Reflection Assignment

Tool: Mind Mapping

General Introduction:   Mind Maps used in business can improve employees ability to understand ideas and  collaborate during meetings. In a research by Chuck Frey, mind mapping expert,  employees who use a mind mapping method believe that their productivity increased by 25  percent. In the business sector, mind mapping can be used to achieve the following:

• Efficient meeting time and communicating ideas

• Increase productivity through better thinking methods

• Support the project management process as it can integrated with the project  management planning

• Improve communication and collaboration inside and between teams

Challenges:   As I underwent the program, it made me reflect on an assignment with one of our clients  where I had used Mind Mapping tool, the prompt was the fact that the client was not very  sure of what kind of problem he had, what would be the possible outcome and how to  implement it (the approach of what is, what if, what wows fitted just fine in the case). I had  the task of bringing the best possible tool out of my bag of tricks and Mind Mapping was  just the perfect.

The tool is relevant when we are thinking of an idea, taste a specific food or visit a place,  our mind starts to link this action with our memories and previous experience using a  relevant model. Our brain starts with one centre action, colour, taste or image and builds  branches of thoughts that are used as a base for other multiplied ideas. How we think  works very similar to tree branches.

Selection & Application of the Tool:   Art-based mind map (source: learningfundamentals)

Had used something like this during  the  client interaction which actually  gave us a deep insight into what they  were thinking and what eventually  they wanted from the whole exercise.

•It starts with a single idea that is  represented with text, colour or  image. Each idea was presented with  one single word and use visual  elements to categorize it such as,  upper and lower words, colorus,  codes and images.

•More subsidiary ideas were added

around the main idea and connect with it by lines. All the branches should have  connection lines that link it with the center idea.

While the selection of the tool was much easier as it looked colourful and creative, the  actual understanding and implementation was much more harder than it was thought out  to be. Took quite a bit of iteration with the client team to come up with the concept of open  writing and branching out their thoughts. The best thing we did during this phase was to  give the client team a crash course in doodling and find out, of the 7 people involved how  many really were interested in the doodling or even drawing. 3 of the 7 were actually good  at it and I made sure that they were paired with lesser skilled others. While this looked like  a damage control to start off with, eventually it turned out to be a best team working  exercise where the members started interacting and discussing the ideas more openly and  honestly. Which was an implicit requirement of a project of that magnitude for me.

Insight:   As mentioned in the videos about THE GOOD KITCHEN STORY, the mind mapping tool  helped in gaining insights into the hidden problems what was not apparent during the initial  discussions with the client. When the whole conversation started it was mentioned that the  organization needed to have policies and processes rewritten, however during the mind  mapping it was understood the problem was far more than just rewriting of policies. The  whole consulting exercise took a shape of rewiring the inter departmental coordination and  ensuring that they talk as a team rather than silos.

From the stand point of using the tool, it was found out that structured thinking was  required more than just creating mind mapping picture. It sparked creativity with mind  maps! Helped deeply in gathering requirements for the projects! It also emphasised that  the human mind doesn’t always function in a linear approach. Using a mind map allows  Subject Matter Experts or the audience to make cross references.

Approach:   While the use of Mind Mapping tool for the client organization was a good idea for seeing  the bigger picture of the scope of the project,   1. It needed lot of cajoling and convincing the client employees to make use of the tool

2. The facilitation needed to ensure the client employees understood the concept and  were able to envisage the big picture was perhaps more than any other method of  design thinking

3. As we used an online tool for the whole exercise, the orientation on the tool took a  while for people to get hang of the usage

What will be done differently in future uses   1. Ensure to factor in the time for tool sensitisation during the scoping of the project

2. Ensure there is at least an element of understanding of the methodology before  embarking on the facilitation

3. Grouping of team members in such a way to ensure project management is much  more tighter


Reflection Assignment Tool : Mind Mapping General Introduction : Mind Maps used in business can improve employees ability to understand ideas and collaborate during meetings . In a research by Chuck Frey , mind mapping expert , employees who use a mind mapping method believe that their productivity increased by 25 percent . In the business sector , mind mapping can be used to achieve the following : • Efficient meeting time and communicating ideas • Increase productivity through better thinking methods • Support the project management process as it can integrated with the project management planning • Improve communication and collaboration inside and between teams Challenges : As I underwent the program , it made me reflect on an assignment with one of our clients where I had used Mind Mapping tool , the prompt was the fact that the client was not very sure of what kind of problem he had , what would be the possible outcome and how to implement it ( the approach of what is , what if , what wows fitted just fine in the case ) . I had the task of bringing the best possible tool out of my bag of tricks and Mind Mapping was just the perfect . The tool is relevant when we are thinking of an idea , taste a specific food or visit a place , our mind starts to link this action with our memories and previous experience using a relevant model . Our brain starts with one centre action , colour , taste or image and builds branches of thoughts that are used as a base for other multiplied ideas . How we think works very similar to tree branches . Selection & Application of the Tool : Art - based mind map ( source : learningfundamentals ) Had used something like this during the client interaction which actually gave us a deep insight into what they were thinking and what eventually they wanted from the whole exercise . •It starts with a single idea that is represented with text , colour or image . Each idea was presented with one single word and use visual elements to categorize it such as , upper and lower words , colorus , codes and images . •More subsidiary ideas were added around the main idea and connect with it by lines . All the branches should have connection lines that link it with the center idea . While the selection of the tool was much easier as it looked colourful and creative , the actual understanding and implementation was much more harder than it was thought out to be . Took quite a bit of iteration with the client team to come up with the concept of open writing and branching out their thoughts . The best thing we did during this phase was to give the client team a crash course in doodling and find out , of the 7 people involved how many really were interested in the doodling or even drawing . 3 of the 7 were actually good at it and I made sure that they were paired with lesser skilled others . While this looked like a damage control to start off with , eventually it turned out to be a best team working exercise where the members started interacting and discussing the ideas more openly and honestly . Which was an implicit requirement of a project of that magnitude for me . Insight : As mentioned in the videos about THE GOOD KITCHEN STORY , the mind mapping tool helped in gaining insights into the hidden problems what was not apparent during the initial discussions with the client . When the whole conversation started it was mentioned that the organization needed to have policies and processes rewritten , however during the mind mapping it was understood the problem was far more than just rewriting of policies . The whole consulting exercise took a shape of rewiring the inter departmental coordination and ensuring that they talk as a team rather than silos . From the stand point of using the tool , it was found out that structured thinking was required more than just creating mind mapping picture . It sparked creativity with mind maps ! Helped deeply in gathering requirements for the projects ! It also emphasised that the human mind does n’t always function in a linear approach . Using a mind map allows Subject Matter Experts or the audience to make cross references . Approach : While the use of Mind Mapping tool for the client organization was a good idea for seeing the bigger picture of the scope of the project , 1 . It needed lot of cajoling and convincing the client employees to make use of the tool 2 . The facilitation needed to ensure the client employees understood the concept and were able to envisage the big picture was perhaps more than any other method of design thinking 3 . As we used an online tool for the whole exercise , the orientation on the tool took a while for people to get hang of the usage What will be done differently in future uses 1 . Ensure to factor in the time for tool sensitisation during the scoping of the project 2 . Ensure there is at least an element of understanding of the methodology before embarking on the facilitation 3 . Grouping of team members in such a way to ensure project management is much more tighter