Home A - Z
Page Index

An Otter Wiki

Blame

25ac53 lisa 2026-05-25 22:07:24
SD C04: add Brainstorming, Mind Mapping, Design Sketches how-to pages; link from checkpoint Completes the four C4-1 ideation-tool guides. StudyStreak through-line throughout; Brainstorming/Mind Mapping right-sized (familiar), Design Sketches fuller with an annotated low-fi wireframe modelling the identify/explain/justify ladder. Mind map uses a verified mermaid flowchart. All four now linked from the checkpoint design-pack table. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
1 
> **DRAFT** — under teacher review.
2
3
# Mind Mapping
4
5
The Hamilton and Alexandra College · Year 12 · 2026
6
7
Mind mapping is one of the four ideation tools in your [C4-1 design pack](/sd/C04/C4-1%20Checkpoint%20-%20Design%20Pack). If brainstorming is letting ideas fly, **mind mapping is where you give them shape** — take your messy brainstorm and organise it around your project.
8
9
---
10
11
## What it is, and why
12
13
A mind map starts with your **project at the centre** and branches outward into related areas. It helps you:
14
15
- **Structure and group** loose ideas
16
- **Spot patterns and connections** between features
17
- See the **big picture** of your solution at a glance
18
19
It's the natural step *after* a brainstorm: the brainstorm gives you the raw ideas, the mind map sorts them.
20
21
---
22
23
## How to build one
24
25
1. Put your **project name in the centre**.
26
2. Add **4–6 main branches** — common ones: *Users · Key features · Visual style · Technology · Wellbeing/Goals · Problems to solve*.
27
3. Add **sub-branches** that expand each one.
28
4. Use colour or grouping if it helps you think.
29
30
Use Excalidraw in Obsidian (see IT to install), or paper and markers.
31
32
---
33
34
## StudyStreak example
35
36
```mermaid
37
flowchart LR
38
C(("StudyStreak"))
39
C --- U["Users"]
40
C --- F["Features"]
41
C --- V["Visual style"]
42
C --- W["Wellbeing"]
43
C --- T["Technology"]
44
U --- U1["senior students"]
45
U --- U2["busy · easily stressed"]
46
F --- F1["one-tap log a session"]
47
F --- F2["streak + growing plant"]
48
F --- F3["weekly wind-down summary"]
49
V --- V1["calm palette"]
50
V --- V2["rounded cards · whitespace"]
51
W --- W1["break reminders"]
52
W --- W2["protect downtime"]
53
T --- T1["phone app"]
54
T --- T2["data stored on device"]
55
```
56
57
See how the **Features** and **Wellbeing** branches grew straight out of the brainstorm themes? That's the mind map doing its job — turning a list into a structure.
58
59
---
60
61
## Your turn
62
63
1. Project name in the centre.
64
2. Add your 4–6 main branches.
65
3. Expand each with sub-branches — pull the strongest ideas from your brainstorm.
66
4. Look for connections you hadn't noticed.
67
68
Commit your mind map to GitHub and add it to your printed design pack.
69
70
---
71
72
## Check Your Understanding
73
74
1. What goes in the **centre** of a mind map?
75
>| ### Answer
76
>| Your project (the software solution). Everything branches out from there.
77
78
2. How does a mind map relate to your brainstorm?
79
>| ### Answer
80
>| It's the next step — it takes the loose brainstorm ideas and gives them structure, grouping them under main branches.
81
82
3. Name three main branches you might use.
83
>| ### Answer
84
>| Any of: Users, Key features, Visual style, Technology, Wellbeing/Goals, Problems to solve.
85
86
---
87
88
## See also
89
90
- [Brainstorming](/sd/C04/Brainstorming) — the step before this one
91
- [Design Sketches](/sd/C04/Design%20Sketches) — turn your mapped features into screen layouts
92
- [Mood Boards](/sd/C04/Mood%20Boards) · [C4-1 Checkpoint — Your Design Pack](/sd/C04/C4-1%20Checkpoint%20-%20Design%20Pack)
93
94
---
95
96
← Back to [C04 Home](/sd/C04/C04-home) · [VCE Software Development Hub](/sd/VCE%20Software%20Development%20Hub)