How Problem Solving is as Simple as Jigsaw Puzzle with Mind
Mapping
The inevitable part of life is problems. Whether small or big,
there are always myriad problems demanding our attention and
action at every step of our waking life. There are different
methods to overcome the different hurdles that we encounter in
various areas of our life. One such time worn practice to
understanding our problem and dealing with them effectively is
SWOT analysis, otherwise known as Strength, Weakness,
Opportunities and Threat analysis.
As an elementary method, SWOT analysis has wide application in
the business context. However, it is equally useful in
individual context as well, as in self-development, where you
need to analyze your true self to make appropriate changes and
help move forward to success and happiness.
As the name indicates, the process involves identifying your
Strengths and Weaknesses, and exploring at length, the
Opportunities and Threats you face. It is a particularly useful
method as it helps you to uncover the hidden opportunities and
successfully eliminate threats by understanding your areas of
strengths and using them to your advantage, while turning
weakness into potential prospects.
The common way to forming a detailed SWOT analysis involves
enlisting each aspect in a paper and then drawing conclusions
based on them. But with Mind Maps, SWOT analysis can be a very
enlightening experience as the process involves going beyond
just listing them out under different heads.
Instead of using long sentences to convey different thoughts,
Mind Map uses non-linear method of key words or phrases. Long,
running sentences clutters not only space, but also your mind.
Mind Maps on the other hand, will help you glide smoothly from
one part to another in a quick and efficient manner. All the
relevant facts under different groups are noted down in key
points and each of them are explored to the fullest. The mind is
given a free play to register all the streaming thoughts so the
raw and latent truths come to the surface.
Because Mind Maps greatly encourage association, it becomes
extremely easy to connect the different parts of our analysis
and draw proper inference from them. While the normal listing
methods stops with just putting them on paper, Mind Maps go
beyond in providing vital links and cross-connections between
the various elements of the SWOT analysis. You will be able to
understand the reasons behind some of your attributes and find
proper solutions to tackle the same effectively.
Since Mind Maps offer a radiant and yet structured format where
the different levels of thoughts are laid in an easy-to-grasp
manner, you will be able to get a comprehensive picture of the
outcome of the SWOT analysis. This helps you immensely in
understanding the emerging picture gained from the analysis as
well as to find creative solutions and ideas to tackle them. You
can improve further by working on 'Action Plan' and 'Goal
Setting' and assess whether the actions initiated were
appropriate to the analysis.
Mind Maps is a great device for looking at a problem at depth
and finding right solutions to tackle them. The very format and
the concept of Mind Maps are powerful enough to lead to quick
and correct solutions to problems. Unless you use Mind Maps, the
real significance of Mind Maps will not be apparent to you.
Learn and use Mind Maps to know its true value.