Mind mapping

Guidance

Why

You can use mind mapping to:

• encourage thought and direction that might of been missed
• visualise your thinking
• highlight key themes
• explore a challenge that you are working on as a team

Who

Mind mapping works on your own or as a team activity

When

You can use it throughout a project, especially when:

• there is a lack of direction for a particular problem
• a team needs to encourage collaboration

Things you need

• Paper
• Sharpies/pens

Tips on running the session

• Allow yourself to go off in different directions, try not to filter your thoughts
• If you’re working as a group, make sure that you leave time to talk about the mind maps together

Steps

1. Agree the challenge or problem you are exploring in your mind map
2. Take a sheet of A3 paper
3. Write the challenge or problem you are exploring in the centre
4. Write out your thoughts as they come to mind and link these with lines
5. Allow yourself to go off on tangents, try not to filter your thoughts
6. When the time is up, look over your mind map and highlight any key themes by marking them with a different colour pen
7. If you’re working as a group take turns to read out your mind map and discuss themes together
8. Next you might do a round of Crazy eights to develop your thoughts into ideas.