Mind Mapping

Supplies needed: Paper, Sharpie

Estimated time: 10–15 minutes

Best to use when

They are best used to warm up to other exercises like Crazy Eights. These are best for personal ideas, thinking and note taking. They shouldn't ever be shared with the group.

They are part in the Google Ventures Diverge day cycle along with Crazy Eights, Storyboards, Silent Critique.

Instructions

If you’re not familiar with mind mapping already, I often describe it as writing down everything in your head with no specific formatting; or quiet individual brainstorming. You can write words and connect them or not, you can draw pictures or not — you basically can’t do it wrong.

From The product design sprint: diverge (day 2)

1. Hand out blank sheets of paper and Sharpies to all participants.

2. Set the timer for 10 minutes.

3. Have everyone write down or draw everything in that they are thinking about.

   Keep the format free so that people feel comfortable to explore any and all ideas.