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Use case · Consultants

Mind maps for consultants

How consultants use mind maps to structure a problem, run discovery interviews, size up a market and brief a client, plus the templates to start from.

Who this is for

Independent and firm consultants who walk into an unfamiliar problem, find its structure fast and present a recommendation. Clients pay for clear thinking, and the first week is mostly sorting what matters from what does not.

What a mind map does for consultants

  1. Break a client problem into an issue tree

    Split the question into parts that do not overlap and together cover it, then pick the branches worth testing first.

  2. Prepare and write up discovery interviews

    Keep a question list per stakeholder, then record answers on the same branches to compare what different people said.

  3. Compare options and competitors

    Score each option on shared criteria as branches, so the recommendation can point to the evidence.

  4. Brief the client on one page

    Export the map as a PNG or an outline for the pre-read, with the answer first and support below it.

Templates to start from

  • SWOT analysis mind map template

    A SWOT analysis mind map in a two-by-two grid of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, with sharp prompts for a business, project or person.

  • Competitor analysis mind map template

    A competitor analysis mind map comparing rivals on offer, price, reputation and reach, to find the gap you can own and the first move to test.

  • Root cause analysis mind map template

    A root cause analysis mind map using five whys and fishbone categories, to trace a problem back to its cause and agree corrective actions.

  • Decision making mind map template

    A decision making mind map with what matters, options, trade-offs, unknowns, a gut check and a final choice, to weigh a hard choice on one page.

  • Customer journey map mind map template

    A customer journey map as a mind map, from awareness to consideration, purchase, first use, support and loyalty, with what customers do, feel and need.

  • Risk assessment mind map template

    A risk assessment mind map in a likelihood and impact grid, with each risk's controls, owner and review date, for a project, event, workplace or trip.

Why a map helps with consulting

Structure is the product. A map forces you to say how the parts of a problem relate, and it makes a weak split obvious: branches that overlap or leave something out.

Where to start

Start with the root cause analysis or decision-making template, depending on whether the client asks “why” or “which”. Rework the branches until they cover the question without overlapping.

Free tools for consultants

On iPhone and iPad

MindmapPal for iPhone and iPad opens and exports XMind, OPML and Markdown and also exports PNG, PDF and SVG, so a map can go to a client in the format their team already uses.

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