Mind-Mapping
Strategy and Planning, despite their crucial position in creating a successful organization, are often given short shrift. This is particularly true with smaller businesses who may have limited budgets to hire consulting help, a limited pool of resources when it comes to in-house expertise, or limited time to devote to a strategic planning process. It’s a classic case of knowing what’s important but feeling inadequate to do it.
One tool that is gaining increasing traction to help businesses of all sizes strategize better is Mind Mapping, which involves the use of a diagram to put information in a visually logical way. Mind Maps usually begin with a central idea, perhaps a new product concept, or a cost-saving strategy, that occupies the central spot in the visual landscape. Key concepts that are related to the central idea branch out from the core, and additional ideas are added to each of those. The branches are generally called “nodes” and can be a first level – directly connected to the main idea – second level – connected to a first level node, or deeper level. Connections or relationships between ideas can be illustrated by dotted lines or arrows to produce an overall picture of an otherwise complex thought process. Colored lines can also represent similarity/differences and images can be added to enhance the visual power of the map.
Mind Mapping can be accomplished using a pencil and paper, a basic word processing program, or specialty Mind Mapping software applications that have been developed specific to the purpose. Many seasoned veterans are apt to begin their mind maps on paper and then transfer them to a software based map as they become more complex, require better graphic punch, or need to be shared among others.
Basic mapping guidelines would include some of the following:
- Put the main idea in the center and always work outward from there
- Use color to help differentiate branches or signal similar ideas
- Use images or symbols when they are helpful
- Try to use key words or short phrases in your branches and nodes, both to save space and to stay focused
- Vary word sizes to emphasize importance.
- Vary the thickness of connecting lines to indicate importance, and use dotted lines to connect similar ideas that appear in different branches
- Celebrate you style if you want, Mind Mapping can be both fun and useful
- Put labels on the connecting lines if it helps with conceptualization
- Use multi-headed arrows to illustrate relationships and work or information flow
- Don’t be afraid to cross ideas out, or move them around to potentiate the process
Maps can be large and extensive, or simple and compact. One comprehensive analysis pf nearly 20,000 examples concluded that the average Mind Map had around 30 nodes and 3 words for each node. Much larger examples were included, so median scores were used in the analysis.
For your business, Mind Mapping can be useful for brainstorming (alone or in groups), “big picture” thinking, note taking, goal setting, problem solving, communication – including presentations, idea organization, information storage, scheduling, collaboration, project management, and much more. Take a look at this well-constructed (and self-referential) Mind Map that shows some of the main uses.
Although the process of Mind Mapping is truly ancient, the father of modern Mind Mapping is generally acknowledged to be Tony Buzan, a British educational consultant. To learn more about the process straight from the horse’s mouth, take a look at Tony’s website.
We mentioned Mind Mapping software earlier, and various tools which have been developed can be extremely valuable in helping you organize, illustrate and communicate your thoughts. Some have collaborative features as well, which makes it possible to use Mind Mapping as a team exercise. There are free tools as well as those which have a cost, and in some cases free/premium tiered models. Here are a few examples, presented without favor or endorsement.
Whether you take advantage of one of these programs, or stick to good old paper and pencil, you owe it to yourself (and your business) to consider Mind Mapping as a tool for your strategic planning efforts!
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