Purpose
The method helps clarify group contributions, selection, and decisions concretely. It makes individual contributions visible in a final selection. The result is captured as a mind map, topic clusters, and open questions.
Facilitation
Mind Mapping
Turns options, selection, and decisions into a tangible result by setting a central theme, collecting main branches, and selecting relevant areas.
Which terms, subtopics, and relationships around the guiding question are relevant, and which gaps become visible?
LowWorkshop + async15-45 min
How it works
The team follows the steps: set a central theme, collect main branches, add subtopics, mark clusters and relationships, and select relevant areas. Each step is captured visibly. At the end, a mind map, topic clusters, and open questions are available so decisions, tests, or actions can follow directly.
Visual orientation
Method sketch for a quick mental model.
Flow
- 1Set central theme
- 2Collect main branches
- 3Add subtopics
- 4Mark clusters and relationships
- 5Select relevant areas
The runsheet guides execution with 4 phases, timeboxes, 6 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.
Open runsheetIdeal for
- Problem exploration
- Workshop warm-up
- Knowledge structuring
Not good for
- Formal decision documentation
- Quantitative evaluation
Deep dive
In detail
Mind Mapping follows a clear working logic: set a central theme, collect main branches, add subtopics, mark clusters and relationships, and select relevant areas. This turns the method into a visible thinking process instead of only a discussion. Participants move step by step from raw material, observations, or options toward a shared structure. As a result, a mind map, topic clusters, and open questions are available for decisions, learning, and planning.
Facilitation
Prepare a clear guiding question, the right information, and a visible workspace. Plan for 15-45 min with 1-10 people and use the format in either a workshop or asynchronously. The facilitation stays lightweight; short timeboxes, visible intermediate results, and a parking lot for open questions help.
Output artifacts
Mind MapTopic ClustersOpen Questions
Artifact templates
Mind Mapping Working TemplateCompact working template for Mind Mapping with central topic, branches, clusters, and open questions.canvas
Mind Mapping Working TemplateCompact working template for Mind Mapping with central topic, branches, clusters, and open questions.
canvasmind-mapping-working-template.md
Compact working template for Mind Mapping with central topic, branches, clusters, and open questions.
Mind Mapping Working Template
Goal
Expand a central topic into branches, clusters, and related ideas.
Context
When and for what do we use this method?
Input
Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?
Working area
- Central topic:
- Main branches:
- Subtopics:
- Clusters and relationships:
- Open questions:
Output artifacts
- Mind map:
- Topic clusters:
- Follow-up questions:
Open questions
- ...
Next step
Owner, date, and success signal.
When to choose differently
Short decision aid for existing alternatives.
Affinity Diagramming
Statt Mind Mapping, wenn ihr Nutzererleben, Verhalten und Wahrnehmung aus echten Beobachtungen ableiten wollt mit einer klaren Struktur statt losen Notizen.
Similar methods
All methodsFacilitation
1-2-4-All
Turns group input, selection, and decision into a tangible result by asking a focus question, reflecting individually, and sharing the strongest patterns in plenary.
Facilitation
Dot Voting
Turns group input, selection, and decisions into a tangible result by making options visible, explaining voting limits, and discussing outliers.
Facilitation
Consensus Workshop
Turns group contributions, selection, and decision-making into a tangible result by asking a focus question, collecting ideas individually, and formulating consensus themes.
Facilitation
3-Circle Venn Diagram
Turns group contributions, selection, and decision-making into a tangible result by defining three perspectives, collecting items, and deriving implications.
Innovation
Brainwriting
Turns ideas, open questions, and testable next steps into a tangible result through setting a prompt, writing silently, and reviewing the output.
Facilitation
Decision Jam
Turns group inputs, selection, and decision-making into a tangible result by collecting problems silently, clustering and prioritizing, and choosing experiments.