Mind Map Skill

A mind map turns a fuzzy topic into a branching structure you can see — central idea in the middle, themes radiating out, details hanging off each. This skill takes a topic, a brain-dump, or a document and organizes it into a clean Mermaid mindmap with sensible, balanced branches.

Required Inputs

Ask for these only if they aren't already provided:

• The central topic — the thing the map is about.
• The raw material — ideas, notes, or a document to organize (or "generate the branches" if it's a fresh brainstorm).
• Depth / breadth — roughly how many main branches, how deep to go.
• Purpose — exploring options, summarizing, planning — so the branching matches the use.

Output Format

Topic] — mind map

One line on how you structured it (the organizing principle for the main branches).

mermaid
mindmap
  root((Central topic))
    Theme A
      Idea A1
      Idea A2
    Theme B
      Idea B1
      Idea B2
    Theme C
      Idea C1

Structure note — why these main branches, and anything that didn't fit (parked items).

Mermaid Rules (so it renders)

• Start with mindmap. The center is root((Text)).
• Hierarchy is expressed purely by indentation — each deeper level is indented further. Be consistent.
• Keep node text short (a few words); no markdown, parentheses, or special characters inside nodes (except the root(( ))).
• Aim for balanced branches — not one giant branch and three stubs.

Quality Checks

• ] Main branches are genuinely distinct themes, not overlapping or arbitrary
• ] Branches are reasonably balanced in depth — no single dominant limb
• ] Indentation is consistent so the hierarchy renders correctly
• ] Every item from the source material is placed or explicitly parked
• ] The Mermaid block renders without edits

Anti-Patterns

• ] Do not produce a flat list dressed up as a map — there must be real hierarchy
• ] Do not make one branch huge and the rest empty — balance the structure
• ] Do not use long sentences as nodes — keep them to a few words
• ] Do not break indentation — Mermaid mindmaps derive structure from it
• ] Do not silently drop ideas from the source — place or park them

Based On

Mind-mapping practice (radial hierarchy, balanced branches, MECE-ish themes), expressed as renderable Mermaid.