Reflection – Mind Mapping Tool

Challenge:

I have been working as an assistant professor in a school of industrial design in a  well known Indian design institute. As we all know integration of design and  technology is very important for a better product development.  My challenge was  to teach them various technologies which help student to convert their design  thinking into reality. As design students go through the entire design process from  ethnography, empathy to the prototyping and testing. During this entire process I  observed that, their major focus is on esthetics, styling and sketching, due to which  their prototypes or mockups did not have an essence of the end product (or final  product which could be used). Lack of technical touch in the mockups creates  hypothetical image on a customer (while learning launch). In a nut shell our  challenge is to provide technical knowledge to the design students.

Selection:

There were lots of ideas available to complete this challenge, but all the ideas were  scattered. Me and my some collogues had lots of brainstorming with directors and  some experts from management. Then I and one of my collogue suggested to apply  Mind mapping tool for this particular challenge. As Mind mapping (or concept  mapping) involves writing down a central idea and thinking up new and related  ideas which radiate out from the centre, we decided to apply it. I explained them  how Mind maps can help us in the early stages of our essay by summarizing our  research and providing us with a picture of all aspects of the question. We can then  move from our non-linear mind map to a more structured essay plan.

Application:

As our main challenge is to provide them technical education, we put this  challenge as a central idea. We focused on key ideas written down in our own  words, and then looking for branches out and connections between the ideas.  Figure 1 show the Mind Map, which we applied to our challenge. As we can see in  figure 1 that there are many sub ideas which are connected with one central  challenge e.g. “Teaching technical education to the design students”. The  central idea is connected with other possible ideas to overcome the challenge.

Figure 1. Mind Mapping tool used for teaching Technology to the design Students

The other ideas are:

1. Industrial Visits   2. Seminars   3. Workshops   4. Setting a new science and technology lab  5. Visits of technical  Exhibition   6. Adding technical syllabus in their curriculum

The final outcome was to develop a small Mechatronics lab and including a small  part of a technical subject in all semesters.

Insight and Approach:

Mind mapping tool completely worked positively in our case. The final outcome is  applied successfully.  This tool not only helped us in finding the different ways but  also helped us in highlighting other possibilities. The open space of a mind map  could allow revisiting it in that first vital review after the session. It is in this first  review that I could highlight key areas, gaps in my understanding and list questions  that need to be addressed.

After successfully applying mind mapping, I would like to use a Learning Launch  tool. I would like to apply and test the outcomes of mind mapping on students.  After a small learning launch exercise we would be able to rectify some changes in  the plan and can apply it back.

Conclusion:

At the end of the Mind mapping tool, we could conclude the following things:

• Mind mapping tool works in both way: Convergent and Divergent   • It helps to generate more ideas  • It also highlight other possibilities   • It is intuitive process which mimics the way think


Reflection – Mind Mapping Tool Challenge : I have been working as an assistant professor in a school of industrial design in a well known Indian design institute . As we all know integration of design and technology is very important for a better product development . My challenge was to teach them various technologies which help student to convert their design thinking into reality . As design students go through the entire design process from ethnography , empathy to the prototyping and testing . During this entire process I observed that , their major focus is on esthetics , styling and sketching , due to which their prototypes or mockups did not have an essence of the end product ( or final product which could be used ) . Lack of technical touch in the mockups creates hypothetical image on a customer ( while learning launch ) . In a nut shell our challenge is to provide technical knowledge to the design students . Selection : There were lots of ideas available to complete this challenge , but all the ideas were scattered . Me and my some collogues had lots of brainstorming with directors and some experts from management . Then I and one of my collogue suggested to apply Mind mapping tool for this particular challenge . As Mind mapping ( or concept mapping ) involves writing down a central idea and thinking up new and related ideas which radiate out from the centre , we decided to apply it . I explained them how Mind maps can help us in the early stages of our essay by summarizing our research and providing us with a picture of all aspects of the question . We can then move from our non - linear mind map to a more structured essay plan . Application : As our main challenge is to provide them technical education , we put this challenge as a central idea . We focused on key ideas written down in our own words , and then looking for branches out and connections between the ideas . Figure 1 show the Mind Map , which we applied to our challenge . As we can see in figure 1 that there are many sub ideas which are connected with one central challenge e.g. “ Teaching technical education to the design students ” . The central idea is connected with other possible ideas to overcome the challenge . Figure 1 . Mind Mapping tool used for teaching Technology to the design Students The other ideas are : 1 . Industrial Visits 2 . Seminars 3 . Workshops 4 . Setting a new science and technology lab 5 . Visits of technical Exhibition 6 . Adding technical syllabus in their curriculum The final outcome was to develop a small Mechatronics lab and including a small part of a technical subject in all semesters . Insight and Approach : Mind mapping tool completely worked positively in our case . The final outcome is applied successfully . This tool not only helped us in finding the different ways but also helped us in highlighting other possibilities . The open space of a mind map could allow revisiting it in that first vital review after the session . It is in this first review that I could highlight key areas , gaps in my understanding and list questions that need to be addressed . After successfully applying mind mapping , I would like to use a Learning Launch tool . I would like to apply and test the outcomes of mind mapping on students . After a small learning launch exercise we would be able to rectify some changes in the plan and can apply it back . Conclusion : At the end of the Mind mapping tool , we could conclude the following things : • Mind mapping tool works in both way : Convergent and Divergent • It helps to generate more ideas • It also highlight other possibilities • It is intuitive process which mimics the way think