Concept Mapping for Planning and Evaluation is a thorough, accessible guide to concept mapping in its most useful form for social or organizational researchers in any context. With straightforward language and useful examples from their 40 combined years of creating and working with this process, authors Mary Kane and William M. K. Trochim describe in detail the six major steps in the conduct of group concept mapping. is a thorough, accessible guide to conce… More >>
Concept Mapping for Planning and Evaluation
Concept Mapping is more than a methodology for planning and evaluation – it is, in a very real sense, the vanguard of a social movement that is leading us away from top-down thinking towards an inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach to solving problems. It has become extremely popular in the public sector, with Mary Kane and Bill Trochim serving as the most visible proponents of this approach through their company Concept Systems, Inc. (CSI). Concept Mapping’s fundamentals hold increasing promise for organizational thinking in the private sector as well.
Think about the problems inherent in getting a large and diverse group of people to reach common ground: the balance of power among participants, the diversity of opinions, the risk of forceful “outliers” shifting the frame of the discussion, and much more. Concept Mapping uses a mix of procedural and quantitative techniques to create a visual 3D map of the group’s ideas – a tangible and comprehensible portrait of group thought, which in turn becomes a basis for dialogue and consensus. Combined with other mapping techniques to quickly identify key thought differences between stakeholder groups as well as “go-zones” of actionable ideas, it gives structure to a planning and evaluation process that has more input, and more buy-in, from a broader range of constituents. The method particularly shines in high-stakes efforts with strong and divergent opinions, such as strategic planning and community development efforts.
The great benefit of this book is the voice of the authors themselves – they bring years of experience and a wealth of real-world examples to a book that reads more like a popular business title than a social science textbook. It will change the way you look at the group dynamics of planning and evaluation, and help you become part of the cutting edge of how we apply “systems thinking” in organizations.
-Rich Gallagher, author of “The Soul of an Organization”
Rating: 5 / 5