Holistic Thinking
A simple method for mapping concepts and relationships to reveal patterns of understanding.
This method helps us understand patterns of connection. Nature consists of webs and networks of relationships. Relationships are nodes with linkages. A coherent set of nodes and relationships forms a network — a web where the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
Mapping a web reveals a pattern we can use to understand better:
what we are looking at
why it is happening
how one thing affects another
When nodes are combined through strong links, the web gains strength — stronger as a whole than any single node or pair of nodes. Concept Mapping is a thinking technique that helps us understand specific topics by seeing how elements relate.
The Basic Concept Mapping Method
Define and describe your topic or question with a simple headline.
Identify the key concepts relevant to the topic — anything you need to take into account or understand. Label them A, B, C… etc.
Write each concept in 3–5 words on small sticky notes. Line them up on one side of a sheet of paper or card.
Select pairs of concepts that seem strongly related. Place them next to each other but not touching.
Draw lines between concepts that connect (you can erase and change your mind). This builds the emerging structure.
Expand the map, arranging and connecting all the concepts. Use the flexibility of moveable notes to redraw lines and reposition ideas until you can see a pattern that improves your understanding.
Share your map with someone else and present what you see. Notice what light the pattern sheds on your topic.
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