Mapping to Solve Product Problems
Remote Trainer-Led Course
Why choose Mapping?
Book your place | What is a map? | What we cover | Remote Format | Why MTP? | Resources | Join Mailing List
Product managers work within a complex landscape of organisational systems and processes, all intertwined and dependent on one another. As the product manager, your job is to help your team navigate these systems to uncover friction and opportunities, and drive action.
Mapping is an invaluable learning and communication tool you can use to break down any system, flow or process into digestible elements. This process will empower you to work through problems visually with your team, pulling apart complexity to uncover the next most valuable action.
Our course attendees building their maps 👆
But what is a map?
A map is a visualisation of the way pieces of information relate to one another. We are surrounded by simple maps every day: calendars, backlogs, meeting agendas. As product managers, we can use maps to help our teams pull apart complex problems and uncover the most valuable next steps to drive action. Maps can be applied in all areas of product management, to any problem.
Maps that you may have used before include user journey maps, stakeholder maps, process maps, service blueprints, technical audits etc. You can see a few examples of maps below.
Key takeaways
Visualise complexity and spot opportunity
Use mapping as a tool (and a mindset!) to help you break down any system or process in order to work through challenges and uncover value, while maintaining visibility of the complex ecosystem your product sits within.
Foster a mapping culture
Confidently support yourself and your team to grapple with overwhelming problems and ideas by taking systems thinking approach and embracing your ever-evolving role as the facilitator in the mapping process.
Drive toward action
Uncover the next most valuable step in pulling apart a complex problem, driving your team towards action, and ultimately, great products!
Upcoming Mapping sessions
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European Time Zones keyboard_arrow_right
- June 16–17: Mapping to Solve Product Problems
- July 14–15: Mapping to Solve Product Problems
- September 15–16: Mapping to Solve Product Problems
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US Time Zones keyboard_arrow_right
- July 14–15: Mapping to Solve Product Problems
- September 15–16: Mapping to Solve Product Problems
What you’ll learn
During the course of this workshop, you will build your own map using a product problem or challenge from your own career. We have designed this workshop so that you take the learnings from each of the below modules and apply it right away using your own map, enabling you to fully grasp the concept of mapping. The opportunity to collaborate with your trainer and peers as you build your map is an invaluable way to get feedback and learn from your classmates.
- Introduction to Systems Thinking – An overview of mapping, its origins in systems thinking, and how it can be used in your organisation
- Problem Definition – Setting a goal for your map (what problem are you trying to work through, or what opportunity are you trying to uncover)
- Key Elements of a Map – Understanding the different components of maps, how they can fit together, and where to start
- Building your Map – Working through your own challenges by building your own map, with class discussions about how your peers are applying this thinking to their own work
- Mapping Process – Different approaches to maps, how to map when you have gaps in your knowledge, and processes for different mapping scenarios
- Mapping Outcomes – Effectively facilitating your map towards actions and leveraging your map for maximum impact
- Mapping Culture – What a mapping and systems thinking culture looks like, how you can ensure internal support of the mapping process, and an overview of map facilitation techniques
We will not cover:
- User story mapping
- Systems thinking in-depth
- Specific business mapping strategies
- User research processes (see Foundations or Communication and Alignment)
- Building stakeholder relationships (see Communication and Alignment)
- Event storming
How does remote work?
In order to continue offering product management training in a safe environment for our attendees and trainers, we have devised this new interactive, remote format, run as two consecutive half-day sessions.
You can focus all of your time and energy into two concentrated half-days of product learning, and as with our in-person workshops, you’ll get full access to our tried-and-tested Mapping curriculum, expert trainers, and a community of product peers.
Each half-day will include live online lectures interspersed with regular discussion, Q&As, and group activities to encourage hands-on learning. We’ll use Zoom and other digital collaboration tools.
To keep you energised and engaged, we’ll also run warm-ups and icebreakers, and take regular breaks.
Please note: This workshop is run as two half-day sessions and you must attend both parts
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Hands-on and Interactive keyboard_arrow_right
Each workshop module contains an interactive component. This ensures that you have an opportunity to apply and work with each concept you learn about in a setting that will answer questions and facilitate critical thinking. We don’t think you can be “taught” product management, you have to do it – there will be virtual Post-it’s, our group collaboration tool (Mural), and group discussions – which really help you to internalise the concepts you are being taught and return to your role to put into practice straight away.
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Expert Trainers keyboard_arrow_right
Every Mind the Product trainer is a working product manager. Your trainer’s product management experience enriches the curriculum by delivering diverse perspectives on best practice in different scenarios. Our trainers’ main goal is not to provide participants with all of the answers, but help facilitate them in asking the right questions.
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Up-to-the-Minute Curriculum keyboard_arrow_right
The Mind the Product workshop curriculum is treated as a product in itself. We keep all of our content up-to-date with the latest thinking and research, and iterate regularly, meaning that what we are teaching is always current.
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You're Joining a Community keyboard_arrow_right
Every workshop is a chance to (virtually!) meet your peers and share knowledge. As well as learning from your trainers, you’ll also learn from your fellow participants, hearing examples of product practice and challenges from a wealth of perspectives, industries, and levels of experience.
And of course, once your workshop has come to a close it doesn’t stop there – there is still learning to be done via our blog, at our global ProductTank meetups, our conferences, and in our Slack community. In short, you’ll feel fully supported through your learning experience with us because you’ll have this wonderful product community at your fingertips.
And with our Workshop+Membership ticket bundle, you’ll become an official Mind the Product member, giving you access to premium editorial, product experts, and connecting you with peers tackling similar challenges.
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By Product Managers, for Product Managers keyboard_arrow_right
Mind the Product started with the first ProductTank meet up in London in 2010 with the simple aim of bringing together product managers to connect, share, and learn from each other. We are now the biggest product management community in the world and our aim has not changed. We are product managers at heart with the sole aim of making product people more successful and building products people love!
Mapping your way to leadership
Start solving BIG problems for your customer, your team and your organisation through mapping, and start graduating up the ladder to leadership.
Are you a builder or an optimiser?
This blog post will help you to understand which kind of product manager you are - mapping is an essential skill for both!
Mindset
In this episode, Rosemary King and Eli Montgomery discuss the concept of mapping while answering questions from the community.
Product Trends
This blog post discusses how systems thinking and mapping methodologies fit into your everyday product practice.
Membership Ticket Bundle
We now offer a special ‘Course + 1 Year Membership’ bundle ticket so that you can continue the learning for a full year after your workshop ends.
By becoming a Mind the Product member, you’ll get access to our online, self-paced Training Library, enjoy premium product content, regular access to product experts, and join a community of engaged product professionals, ready to learn with you and share their experiences, helping you to tackle your problems together.
Our ‘Course + Membership’ ticket bundle offers membership at the best available price and is the perfect addition to your learning and development journey.
With your membership you will have invaluable insight, connection, and resources at your fingertips whenever you need them, helping you to stay on top of your game and build great products with the support of our incredible community.
