Mind Mapping Across the Project Lifecycle

In this practical, real-world session, project manager and IT professional Andrew Makar shares how mind mapping enhances every phase of the project lifecycle — from initiation to closure. With a sharp focus on simplicity, clarity, and speed, Andrew uses real examples to show how maps can support project planning, stakeholder management, scope control, and retrospective analysis. It’s a no-nonsense look at how mapping can make project work more effective without adding complexity. Key Themes & Topics: [00:03:38] Introduction & Background Andrew introduces his background in project management and IT, and how mind mapping complements both. [00:06:11] A Personal Introduction to Mind Mapping How Andrew first discovered mind mapping — trying to get “unstuck” on a big writing project. [00:08:16] Project Lifecycle Overview - Initiation - Planning - Execution - Monitoring & Control - Closure [00:10:34] Using Mind Mapping for Project Initiation Capturing business needs, stakeholders, project objectives, and high-level requirements in early conversations. [00:13:27] Planning with Mind Maps Using maps for work breakdown structures (WBS), task planning, scheduling, and identifying dependencies. [00:16:10] Execution Phase – Keeping Stakeholders Aligned Mind maps help track deliverables, resources, risks, and status updates without drowning in documentation. [00:18:56] Mind Maps for Meeting Notes & Updates A simple, visual way to document and share decisions, blockers, actions, and next steps during team meetings. [00:21:10] Monitoring & Control with Status Maps Visual dashboards for project status: green/yellow/red updates, scope tracking, and identifying deviations early. [00:23:45] Closure & Project Retrospectives How mapping lessons learned helps you improve processes, and the importance of capturing them before moving on. [00:25:40] Choosing the Right Mind Mapping Tool Andrew’s take: use whatever’s fast and simple — desktop tools like MindManager or even pen and paper. [00:27:03] Mapping as a Communication Bridge Mind maps help manage multiple audiences — technical and business — by simplifying and clarifying project data. Audience Q&A Highlights – How to convert mind maps into traditional project documents (e.g., Gantt charts, plans) – Ways to present maps to executives who are used to formal project dashboards – Whether mind maps replace or complement tools like MS Project or Jira – Managing version control when using shared or evolving maps – Advice for using maps in Agile and hybrid project environments – Best tips for keeping maps from getting “too busy” or overwhelming – How to use mapping for non-technical or stakeholder-driven initiatives – Andrew’s go-to tools:MindGenius, MindManager for corporate projects, pen & paper for personal clarity