ROI【🔏CLASSIFIED CASE FILE】 No. X018 | What is Mandala Chart

Detective's Note: A nine-square cipher secretly used in goal-setting and ideation support - the "Mandala Chart." This methodology gained sudden fame when revealed that baseball star Shohei Ohtani used it during high school. With its "mandala" structure placing goals at the center and arranging eight elements in surrounding squares, many people oversimplify it as "fill nine squares and achieve goals," overlooking the true power of this method: "the cycle of thought expansion and concretization." Why the number "nine"? We must uncover the mechanism that goes beyond mere thought organization to promote actual behavioral change. Expose the secrets of this thinking technology that fuses ancient mandala wisdom with modern goal-setting theory.

What is Mandala Chart - Case Overview

Mandala Chart - formally called "Mandalart," developed by Japanese innovator Hiroaki Imaizumi in the 1980s as a thinking support tool. Composed of a 3×3 nine-square grid with the main theme or goal placed in the center and eight related elements arranged in surrounding squares. While it gained fame among our clients as "Shohei Ohtani's goal-setting sheet," voices from the field frequently report "filling squares becomes the purpose" and "ends with superficial element enumeration," with most companies and individuals unable to fully utilize its original thought expansion and action design functions.

Investigation Memo: Thought structuring and expansion through nine squares. Seemingly simple, yet behind this lies deep thinking processes: "staged development from abstract to concrete" and "balance between overall perspective and detailed analysis." We must uncover why the mandala structure and the mechanism connecting thought organization to behavioral change.

Basic Structure of Mandala Chart - Evidence Analysis

Primary Evidence: Mandala Chart Structure

Basic Form (3×3 Grid) Configuration

┌─────────┬─────────┬─────────┐
│Element 1│Element 2│Element 3│
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│Element 8│ Central │Element 4│
│         │ Theme   │         │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│Element 7│Element 6│Element 5│
└─────────┴─────────┴─────────┘

Center: Main theme, goal, or problem
Surrounding 8 squares: Related elements, methods, challenges, ideas

Extended Form (9×9 Grid) Configuration

Each element further expanded into 3×3 grids
→ 1 central theme + 8 detailed mandalas
→ Total 81 squares comprehensive thinking map
→ 3-layer structure: major goal → medium goal → minor goal

Application Pattern Classification

Goal-Setting Type:
・Center: Goal to achieve
・Surrounding: Elements and methods for goal achievement

Problem-Solving Type:
・Center: Problem to solve
・Surrounding: Causes, challenges, solutions

Idea Expansion Type:
・Center: Theme to explore
・Surrounding: Related ideas, perspectives, possibilities

Planning Type:
・Center: Plan to execute
・Surrounding: Required resources, schedule, challenges

Evidence Analysis: The brilliance of Mandala Chart lies in its structure enabling both "radial expansion from center" and "interrelation among peripheral elements" simultaneously. It incorporates design that naturally promotes the balance of comprehensiveness and detail, thought divergence and convergence—effects unattainable through simple bullet points.

Mandala Chart Implementation Process - Investigation Methods

Investigation Discovery 1: Shohei Ohtani's Goal Setting Example (High School Recreation)

Case Evidence (1st Round Draft Pick Goal):

Central Theme: "1st Round Draft Pick"

Surrounding 8 Elements:
1. Body Building (strength improvement, weight gain)
2. Control (pitching accuracy improvement)
3. Sharpness (ball quality, spin rate improvement)
4. Speed 160km/h (velocity improvement)
5. Breaking Balls (diverse pitch repertoire)
6. Luck (mental strength, seizing opportunities)
7. Human Character (leadership, personality)
8. Mental (concentration, pressure resistance)

Further 3×3 expansion of each element:

"Body Building" Detailed Mandala:
┌─────────┬─────────┬─────────┐
│Protein  │Weight   │Meal     │
│Intake   │Training │Volume   │
│         │         │Increase │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│Sleep    │Body     │Weight   │
│Duration │Building │85kg     │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│Injury   │Core     │Flexibility│
│Prevention│Strength │Enhancement│
└─────────┴─────────┴─────────┘

Investigation Discovery 2: Business Application Example (New Business Planning)

Case Evidence (DX Consulting Business):

Central Theme: "DX Consulting Business - Annual Revenue $1M"

Surrounding 8 Elements:
1. Talent Acquisition (DX specialists, consultants)
2. Service Design (diagnosis, strategy, implementation support)
3. Sales Strategy (targeting, channels, methods)
4. Branding (expertise, track record, credibility)
5. Partners (tech companies, system integrators)
6. Investment Capital (personnel costs, systems, marketing)
7. Competitive Analysis (differentiation, positioning)
8. Performance Measurement (KPIs, improvement, quality enhancement)

"Sales Strategy" Detailed Expansion:
┌─────────┬─────────┬─────────┐
│Manufacturing│Seminar │Telemarketing│
│Focus    │Hosting  │         │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│Existing │Sales    │Website  │
│Customer │Strategy │SEO      │
│Referrals│         │Acquisition│
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│Chamber of│Social   │Case     │
│Commerce │Media    │Studies  │
│Partnership│Outreach │Development│
└─────────┴─────────┴─────────┘

Investigation Discovery 3: Creation Process Stages

Stage 1: Central Theme Clarification
・Specific and measurable goal setting
・Clear deadlines and numerical targets
・Selecting themes with personal passion

Stage 2: Eight Element Identification
・Brainstorming-style free ideation
・Element extraction from different perspectives and angles
・Balance of logical and emotional elements

Stage 3: Inter-Element Relationship Verification
・Cross-checking relationships among 8 elements
・Confirming and adjusting overlaps or gaps
・Considering priority and importance levels

Stage 4: Detailed Expansion (as needed)
・3×3 detailed breakdown of important elements
・Decomposition to specific action levels
・Feasibility verification

Stage 5: Regular Review and Updates
・Progress monitoring and evaluation
・Adaptation and modification for environmental changes
・Addition or deletion of new elements

The Power of Mandala Chart - Hidden Truths

Alert File 1: Balance of Thought Divergence and Convergence Naturally promotes "divergent thinking" for multi-perspective consideration of one theme and "convergent thinking" for concrete action implementation. Achieves both idea generation and execution planning within the same framework.

