Ideas that Changed the World

I’m stuck on a Sociology question and need an explanation.

Your Idea Network

There’s power in numbers. This week, you will take the idea you have selected and redesign it in accordance with a “brain trust” that you will consult.

Begin by identifying your idea network. This can be your family, friends, classmates, or even your student advisor!

After you’ve done that, take the idea that you selected back in Week 1 and do some brainstorming. If you were designing your own variant, how would things change? Are there any things that need to be added or removed? How would you design it? Remember to keep in mind the adjacent possible! Write down the results of your brainstorming.

Now consult your “brain trust” of individuals and ask them the same questions. How would they implement that idea? What are some things that they would change? Would they add/remove any features? Do they have any additional insights to offer? Consult at least three other individuals.

After consulting your brain trust, create a mind map in which you diagram all the insights offered by yourself and your “brain trust.” At the center of your mind map should be your idea. You should have branches for yourself and each member of your network. Under those branches, include secondary branches in which you outline their ideas and suggestions.

In designing your mind map, you may use Microsoft Word, a PowerPoint slide, or an online diagramming tool such as https://www.draw.io/ or Lucidchart. Do not hand-draw and scan your diagram.