What is this canvas about?
The Context Map canvas, which visual facilitation pioneer David Sibbet develops, addresses trends you see around you and political, technological, and other influences. It helps the team to explore the context they are in quickly and build it up over time. It is also a communication tool for your team to discuss what is essential.
Why should you use this canvas?
In order to understand the position, your solution is in, you need to have a deep sense of the environment in which your solution is being created. Context Map Canvas helps the team to get used to zoom out of the solution and think, in a guided way, about the organization and the broader world.
When should you use this canvas?
Team Canvas can be an onboarding tool for team members or a team creation framework. It can have multiple applications. We recommend teams use it at the very start of forming a group. This way, the team can quickly clarify goals and can address performance criteria. The tool is also beneficial in onboarding new team members, as well as general alignment.
Who should be involved when working on this canvas?
Our experience in corporate innovation and startup teams shows that Context Map Canvas works optimally when the group involves managers and executives and the operations people. The Canvas requires all team members who have critical roles and responsibilities for the team's success to understand how their contribution creates a strategic difference.
How should you go through this canvas?
Context Map Canvas consists of 8 blocks. Canvas is used for aligning different perspectives and mapping out where your organization is in the context of seven key trends and factors. We characterize trends as forces with traceable and identifiable movement patterns. We define factors as existing conditions that are important and have a slower rate of movement. Before jumping on, the team should realize that not every trend, direction, or factor may be relevant to their case. It is essential to get clarity and agreement on the categories to focus intensely before beginning the conversation. The team members are advised to start from Your Company and go through the canvas as they like.
Let's dive in!