name: mind-map description: Use when the user needs to explore one central topic through associative branches, capture brainstorming, or organize an unconstrained idea space before choosing a structure.
Mind map
What / why
A mind map radiates from one central subject. It tells the story “what belongs around this idea?” rather than “what causes what?” Use it to externalize a messy topic, reveal themes, and identify next questions. Choose another skill when relationships need to be typed, ordered, causal, or exhaustive.
How to model
- Put one unambiguous topic at the center; make branch labels nouns or short prompts.
- Keep one concept per node and use a stable depth (topic → theme → detail).
- Prefer parent-child containment. Do not imply sequence, ownership, or causality with an ordinary branch.
- Mark questions, examples, decisions, and unknowns distinctly; do not bury caveats in prose.
Styling and customization
Use radial or left-to-right layout, short labels, whitespace, and restrained color. Reserve color for branch families or status, and use line weight sparingly. A bespoke style may use icons, but every visual distinction needs a legend or clear label.
Renderer choices
Ask for the user’s renderer preference first. Mermaid supports mind maps and configurable themes/layouts; D2, Graphviz, PlantUML, and diagrams.net can express tree-like maps but do not guarantee a mind-map grammar. Use native layout where possible; do not force a flowchart and call it a mind map. diagram.zip has no dedicated semantic mind-map validator, so validate hierarchy and labels in the source.
Review
Check exactly one center, readable branches without color, comparable sibling levels, and no connector implying an unsupported relationship. Confirm whether the map is exploratory or a final taxonomy.