the process of defining the Journey mapping , Value chain analysis , Mind mapping , Brainstroming , Concept development , Assumption testing , Rapid prototying , Customer co - creation and Learning launch to consider when identifying pain points and opportunities for improvements or solutions . Application I start the process by creating a dynamic prospective view of the problem domain . To develop the dynamic prospective view , I will have to look for the pattern and themes from the data to understand the environment . The existing material may be operational or procedural documents , training materials , marketing materials , GAO or other auditing reports . If materials are not available , then I conduct informal interviews with one - three of the stakeholders who serve as my main points of contact on the initiative . If appropriate to the situation , I will borrow the concept to “ front - stage / back - stage ” from previous research , and discussed in David Gray ’s book , “ The Connected Company ” . The front - stage / back - stage approach helps to reinforce the notion that every service – even an internal service – has customers with whom the service provider interacts and internal processes that enable the organization to provide the service . The template I often start with also has a column on the left to identify Partners and Value Chain Providers and a column on the right to identify Oversight Organizations , such as Congress , GAO , labor unions , advocacy groups , and other entities that may add constraints to how the organization operates . The dynamic prospective viewing is simple , just need to understand the gap and fill it with a different prospective . If the front - stage / back - stage view does n’t work , then I will create a different type of visual , either based on a high - level process flow with swim lanes for different stakeholders , or another format . For the activity , I will divide the stakeholders into groups of 5 - 6 participants each representing a different organization or area of interest . Each group receives a copy of the same problem senario that they can give solution on thier view by make comments in a isolated fashion . I give them approximately 20 minutes to discuss the questions and mark up a appropriate solution . Then I have each group report out on their answers . As each group reports out , I record commonalities in the insights of each group , and then additional insights that come from the group discussion on an additional copy . After the session , create a view that combines the shared and new insights from the group discussion , and then create a revised solution that incorporates their feedback and proposed changes that they agreed to as a group . Insight & Approach What I have learned from conducting this exercise with several groups is that while the comments – especially the revised solution that incorporates their feedback – is important for reinforcing their understanding of the problem they are working to solve , the more valuable aspect of the activity is the shared insights and shared learning that occurs while they are working to define their problem space . The prospective solution gives the diverse group of stakeholders a focal point for discussion that allows them to share their perspectives and develop insights into potential root causes of their problems . While they could create patterns from a blank slate in a collaborative manner , starting with theme starts the conversation for them . They can quickly identify where they are in or if they are missing – and can more quickly gain new insights about relationships between key entities instead of taking time to identify them . They can also identify variables in the problem space – that is , it helps them to identify what they do n’t know , in what areas they need to obtain information or data to provide the values for the variables . Since I discovered that the most valuable aspect is the shared insights and learning , next time I would use the Mind - mapping for a series of design thinking activities . Then the revised patterns and themes that incorporates their combined feedback can serve as a reference tool throughout the remainder of their work .