There's something about mind maps that just feels natural and helps me think. They work much better than a list. They were invented by Tony Buzan in 1974, and the good thing about them is that they really do reflect how we think. They make a problem visual, they use both your creative side and your structured thinking side. I use an app called Escape. it is a free easy to use app and it's also full of options. 

Here are the top 5 tips to make mindmaps work extra well:

1. Firstly, use paper in landscape mode rather than portrait. 
2. Next, use color, and ideally pictures and cartoons as well to bring your mind map to life.
3. Then, consider using a whiteboard if you're at work, they have loads of space, rubbing out is easy, and a whole group can contribute to mapping out the problem and the possible solutions.
4. Next, perhaps surprisingly, iPads or tablets are great for drawing mind maps.
5. If you do quite a bit of presenting then software like Prezi is worth considering instead of PowerPoint.