The Ultimate Guide to Project Management Mind Mapping

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Wouldn't it be great if our minds were predictable? If we could think linearly, so we could easily analyze the steps for projects without missing obvious problems, getting from point A to point Z would be much easier. Our minds would function like a Gantt chart .

On the other hand, we risk ignoring potentially important related ideas.

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Consider how Sherlock Holmes thinks about problems. He's terrible at staying in the present, yet still able to make connections between separate facts that would otherwise go unnoticed.

His ability to use his intuition and connect ideas and concrete facts is what makes him a legendary detective.

In the BBC's take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's prolific physician database character, Sherlock disappears into a "mind palace" to make the necessary connections to solve a problem. The show visually outlines his thought process.
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Do you see how there is a central idea and how ideas arise from it?

A fictitious version of Sherlock's mind palace might look like this:

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Photo: MsAlayniousCreations

What is the technical term for this graph?

Mind maps.

And they are very valuable for project managers.

Why?

Mind maps increase the chance of recalling information .
They are accessible and easy to use for everyone, regardless of basic written communication skills .
They make it easier to understand technical and complex concepts than reading blocks of text .
They help identify potential risks and opportunities when planning a project .
So what is mental mapping? Why does it work? How can project managers use this tool, and should they? Read on to find out!

What is Mind Mapping
What is the psychology behind mind mapping?
How to make a mind map
What is the best mind mapping software available for project managers
More