How To Make The Right Decision Using Mind Maps
Decision-making is often a difficult and lengthy process, especially when it comes to making business decisions. On the other hand, it can be difficult to make a decision even in everyday life. Here is how you can make the right decision using mind maps.
What Is Mind Mapping?
Mind mapping is one of the most popular techniques for brainstorming ideas. Mind maps look like bubbles with connecting lines that show the relationships between the words or phrases within the bubbles. These words and phrases usually represent certain ideas or concepts that you remembered while brainstorming.
Mind mapping can not only be used for brainstorming ideas, but also for making decisions more quickly and efficiently. They show you the full picture while also allowing you to focus on the details.
#1 Identify Your Topic
First of all, you will need to identify your topic. Never ignore or overlook this step because it is essential to the process. If you identify an incorrect topic, you might start moving in the wrong direction with your reason and come to a conclusion that will not correspond to the problem you are trying to solve or the question you want to answer.
Remember that phrasing matters. If you have a sudden urge to cut your hair but doubt whether or not you should do it, you first need to think about the cause of this urge and understand what makes you want to do it. If it is because you want attention, maybe it’s not the best solution. But if your current hairstyle looks bad, then cutting your hair is logical.
It is also a good idea to sit down and make a list of things you will want to take into account. For instance, the hair problem might include such things as the kind of haircut you think might suit you, whether or not you want to have bangs, whether or not you want to dye your hair, how big is your budget, and whether or not you are willing to trim it every month.
In any case, this is the first and very important step in your decision-making process which will lead you on to other steps and help you create a mind map that will include every aspect of your problem and give you a reasonable solution.
#2 List the Alternatives
Second of all, you will need to list your alternative options. Whatever situation you are in, there will always be a different solution than the one you thought of initially. Of course, a mind map will help you identify this solution and will show you a way to solve your problem without getting trapped within the confines of your first thoughts.
As with your list of details to include about your problem, making a list of alternatives is the best way to go about it. This way, you will know that you have included everything you could think of and didn’t forget any important elements. Besides, when you write lists, you stimulate your brain to think as much as possible which will guarantee the list to be full.
By the way, alternative options can be virtually anything, anything at all. You will be surprised by the various solutions that your problem has that you didn’t think of at the beginning, but they came to mind much later.
For example, the haircut problem might have different causes. If it is because you want attention, then the solution to your problem might not be in getting a haircut but in reevaluating your priorities or spending more time with family. Remember that every situation is different and there is no one solution that fits every person.
#3 Drag and Drop
Drag and drop the parts of your mind map to see which things could work better and classify the alternatives into groups.
The third step is to enter all your information into the mind map and start working with it. The two first steps were meant to make you understand what you will be working with, but this is the step that is meant to make you actually start working with the information you have gathered for yourself and needs to be sorted.
Drag and drop the various parts of your mind map to see which pieces fit better with each other. You will need to group them in some way to create some kind of logical “path” that will correspond to your reasoning. You should also try to move your alternatives around and see if they work in certain places or no.
If you like working with different languages, perhaps translating something might help you in a way with your decision-making process. You could use an online translation service like The Word Point to help you with translations. Otherwise, it can also be of help when you need to find information in a different language that you don’t actually know.
Keep in mind that dragging and dropping is one of the most effective techniques when it comes to using mind maps for decision-making, so you definitely need to try it at least once, even if it means you might mess things up at first – in the end, your map will make sense.
#4 Analyze Pros and Cons
The fourth step might seem like it is easy, but it is actually half of the combined stage of the fourth and fifth steps. Analyzing the pros and cons is one half while considering the consequences is another, so you could say they work together. Nevertheless, there are so many things to keep in mind that it is more logical to separate them.
Once your mind map is complete with information and you have done the dragging and dropping, you will notice that there are several solutions that your mind map is suggesting to you. These are the solutions that you will need to carefully analyze and consider the pros and cons of. Once again, you will need to create lists.
Write a list of pros and a list of cons for each of the possible solutions to your problem. You can also group these pros and cons or structure them according to their importance. For example, if you know that a new haircut has the advantage that you will look much better than you do now, then you can place this pro at the top.
The pros and cons will help you make your decision at the end of your decision-making process, but you will need to set them aside for now while you will be working with the second part of this combined stage – considering the consequences of each solution.
#5 Consider the Consequences
This step is all about analysis just like the previous one, but this time, you will need to focus on another crucial element of every solution – the consequences. You will need to fully understand how and why each result might or might not suit your personal needs, desires, priorities, expectations, and so on.
Think about how much the results of your solution will satisfy you. Perhaps, one solution is easier to implement, but another is more suitable for your own personal needs. This is why it is so important to think about the consequences rather than simply considering the process of the solution itself.
Going back to the haircut, you will need to rate your level of satisfaction after potentially cutting your hair. Imagine that you already went to the hairdresser and came back with a new look. Would you be entirely happy with it or do you think you will want to change something else? Maybe you will want to change your fashion style next?
Never underestimate the importance of your feelings after you have implemented the solution that the mind map has helped you to come to. After all, the impression you get after using the solution is just as important as the one you get before and while using it.
#6 Make Your Decision
Last but not least, you will need to make your decision. Perhaps, this is the most important step in the whole decision-making process. After all, this is the moment you have been waiting for and the step that all your efforts have been directed towards. This is why it is the one that will define your further plan of action.
You will need to keep in mind everything that you have been working with throughout the decision-making process. Remember about the alternatives that you listed at the beginning, the pros and cons of every solution that you made sure to analyze, and the consequences of these solutions and how well they fit your personal situation.
Even though you have taken this time to use mind maps to arrive at some kind of conclusion, you might still find it hard to have the final word. It is completely understandable that you are lost (or scared), so don’t hesitate to seek advice from your friends, family, or colleagues. After all, they can give you some valuable advice that will ultimately help you a ton.
Alternatively, you could leave this decision for someone else to make. They could use your mind map and have the final say as long as you are content with this kind of “solution”. In any case, everything is in your own hands.
Final Thoughts
All in all, decision-making might be a much-dreaded process, but it is essential for any human being. Use mind maps and advice from this article to make the right decisions and make your life better.
Author: Gregory is passionate about researching new technologies in both mobile, web and WordPress. Also, he works on writing service review websites Online Writers Rating. Gregory in love with stories and facts, so Gregory always tries to get the best of both worlds.
