Spectrum Mapping Activity

Map the diversity of perspectives on a topic by organizing them into a spectrum. With Spectrum Mapping Activity you can discover innovative ideas and show the diversity of opinions within a team.

It can also encourage people with unconventional views who otherwise won’t speak up to participate. The objective is express views and share diverse views

Start by identifying a few key topics on which you want insight and opinions from the participants. Write down a topic in the center of a whiteboard.

Then ask participants to write down their opinions and perspectives on the topic on sticky notes. Post these notes on either side of the topic along a horizontal line

Once everyone has chimed in, work with the group to arrange the notes as a “range” of ideas. Group similar ideas together to the left. Place outlying ideas to the right.

Continue doing this until you’ve arranged all ideas as a “spectrum” with most popular ideas to the extreme left, the least popular ideas on the extreme right.

Building a spectrum map tells you the diversity of your team’s views about a topic.

The topics of this publication: interactions, argumentation, teamwork, reflection, brainstorming