When you’re working on a design project, ideas are constantly being proposed left and right. Sometimes the ideas are closely related, sometimes there are completely dissimilar ideas. A Mind Map provides a way to step back and organize all of this data based on how it is related.
What is a Mind Mapping?
Mind Mapping involves the process of writing down concepts in connection to each other. Typically, a Mind Map is started with an idea or concept that is drawn in the middle, and ideas related to this concept are drawn branching out from it. The ideas continue to branch down into smaller and smaller sets of ideas. The goal of a mind map is to aid in brainstorming. The concepts that are written down can help prompt the recall of other related information. Mindmaps can be created in multiple ways, for example, you can use a mind map to ideate new knowledge (the plot of a storyline, personal goals, etc.), or it can be used to recall knowledge (taking notes from class, mapping out existing processes, etc).
How did I use Mind Maps?
My favorite way to create a mind map is on paper with colored pens or pencils. Using colors helps to better distinguish the ideas from getting mixed together on paper when concepts begin to fill up adjacent space. Unless there is plenty of whitespace, mind maps can be difficult to read if everything is written in the same color. Here is an example of the mind map I created to help organize information about Ecorise after our first class:
In this case, I was using a mind map to better understand what parts of the Ecorise process I did and did not have a grasp on. I used a mind map to explore what I knew about a student’s journey through Ecorise, and I wrote down questions about areas I would like to further understand. This mind map was created before I realized our topic was centered more around the transition to college/the workforce, so if I were to do another map, I would probably center it around this concept rather than eco-rise as a whole.
This map ended up being useful for our team, as we better understood the prompt we were given to work on, we organized the data, and wrote more questions which we could explore in interviews or secondary research. We have been able to ask these questions and get a better understanding of the area we are working in. Here is our team’s new organization of questions:
What are the benefits of Mind Mapping?
Mind mapping:
- Encourages drilling deeper into ideas
- Aids in the organization of ideas
- Create a more memorable mental model of concepts
- Can be done collaboratively with participants adding their own ideas
- Encourages both breadth and depth of ideas
What are the Drawbacks?
Mind Mapping:
- Doesn’t encourage you to think outside of what you already know
- Doesn’t put any weight on which ideas are the most valuable information
- Encourages keywords rather than more complex ideas
- Can begin to get messy if there is not enough space on the paper
What Scenarios can mind mapping be used for?
Mind Mapping can be used either in the creation (brainstorming) or the recall of information. During information recall, you may be trying to explore the limits of your knowledge or understanding, or to solidify your understanding by creating a simpler mental model.