Rico Clusters vs. Mind Mapping Smackdown Steve Anderson, Managing Partner, ClientView Kristin Dufrene, VP Proposal Development, Vencore 2 Agenda & Objective Why Thinking/Brainstorming is Important An introduction to Mind Maps and Rico Clusters Team Exercise:
Formation of Teams Collection of Data Challenge Processing and Report Out Wrap Up! Explore preferences for Rico Clusters vs. Mind Maps in the context of individual preference and utility in a topical exercise. 3 Why Thinking/Brainstor ming is Important Thinking is Hard! Strategies to Entice Authors to THINK Before Writing 4
Why Thinking/Brainstorming is Important Without Thinking: Reuse runs rampant Creates an illogical structure Customer focus is lost / We sell what we have versus what the customer wants Outdated solutions Blowing through page constraints With Thinking:
5 Team works together to create consistent story Customer gets a customized solution Proposal is more compelling Proper level of detail for evaluation and page restrictions Two Types of Thinking Convergent Thinking (linear, left-brain, analytic) Bringing together different ideas from different participants to determine a single best solution to a defined problem. The focus for this thinking strategy is speed, logic and accuracy and on identifying the known, reapplying techniques, and amassing stored information. This strategy is best suited for situations characterized by a readily available answer that just has to be worked out or recalled by way of decision-making strategies.
Divergent Thinking (radiant, right-brain, creative) A strategy of solving problems characterized by the proposal of a multiplicity of possible solutions in an attempt to determine the one that works. Usually happens in a free-flowing, spontaneous manner, where multiple creative ideas are engendered and evaluated. A manifold number of potential solutions are studied in a brief span of time, and unconventional connections may be drawn. Once the stage of divergent thinking is complete, information and ideas are structured and organized using convergent thinking. In divergent thinking, a single question returns multiple answers, and though the answers vary considerably depending on the person, all answers are of equal value. 6 Traditional Proposal Development Tools: Storyboards Pros: Lets everyone know what authors plan to write prior
to writing and encourages thought! Helps align strategy to requirements and evaluation factors Takes into account customer, competitors, and risks Helps to organize each section logically Cons: Temptation to back into the storyboard by writing or cutting and pasting first! Can become redundant and lacks creativity Hard to translate from storyboard to proposal section Tends to be done in isolation 7 Traditional Proposal
Development Tools: Annotated Outline (AO) Pros: Makes sure compliance is covered Gives authors guidance Isnt overwhelming for authors Provides an electronic template Cons: Doesnt help with developing compelling
content Difficult to meet page allocation Tendency to copy and paste content as a guide Tends to be done in isolation 8 An Introduction to Mind Mapping and Rico Clusters 9 How are Mind Maps and Rico Clusters Used? Facilitate divergent thinking (non-linear, creative, right-brain) Solve customer issues
Create compelling proposals instead of cutting and pasting. Simplify complex information Create birds eye view of subject matter Spatial Mnemonics 10 An Overview Both Use graphical techniques to capture ideas in a non-linear fashion. Use spatial mnemonics to facilitate visualization of the relationships of ideas. Strive to break through mental barriers to progress often found with linear thinking (group think, writers block, etc.). Start with a central theme or idea, then radiate outward with connected topics or subject matter.
Mind Maps Two techniques with certain similarities intended to facilitate incorporation of divergent thinking into task accomplishment. Believed to date to 3rd century BC Greece. Modern employment began in the 1960s with Dr. Allan Collins. Originally developed as a note-taking technique. Now applied to many applications including writing. May employ organization by color, shape, lines, images/icons, or text. Rico Clusters
Developed by Dr. Gabriele Rico, circa 1980. Created as a tool to facilitate writing particularly creative writing. Focuses on the circle, unconstrained thinking, and metaphoric relationships between thoughts/ideas. 11 Lets Build a Mind Map* Main Topic Compatible with Brain Subtopic Balances Brain Emphasizes Associations Subset
Uses Keywords Keyword Simplifies Information How to Create Advantages Enhances Creativity Spatial Mnemonics Mind Map Colors Lines
Images Requires Change Elements Disadvantages Text Requires Practice Shapes *Adapted from Mind Maps, page 31 12
Conflicts with Spoken Language and a Rico Cluster* Open Thinking Attitudes Doodling Rico Clusters Transition from Nonlinear to Linear How?
