Does your team need a map or a diagram?

Technically accurate does not always mean useful. Image from London Transport Museum

I recently watched a short Netflix documentary (unfortunately, I've forgotten the name!) that mentioned one of the most influential diagrams in the world. It is of the London Underground.

Initially, when presenting the network to commuters, London bureaucrats used a detailed map including landmarks like the river, parks and was at an accurate scale (see above).

The results were underwhelming. People were unclear about how to use the network to get from A to B. Enter Harry Beck, in 1931 who was a technical draughtsman by trade. He realised that what people needed was not a technically correct and detailed map of the London Underground. What they needed was more reminiscent of the network diagrams that he was familiar with. What he ended up presenting was an image that is likely to seem very familiar to you (even if you haven't been to London and used the Underground there).

Beck's network diagram was significantly more useful than the previous maps. Image from Transport for London

This network diagram is consciously inaccurate. It has removed details that were distracting or unnecessary - the river and surface level landmarks were not particularly relevant or useful to users underground! Instead, there was a uniform distance between stations, lines only ran at certain angles (vertical, horizontal or 45 degrees) and colours indicated stations that were connected on the same path. The result was greater clarity for commuters, increased functionality and the initial print run being exhausted within hours. The principles from this network diagram continue to be applied in London and around the world.
 
The reason that I share this story with you is that some of those principles are useful in our teams.

Here is how...

Maps are useful for some activities - like hiking. Other times a diagram is more effective - like train networks and identifying your next run on a ski field. A great skill to develop is to understand when each is useful and choose the right approach.

Here are some questions for you to reflect on this week:

1. When does your team need a map with detailed and technically correct information?

2. How often would a diagram be more useful for your team?

3. What are the ways that you can better guide your team?