As part of a toolset reboot for the year I've decided to give mind mapping another go. Mind mapping isn't new to me, I first learned about it about 20 years ago. Some of you who know me might even remember my mind mapping blog from a few years ago.

I used mind mapping until about 3 years ago. At that point I wasn't using it as extensively as I did in the past. I was exploring the use sketch notes in place of mind maps as well. I eventually gave up on mind mapping and retired my blog. I think I had simply become bored with the use of mind maps.

With a new career direction ahead of me and loads of little ideas for products in my head, I'll be using mind mapping to explore these product ideas further before I build prototypes for them. Sometimes an idea sounds great in your head, but when it comes to executing the idea, it falls to pieces. I'll be using mind mapping to test the feasibility of these ideas on paper first and then turn them into prototypes later.

The one rule I have is that my mind maps will be created with the trusty pen and paper. There will be no mind mapping software used at all.

I've always been hesitant to use mind mapping software in the past. Mind mapping used to be nothing but pen and paper. There was no mind mapping software 20 years ago. Yes computers were becoming more mainstream, but mind mapping offered a chance to explore your thoughts and ideas away from the computer.

To me, mind mapping software constrains you in the way that mind maps are made. Pen and paper has no constraints, your mind map can take any shape that you wish.

Yup, it's time to get back into mind mapping again.