Earlier today, I found myself assembling ideas by writing on Post-it Notes and re-arranging them repeatedly all over my desk. I do this almost every day to collect my thoughts, but today it hit me: There are some seriously cool ways to brainstorm, collaborate, and display information using Post-it Notes! Why not record a few of the ideas here for others to check out?
Any of these ideas could be used temporarily for planning purposes over the span of an hour or two, or they could stay up indefinitely depending on the project, your needs, and your office space. Let’s dive in…
1. Brainstorm Ideas
Using sticky notes to track ideas while brainstorming is a simple and effective way to capture discussion without losing momentum. Jot down quick notes and keep the pace moving! As with any brainstorming session, defer judgment on the ideas until after the session, encourage creativity, try to see different perspectives, be visual, and go for quantity not necessarily quality.
2. Build a Logic Tree or Flowchart
Need to define how a process flows or how a system operates? Write down the different inputs, outputs, decision points, and actions that take place. Rearrange as needed until you refine and optimize the flow of information.
3. Build a Mind Map
If you haven’t ever used mind maps, you’re missing out! Mind maps are an easy way for you to explore a particular topic and bring all of its associated ideas to life visually. Lifehacker has a good summary of mind maps and how to get started building them. There are plenty of digital tools to help you build a mind map, but I’m old fashioned: I prefer sticky notes.
4. Prioritize Projects and Tasks Using an Urgent / Important Matrix
If you’re looking for a way to prioritize projects or tasks (for you or your team), consider building an Urgent / Important Matrix (PDF). Use sticky notes to place the projects / tasks within the matrix to help you step back and see the bigger picture. This helps you begin shifting your time away from items that are are low-urgency and low-importance (a.k.a. "Distractions").
5. Schedule Projects on a Calendar
Trying to figure out the order of projects for the month, quarter, or year? Plan everything out using one or more calendars and sticky notes. This gives you the ability to view your options before committing to a plan.
6. View Projects by Employee
To help balance the workload on your team, or to get an idea of who’s working on what, create a table like the one below. List all projects for each employee and adjust as necessary to even out the workload and/or assign projects that best fits each employees’ strengths.
7. View Projects by Phase or Status
Need an easy, visual way to see all of your projects by phase or by status? Create a board that shows phases or steps and add sticky notes for each of the projects. Move the notes from section to section as progress takes place, making it easy to see the whole picture at-a-glance.
8. Evaluate Employee Capabilities Using a 9-Box Grid
If you are a manager or if you work in HR, you may eventually need to create a succession plan or conduct a talent review. One common way to do this is by using a 9-box grid, which uses Leadership Potential and Performance as the axes. One-by-one, analyze each team member and put their name on a sticky note in the box that represents them best. This helps you see the big picture of your team and who fits where.
9. Document What is Said in a Focus Group
If you are collecting feedback from a focus group about a particular product or idea, have them contribute their feedback using sticky notes and place them on a wall. Alternatively, you could facilitate the session and be in charge of the sticky notes, reading each one aloud to confirm you captured their thoughts accurately.
10. Collect Anonymous Feedback From a Team
Want to collect ideas, input, or feedback from your team in an anonymous fashion? Put up a few questions on poster board or a dry-erase board, and encourage team members to stop by throughout the day to contribute their thoughts. Here are some questions you could ask:
- How can we improve communication on our team?
- What hinders you from contributing your best work on our team?
- If you had unlimited time and unlimited budget, how would you improve our XYZ product?
Collect these comments at the end of the day and take the appropriate actions.
11. Pinpoint Places on a Map
Do you have customers or team members spread across different geographical areas? Or projects that affect different regions? Perhaps you are brainstorming regional coverage for a sales team or technical support team? Put up a big map and post sticky notes to pin-point places on the map to get a more visual depiction of the information.
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The post Make it Stick: 11 Creative Ways to Use Post-it Notes at Work appeared first on Better, Smarter, Faster.