Whether you’re part of a startup that’s just about to carve a place for itself in the industry, or one of the leaders in an established organization, you can understand the importance of strategic planning in business. In this modern world, strategies are the stock in trade of successful companies, and good strategies begin with good ideas. Available in Word, our Business Mind Map Templates are great tools for ensuring that the ideas for your next marketing campaign or finance initiatives are plotted in an efficient manner. These templates are professionally designed and 100% customizable. All you have to do is click the download button!
How to Make a Business Mind Map in Word
As early as the 80s, the Harvard Business Review encouraged entrepreneurs to prioritize strategic management in order to achieve competitive advantage. Over the years, several tools and techniques have popped up to help businessmen develop strategies, and one of these tools are mind maps.
Each mind map is a visual representation of thoughts and ideas branching out of a central theme. A combination of information and design, each diagram is an efficient tool for strategic planning. Here’s how to go about making one.
1. Identify a Main Topic
Mind mapping begins with a main idea. You have to identify what kind of plan you want to make, and for what purpose. This main idea will guide the content of the rest of the mind map. Make sure that it is as specific as possible, so that the rest of your ideas are not vague and too general.
2. Outline Your Goals
After deciding on the main topic, create a list of goals you want to accomplish with your mind map. Are you trying to come up with examples, or steps? WIll it be for an event, or a project? Determine the end result of the mind map, and it will help structure the flow of ideas as you go along the way.
3. Gather Information
Once you know what the mind map is about, and what it will be used for, it will be easier for you to collect reports and other documents that will serve as your reference in coming up with ideas. The best mind maps are those with ideas that are supported by data and statistics.
4. Facilitate a Logical Progression of Ideas
Since a mind map is a diagram that shows ideas branching out of bigger concepts, it is only natural to ensure that there is a logic to the order of information. Similar to a flowchart, the mind map should be easy to understand at first glance, and the sequence of ideas on one side should be parallel to the other.
5. Organize and Design
You don’t need to have expertise in graphic design to make your mind map presentable and stylish. After all the ideas are in place, go over the mind map and make sure that similar concepts are grouped together, and there is balance to all parts. Color-coding also helps in creating a sense of harmony between the relationship of one concept to another.
