Home Training Decision Explorer® - OR Society Causal Mapping

A beginner's guide to cognitive mapping.

Tutored by Jenny Brightman, Banxia Software Ltd.

This one-day workshop provides a practical introduction to the cognitive mapping technique for ideas structuring. Cognitive mapping offers a means of improving your ability to understand complex issues and, in so doing, to help you to make better-informed decision. You will learn a technique that can be applied to both personal and business situations in a variety of different settings. Cognitive mapping is a causally based mapping method, this means that idea structures are developed on a cause and effect basis. As a technique, it has been used very powerfully in a number of settings, for a number of different purposes. For example, cognitive mapping has been used in strategy development, for commercial, not-for-profit and government organizations. It has also been used in litigation, as a technique for developing models which were later quantified for more detailed mathematical analysis. In learning how to map effectively, you will see how to present reasoning through the structure of the lines of argument in the map. You will also become an ‘active listener’ when gathering information in interviews and building a shared understanding of the problem/issue. In learning cognitive (causal) mapping, you will be adding a very practical and versatile skill to your decision support tool-set.

The five main things the delegates will learn by attending the course are:

• The background to cognitive mapping - where it came from and how it might be used
• Guidelines for creating cognitive (causal) maps
• How cognitive mapping differs from other forms of ideas mapping
• How to use cognitive mapping in individual interviews
• How to use cognitive mapping with groups

The training methods that will be used are a mixture of theory presentation and discussion, with practical exercises for individuals, in pairs and with the group as a whole.

Who should attend:

OR practitioners interested in “soft” OR techniques, managers, consultants, decision makers in business, qualitative researchers, facilitators.

Venue and fees

The workshop will be held in Birmingham, UK, at the offices of the Operational Research Society. The cost for the day, per delegate, is given on the OR Society web site at www.orsoc.org.uk.

Places are limited, so if you would like to attend please contact us to make a provisional reservation. Contact Jenny Brightman at Banxia® Software on +44 (0) 845 108 2994, by fax on +44 (0) 845 108 2995 or by email to info@banxia.com. A booking form will be sent to you and must be returned, with payment, to secure your booking. If you have any general questions about software or the content of the workshop please contact us.