Less Structure Metaphors Feelings Finding the Lost Chord *Adapted from Writing the Natural Way, page 79 13 Sample Proposal Mind Map Incumbent Capture Health Benefits
Job Fairs 401K Match Employee Referrals Career Advancement Universities Tuition Reimbursement Recruiting Retention
Bonus Program Corporate Culture Certifications Computer-Based Corporate Agency Technical 14 Training Training Deploying
Testing On-boarding Sample Proposal Rico Cluster Outline Pricing Strategy Section L SST Risk Analysis
Stakeholder Register Capture Products Section M Competitive Analysis Product Features Weaknesses Opportunities
to Ghost Strengths Win Strategy, Themes, Discriminators Weaknesses Features, Benefits, Proofs PWS Proposal Strengths
Scoring Eval Factors RFP Customer G2 Other Stakeholders 15 Font, Other
Admin Preproposal Activity SSA Sections I, J, K, H Other Sections Page Count Contracts
Clauses Deliverables, Schedule, Etc. Team Exercise! 16 CHOOSE! Are you a Rico Ranger or a Map Maven? 17 Organize Teams Left side of room is Team(s) Rico
Right is Team(s) Mind Map No more than six to a team Appoint Team Scribe 18 Compile Team Data Using the markers and paper provided, compile the following for your team:
19 1- Myers Briggs type if known 2- Have you worked with your chosen tool before? 3- Have you worked with the other tool before? 4- Do you have a strong preference for your tool? 5- Do you have a strong aversion to the other tool? 6- Do you use the tools interchangeably? The XYZ Travel Agency Exercise Rules Use the supplied markers, butcher paper, and what you know or have learned about Rico Clusters & Mind Maps to respond to a progressively disclosed scenario involving a potential new client for
your travel agency. The entire exercise will last approximately 15 minutes. Work quickly. 21 The Mission! You own a travel agency. One of your clients refers a friend to you. The friend is on a business trip abroad and unable to communicate with you directly, but would like you to plan and propose a vacation for him to begin shortly after he gets back. He trusts his friend (your client) to work with you on his behalf. 22 A Little More Information
a little more info. It is February. Your referral lives in Boston. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 23 Your Client is Calling His friend didnt leave him with specific instructions before he departed the country, but he has travelled with his friend in the past. HOWEVER, your client will not be on this vacation. In general, though, the referral likes history, golf, hiking, biking, fine dining, culture, and adventure. He has done both cruises and land travel in the past. He has done both group and individual travel but has not expressed a preference.
Past Trips: Biking in US and Italy, bareboat cruise in St. Thomas, hiking in Iceland. 24 Another Little Wrinkle! Client calls you to add that his friend has new significant other. He has not met her, but believes she is a Fortune 500 CEO worth over $1B. 25 One Last Thing The referral returns from his business trip and texts you to set a time for a conference call to discuss how the planning for his solo golf trip to Myrtle Beach is progressing!
26 Team Processing Within your team, discuss the following: How was your selected tool with respect to Flexibility to the scenario changes? Helpfulness in organizing your thoughts? Helpfulness with creativity/idea generation? What other observations did you have during the exercise? You have 10 minutes to complete your discussion and be ready to report to the group. 27
Report Out Each team reports its observations to the larger group. Facilitators share observations. 28 Further Reading Writing the Natural Way, Gabriele Rico, 29 Mind Maps, Michael Taylor Wrap It Up! Inquire
Questions No Restrictions Wrap-up Comments Share Experience 30 GO TO THE APMP APP AND RATE THIS
SESSION NOW (while its fresh in your mind!) 31 Steve Anderson & Kristin Dufrene Rico Clusters vs. Mind Mapping Smackdown [email protected] [email protected]
