Visible Thinking: Unlocking Causal Mapping for Practical Business Results

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0470869151 ISBN 13: 9780470869154

Publisher: Wiley, 2004

Causal mapping is a tool that enables you to make sense of challenging situations so that you can get more out of them. A causal map is a word and arrow diagram in which ideas and actions are causally linked with one another through the use of arrows. Typically, only specialists such as physical or social scientists and operations researchers know about causal mapping and the tool is therefore not widely known or its broad applicability understood. Until now there has been no guidance available on how to make use of the tool for more general purposes. This book lets managers understand the theory and practice of causal mapping in layman's terms for use in both individual and group settings. It shows managers how to develop and use action-oriented strategy maps and logic models in business decision making. The authors show how causal mapping can be used as a tool to make sense of challenging situations and develop effective business responses.

From the Back Cover:

We live in a complex world. We are constantly challenged by issuesthat seem at first to be simple, but on reflection turn out to havecomplicated causes and consequences that can dramatically affectour lives. Often, getting a handle on what the issues are is halfthe battle. Imagine a tool that can help you unravel the complexityof the decision-making labyrinth, a process that would allow youto:

• Make sense of challenging situations
• Tackle a large number of ideas and their interconnections
• Evaluate and explore values, goals, strategies and actions
• Link strategic thinking to action
• Develop effective action plans in response to the issues
• Create shared meaning and agreement
• Communicate strategies in ways that can be easily understoodand acted upon
• Make people understand why an action is important and how theycan help
• Help you move from 'winging it' to creating integratedstrategies that are robust, both today and in the future, for yourfirm

Causal mapping is that process. A causal map links your ideas usinga few simple rules to reflect causality and so reveal strategicoptions and goals. Visible Thinking shows you how to create causalmaps for individuals and groups, and thereby to capture the powerand broad applicability of causal mapping in a business, as well asa personal, context. Visible Thinking will revolutionize the wayyou approach complex situations and help you decide what you shoulddo, how you should do it and why.

The causal mapping process is illustrated through a series ofreal cases - from tackling personal problems to strategy-changeefforts in business, public and not-for-profit organizations. Thecases are used to present a comprehensive set of process guidelinesdesigned to help you create your own action-oriented causalmaps.

'Mapping has worked very well in enabling us get to grips withmajor decisions. The process brings issues and underlyingassumptions to the surface, using the diverse perspectives of allmembers of the group. Then, most helpfully, it structurescontributions so that the group reaches a shared understanding andcan see the whole, rich picture.' Ros Micklem, Principal, CardonaldCollege, Glasgow, Scotland

'Bryson, Ackermann, Eden and Finn beautifully convert the blandnoun "map" into the vivid managerial verb, "to map", and in doingso define a unique managerial capability that can provide newsources of order and meaning in chaotic times.' Karl E. Weick,Rensis Likert Distinguished University Professor of OrganizationalBehavior and Psychology, University of Michigan Business School,Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

About the Author:

John M. Bryson is a professor of planning and public affairsat the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN (USA), and hasheld visiting appointments at the London Business School,University of Strathclyde, University of Oxford and Oxford BrookesUniversity. His research, teaching and consulting interests focuson leadership, strategic management and the design of participationprocesses. He uses causal mapping in much of this work. ProfessorBryson has published ten books and over 80 scholarly articles andbook chapters. He consults widely in the US and UK.

Fran Ackermann is a professor of strategy and informationsystems at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow (UK). She isinterested in working with groups (public or private,multinationals, or small and medium-sized enterprises) on messy,complex, strategic problems and sees causal mapping as afundamental aspect of this work. She has consulted widely bothwithin the UK and in Europe, Australia and the USA. She isco-developer (with Colin Eden) of causal mapping software –both for individual use and for groups – and continues toexplore means of supporting group working through IT. She haswritten extensively in the area, having published three books andover 70 scholarly articles.

Colin Eden is a professor of strategic management andmanagement science at the University of Strathclyde. His majorinterests are in: (1) the processes of strategy making in seniormanagement teams, and (2) the success and failure of largeprojects. He has consulted with the senior management teams of awide range of public and private organizations in Europe and NorthAmerica. In all of these activities he uses causal mapping as apart of the process. He is the author of seven books and over 150scholarly articles in management science and strategicmanagement.

Charles B. Finn is a management professor at the Collegeof Saint Rose, Albany, New York (USA). He has held teaching andmanagement positions at the University of Minnesota and StateUniversity of New York. He has worked as a consultant to private,public and non-profit organizations at local, state and federallevels within the USA and has taught and consulted internationally.He has two interests in mapping: (1) how large, diffuse systems canorganize for everyday challenges and do the necessary strategicthinking to realize competitive advantages, and (2) how to usemapping to encourage personal and organizational learning anddevelopment.