Alert File 2: Integration of Overall Perspective and Detailed Analysis Nine-square structure provides visual effects enabling overall perspective while grasping details. Prevents "missing the forest for the trees" and promotes balanced thinking.

Alert File 3: Staged Connection Between Abstract and Concrete Staged development from central abstract goals to peripheral concrete elements. Further 81-square expansion creates 3-layer structure of major→medium→minor goals, enhancing feasibility.

Alert File 4: Visual Memory and Continuous Awareness Nine-square visual structure remains memorable and easily conscious in daily life. "Visualizing" goals and plans promotes continuous behavioral change.

Limitations and Cautions of Mandala Chart - Potential Dangers

Alert File 1: Square-Filling Work Becomes Purpose Most frequent problem. Cases where filling nine squares becomes the goal, leading to low-quality or forced elements. "Not thinking of eight" can also be important insight.

Alert File 2: Superficial Thinking Trap Risk of listing elements without deep consideration, satisfied with surface-level analysis. Tends toward insufficient examination of inter-element relationships and priorities.

Alert File 3: Static Tool Fixation Cases of treating created Mandala Charts as fixed, neglecting reviews according to environmental changes or progress. Insufficient utilization as dynamic planning management tool.

Alert File 4: Personal Subjectivity Constraints Tendency to confine element extraction within creator's knowledge, experience, and perspective. Risk of insufficient verification and reinforcement through others' viewpoints or objective data.

Alert File 5: Disconnection from Execution Cases of satisfaction with creating beautiful Mandala Charts while insufficient coordination with actual action execution and progress management. Reduced effectiveness due to separation of planning and execution.

Applications and Related Methods of Mandala Chart - Related Case Files

Related Evidence 1: Integrated Use with 5W1H

Applying 5W1H to detailed Mandala elements:
・What: Specifically what to do
・Why: Why that element is important
・How: What methods to use for execution
・When: By when to execute
・Where: Where to execute
・Who: Who is responsible

Related Evidence 2: Integration with PDCA Cycle

Plan: Planning with Mandala Chart
Do: Execution and promotion of each element
Check: Regular progress monitoring and evaluation
Action: Mandala review and improvement
Use as foundation for continuous improvement cycles

Related Evidence 3: Combination with KPT Analysis

KPT analysis of existing Mandala Chart:
Keep: Elements and methods working well
Problem: Elements creating challenges or obstacles
Try: New elements and improvements to attempt
Reflection and incorporation into next planning

Related Evidence 4: Integration with Digital Tools

・Integration with mind mapping software
・Coordination with project management tools
・Synchronization with Gantt charts and calendars
・Team sharing and collaborative editing functions
・Progress monitoring and alert functions

Related Evidence 5: Extension to Organizational/Team Use

Individual → Team Mandala Chart:
・Role distribution and responsibility clarification
・Team goal sharing and visualization
・Promoting mutual understanding among members
・Regular team reflection and adjustment
・Coordination between organizational and personal goals

Conclusion - Investigation Summary

Final Investigator Report:

Mandala Chart represents "a masterpiece of thinking technology fusing ancient wisdom with modern goal-setting theory." Within the extremely simple format of a 3×3 nine-square structure, sophisticated cognitive processes are embedded: thought divergence and convergence, overall perspective and detailed analysis, staged connection between abstract and concrete.

The most impressive aspect of this investigation was the "visual memory effect" of Mandala Chart. That Shohei Ohtani's high school Mandala Chart is still discussed today proves its effectiveness. The memorable nine-square structure enables continuous daily awareness of goals and plans, ultimately promoting sustained behavioral change.

However, the trap many people fall into—"square-filling work becomes the purpose"—also emerged clearly. Cases frequently occur where filling nine squares becomes the goal, failing to reach high-quality thinking or deep insights. True value lies not in filling squares but in the "insights" and "behavioral changes" born from that process.

It also became evident that Mandala Chart demonstrates its true value through integration with other thinking frameworks. Detailed element specification through 5W1H, continuous improvement through PDCA cycles, reflection through KPT analysis—combining with existing methods enables construction of more effective goal achievement systems.

The potential for evolution in the digital age is also significant. Moving from traditional paper-based to digital tool integration enables more dynamic and collaborative utilization: real-time progress management, team sharing, automatic alerts.

The most important discovery is that Mandala Chart is not merely a "thought organization tool" but a "behavioral change promotion system." Through thought visualization, unconscious-level goal awareness continues, optimizing daily small choices and actions toward goal achievement. This represents the true power of this classical thinking technology.

Goal Achievement Maxim: "Superior goal setting means decomposing big dreams into small actions and visualizing them in a form that can be consciously maintained daily."

Case Closed