Tree Table
Probability of making a major sale
  WORST CASE
    Losing the sale
      Inferior
        Superior
          Highest
  —
    Positive
      Subtopic 1
        << Competition
          << Price
  +
    Negative
      Product >>
        Subtopic 1
          Customer need >>
  BEST CASE
    Winning the sale
      Superior
        Inferior
          Lowest
  INSTRUCTIONS
One popular creative problem-solving technique is to do a “force field analysis” of it. Also known as a “tug” of war, it arms you with the ability to deconstruct your current challenge into its strengths and weaknesses, and to focus on those that will help you ensure a successful outcome.
Most challenges are composed of a set of conditions or circumstances. Each one has a dynamic, a positive or negative momentum that can carry us toward a best or worst-case scenario, respectively. Force field analysis gives us a tabular way to better understand our challenges and visualize these forces at work, so we can brainstorm ways to minimize our weaknesses, build upon our strengths – or add new positive skills or conditions to better counterbalance our weaknesses.
How it works:
Write the challenge you are trying to solve at the top of the page.
In the red and green boxes, describe in a few words the worst and best case scenarios, respectively.
In the rows of boxes below that, list the conditions of the situation. Conditions are anything that modifies or restricts the nature or existence of your subject. They are whatever requirements you perceive to be essential to solving a particular challenge. Conditions are rarely neutral, which is why there isn’t a center column of boxes.
Note the “tug of war. As you list the conditions, you will find the forces pushing you toward the best case and those pulling you toward catastrophe. Pit each condition against its opposite on the continuum by specifying its push and pull powers” by listing the best and worst cases for each condition, plus the current direction in which you’re being pulled if you maintain the status quo.
When you’re done listing conditions, brainstorm ways in which you can improve each condition to move it more toward the best-case scenario. There are 3 ways in which you can do this:
Maximize your strengths (move positive factors even strongly more positive),
Minimize your weaknesses (slow or reverse direction – in those cases where you’re currently headed toward the worst case) and
Add more positive forces or conditions to help counterbalance your negative tendencies.
Happy idea hunting!
Chuck Frey
Visual Velocity
(formerly the Mind Mapping Software Blog)
mindmappingsoftwareblog.com
chuck@chuckfrey.com