Do you use mindmap? What do you use it for?
Is your mindmap getting larger and have close to 100 or more items there?
Is it still effective when the mindmap grow to that size?
Thoughts 
I try to use mind maps in the early stages of looking at a piece of work, either going through specs and solutions or initial looks at what we will be testing just to try and capture all the thoughts and questions I have. Generally try to keep them a bit smaller than 100 items a I do think that if I had that many items in would be harder to work with and keep track of what was already noted.
1 Like
I started using mindmaps after reading this MOT article:
I have never been in the position that it has gone over 100 items… I would probably split it out if it ever got that large? I suppose it is dependent on context though. If there is too much information on the screen it can get overwhelming, I think.
3 Likes
Absolutely, it probably worth to consider other tools if that much of details are important to record somewhere. Not on mindmap, find something more effective
I’m a big fan of mind mapping. I do it for brainstorming. It helps me to separate the portions of any given project to manageable portions, at least in my mind.
So here is how a typical project goes for me.
- I get an assignment (i.e. test “A”)
- After reviewing the assignment and documentation, I map the portions which I think are relevant.
- From each portion of the main map (first set of nodes), I either examine it further and make additional mind maps or I model the nodes in other ways.
- So now I have an idea of what I’m going to do and how I’m going to do it, and I’m using nothing but short blurbs and badly drawn pictures.
Only then do I work on the details.
In this way, my mind maps never grow to absurd size. Once it starts to get too big, then it’s time to split the project into smaller projects or consider other tools. It might be a problem with the way my mind works, but I can’t read chaotic drawings which illustrate a lot of interdependence. So rather than 1 mind map with 100 items, I would rather use 10 mind maps with 10 items, and handle each separately as the project goes on.
2 Likes
I tend to draw out the results of a risk storming session for a project as a mind map and then display it A1 size in the project area for the entire team to see. Asides from a great visual aid to the team we can then hang other artefacts, notes etc off of it. Can also see at a glance what risks you have mitigated as the project goes on
1 Like
Mindmap is more effective when it has a purpose and approach. Thank you for sharing your experiences @thecuda
I’m thinking of using a mindmap both to plan tests and to record results. I’m not sure how it will work, but we have a big feature redesign coming up, and I need a new approach.
So far, I’m walking through all of the design mockups and mapping different kinds of ideas:
- Steps in the process
- Expected behaviors that are clearly stated in the mockups
- Questions about expected behaviors that aren’t made clear
- “What if I tried this weird thing?”
I’m also trying a sample map with a very simple existing feature, to run it by my testers and see if it works for them to follow the map and record their results by changing the icons in the various nodes of the map.
Have any of you tried something like this before?
1 Like
I amusing lists/tasks in atomic markdown notes. They can be viewed as mindmaps as well. The software I use also allows to link multiple notes. So for me the solution is to have kind of network of linked mindmaps. This way they are not so large and more manageable
I am still figuring out some important aspects. How to
- effectively share it with others,
- how to highlight importance of certain nodes
*how to reflect progress
1 Like