Mind Mapping
Used For 💡
First-step ideation
Sensemaking
Visual thinking
Revealing hidden connections
Group Size 👫
Any
Total Time ⏳
6–30 minutes (short bursts for ideation, longer sessions for deep exploration)
Energy Level ⚡
Low to Medium
Noise Level 🔊
Low (can scale to conversational in groups)
What This Is 🤔
Mind Mapping is a visual thinking practice that mirrors how the human brain actually works — non-linear, associative, and pattern-driven. Instead of forcing ideas into tidy bullet points, it allows thoughts to branch, collide, and recombine in ways that often surface unexpected insights.
It’s playful, intuitive, and deceptively powerful — especially as a first step in any leadership, innovation, or sensemaking process.
Lineage & Inspiration 🌱
This learning exercise is deeply inspired by the work of Rolf Faste, whose teaching at Stanford shaped how generations of designers, engineers, and leaders learned to think visually, non-linearly, and with curiosity. What follows is a facilitation-ready interpretation of those ideas, adapted for leadership, innovation, and collective sensemaking contexts.
How It Works 🔩
1. Start at the Center
Write a single word, question, or theme in the middle of a large sheet of paper.
This is your anchor.
2. Think Radially
Draw branches outward from the center.
Each branch represents a thought, idea, association, or question that comes to mind.
3. Capture Fast
Use keywords, short phrases, or simple sketches.
No full sentences. No editing. Speed matters.
4. Build and Connect
Let branches branch again.
Draw lines between ideas that relate—even across branches.
5. Follow Curiosity
When one line of thought dries up, return to the center and start a new branch.
There is no “right order.”
6. Stay Judgment-Free
This is exploration, not evaluation.
Filtering comes later.
7. Make It Visual
Use color, symbols, arrows, or icons if it helps.
Messy is not a bug — it’s a feature.
What You’re Practicing 🎯
Visual thinking
Sensemaking in complexity
Associative and divergent thinking
Seeing systems and patterns
Externalizing thoughts instead of holding them in your head
Why It Works 🏗️
Linear tools (lists, slides, documents) force clarity too early. Mind maps keep ambiguity alive long enough for insight to emerge. By externalizing thinking onto paper, cognitive load drops — and creativity rises.
This is why mind mapping is such a powerful bridge between inner reflection and collective ideation.
When to Use It ⏱️
At the start of an ideation or innovation process
When a topic feels complex or fuzzy
To prepare talks, workshops, or projects
For personal reflection, values work, or visioning
As a shared sensemaking tool in teams
Pro Tips 🥠
Use A3 or flip-chart paper — space unlocks thinking.
Prefer markers over pencils (no erasing = less overthinking).
Time-box the first round to keep momentum.
In groups, map silently first — then discuss.
Photograph the map before translating it into digital form.
Common Pitfalls ⚠️
Turning it into a neat outline too early.
Judging ideas while capturing them.
Writing sentences instead of keywords.
Treating it as a final deliverable instead of a thinking tool.
Optional Debrief 💬
What patterns or clusters are emerging?
Which branches surprised you most?
What feels most alive or unresolved?
The Takeaway 🥡
Mind mapping helps us think with complexity instead of fighting it. By letting ideas unfold visually and non-linearly, we create space for insight, connection, and creative breakthroughs. It’s not about tidy thinking — it’s about honest thinking.
Grab a pen. Go big. Let the mess teach you something.