What is a 'concept map'?
A concept map is a visual device used for strategic analysis and planning. It is a learning tool that links knowledge and visually represents the relationship between ideas and the processes that sustain them, how one concept might influence another, where “X”, for example, a health outcome, might be dependent on” Y”, a social determinant of health.
When does it help to create a concept map?
Concept mapping is a powerful ‘sense-making’ tool. It is a way of identifying what is most important, for example, ‘student satisfaction’, and demonstrating links between various related aspects, like “Y”, the support students receive during their study placement. In this way a concept map helps identify priorities and spells out logical relationships between elements. These aspects also make it a useful tool for note taking, critical analysis of sources, plotting an argument in an essay and brainstorming for exams.
How can you create one?
To build a concept map, you summarise what you know about a topic, on a single page in a visual diagram, and link key nouns and verbs to form simple sentences that connect things logically (see examples below). The result should be easy to read and not overly complex. Something that is efficient and effective to use is usually not so 'easy' to create - it might require hours of design, representing very careful thinking. Like all things design, it's the effort that goes into it that makes for a comfortable and valuable user experience in the end.
Example