Basic Mind Map

The Basic Mind Map pattern creates elements and a Mind Mapping diagram that can be used to record the ideas that surface in a workshop, collaborative session or meeting. A central topic can be decomposed into Main Topics which in turn can be related to Topics and then Sub Topics. Color and images can be used to make the diagram more appealing.

Figure 1. Shows a Mind Mapping diagram with a Central Topic and a number of levels of elements organized into a hierarchy to record the ideas that surface during a brain storming session.

Discussion
The purpose of the pattern is to allow Business Analyst and other stakeholders to plan and to record the proceedings of a Brainstorming session. The topic elements in the mind map can then be related to other elements in the repository such as requirements, business rules, goals or even technical outcomes.

Mind Mapping is a technique used to record ideas and organize information either of an individual or a group of people. Mind mapping attempts to break linear thinking patterns by organizing information and pictures in clusters of branches from a central topic. The diagram can be used at any time during an initiative but is commonly used extensively during the early phases when lots of exploration of ideas is being conducted.

The following is a list of some things you may want to do when working with this pattern.
·	Change the name of the diagram to suit the initiative.
Change the names of the elements to suit the initiative.
The Mind Mapping diagram can be extended with other elements to visualize the ideas being described.
Notes can be added to each element and other model elements can be related to the elements in the diagram.

The following is a list of some of the next steps available when applying the pattern.
·	The elements in the diagram including topics and sub topics can be related to other elements in the model effectively creating traceability back to the ideas that were first articulated in the brain storming session.
Color can be added to the diagram to make it more appealing.
Images can be added to the diagram where applicable.

Reference
The following help topics will assist you learn about how to work with this pattern.
Mind Mapping
Mind Mapping Diagram
Traceability Tools
Documentation
Tools you may find useful
The following are some of the tools that will be helpful when working with this pattern.
Document Generator
The Document Generator is a powerful facility in Enterprise Architect that allows a Database Engineer or other stakeholder to create high quality corporate or technical documentation directly from the model, suitable for internal or external audiences. For more details see the Documentation help topic.
Element Discussions
The Element Discussion facility is a fully featured collaboration tool allowing modelers and model viewers and reviewers to communicate with each other directly inside the repository. Modelers using the full client or occasional viewers using WebEA can both post and reply to discussions and communicate and engage in chat. For more details see the Element Discussions help topic.
Specification View
The Specification View can be used as a way of working with any element type in a spreadsheet or word process view. It is particularly useful when there are a large number of elements as is typically the case when describing a system of any appreciable size. For more details see the Specification View help topic.
Relationship Matrix
The Relationship Matrix provides a spreadsheet like view of two groups of elements and the relationships that exist between them. It can be a used as a powerful analysis mechanism to visually indicate how elements are related to each other and to discover which elements are missing relationships. For more details see the Relationship Matrix  help topic.
Traceability Window
The Traceability Window automatically displays the relationships that exist between Use Cases and other model elements including up-process and down-process elements. The traceability tree view can be conveniently expanded to see deeper relationships and elements displayed in the window can be located in all diagrams in which they appear. For more details see the Traceability Window  help topic.

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