A mind map is a way to take knowledge and ideas in your head and make them explicit in a diagram. Typically it takes the form of a tree, as if viewed from above. Start by drawing a “root” node, where you write the concept or question you want to think about and draw a circle around it. From there, draw “branches” to connect the root to related concepts and ideas. As the diagram radiates outward, you can label branches and create more circles to represent ideas and connections.
When a question or problem is so big that you don’t know where to start, a mind map is a great way to begin your exploration. It will help you see discover links and connections, and break the issue down into more manageable parts.
Are you at the very beginning of a complex project? Are you trying to make sense of a mess? Can you make a mind map to help you make sense of it?
See also: Org chart, Mess, Fog, Stepping stones, Decision tree.
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