Mind mapping and exploration state tracking for workshops. Use to maintain awareness of explored vs uncharted territory, implement backtracking, and ensure comprehensive coverage or documented gaps.
This skill provides techniques for tracking exploration state during workshops - maintaining a mental map of what's been explored, what remains, and ensuring systematic coverage with proper backtracking.
A hierarchical representation of the topic space:
ROOT: [Main Topic]
│
├─ BRANCH: [Major Area 1]
│ ├─ SUB-BRANCH: [Aspect 1.1]
│ │ └─ DETAIL: [Specific 1.1.1]
│ └─ SUB-BRANCH: [Aspect 1.2]
│
├─ BRANCH: [Major Area 2]
│ └─ SUB-BRANCH: [Aspect 2.1]
│
└─ BRANCH: [Major Area 3]
| Symbol | Status | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ✓ |
| EXPLORED |
| Fully discussed, findings captured |
| ◐ | PARTIAL | Started but not complete |
| ○ | UNCHARTED | Identified but not yet explored |
| → | CURRENT | Currently exploring this branch |
| ⊘ | SKIPPED | Deliberately skipped (document why) |
| ⚑ | FLAGGED | Marked for return / important |
When starting a workshop, decompose the topic:
## Topic Decomposition: [TOPIC]
**Main Question**: [What are we exploring?]
**Major Branches Identified**:
1. [Branch A] - [Brief description]
2. [Branch B] - [Brief description]
3. [Branch C] - [Brief description]
4. [Branch D] - [Brief description]
**Initial Map**:
[TOPIC] ├─ [A] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED ├─ [B] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED ├─ [C] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED └─ [D] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED
"Here's my initial map of what we could explore. Does this capture the territory? Any branches to add or remove?"
Options:
## Exploring: [Branch Name]
**Map Position**:
[TOPIC] ├─ [A] ──────── ✓ EXPLORED (5 ideas) ├─ [B] ──────── → CURRENT ├─ [C] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED └─ [D] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED
**Focus**: [What we're exploring]
**Goal**: [What we want to capture]
When deeper structure emerges during exploration:
**Sub-branches discovered in [B]**:
[B] ──────────── → CURRENT ├─ [B.1] ─────── ○ UNCHARTED (just identified) ├─ [B.2] ─────── ○ UNCHARTED (just identified) └─ [B.3] ─────── ○ UNCHARTED (just identified)
"I see three sub-areas here. Would you like to explore any of these deeper?"
At every checkpoint, show:
**CHECKPOINT**
**Just completed**: [Branch/activity]
**Captured**: [N] ideas/insights
**Current Map**:
[TOPIC] ├─ [A] ──────── ✓ EXPLORED ├─ [B] ──────── ◐ PARTIAL │ ├─ [B.1] ─── ✓ EXPLORED │ ├─ [B.2] ─── ○ UNCHARTED │ └─ [B.3] ─── ○ UNCHARTED ├─ [C] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED └─ [D] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED
**Unexplored**:
- [B.2], [B.3] - siblings in current branch
- [C], [D] - main branches
**Options**:
1. Dive into [B.2] or [B.3]
2. Mark [B] complete, move to [C]
3. Stop and document current state
Maintain a mental stack of positions to return to:
BACKTRACK STACK
===============
[3] Return to: [B] after exploring [B.1.2]
[2] Return to: [B.1] after exploring [B.1.1]
[1] Return to: ROOT after exploring [B]
**Backtracking**
Completed: [B.1.2]
Returning to: [B.1]
**Siblings at [B.1] level**:
- [B.1.1] ✓ EXPLORED
- [B.1.2] ✓ EXPLORED (just completed)
- [B.1.3] ○ UNCHARTED ← remaining
"We've explored [B.1.2]. The sibling [B.1.3] remains. Explore it or mark [B.1] complete?"
RULE: After any deep dive, ALWAYS:
BEFORE DIVE:
1. Record current position
2. Record unexplored siblings
3. Record unexplored main branches
4. Push to backtrack stack
DURING DIVE:
- Explore the sub-area
- Note any further sub-branches
AFTER DIVE:
- Pop from backtrack stack
- Announce return
- Show remaining unexplored
1. Mark current as EXPLORED or PARTIAL
2. If PARTIAL, note what's incomplete
3. Move to next in sequence
4. Update map
1. Mark as SKIPPED (⊘)
2. Document reason if given
3. Add to uncharted territory list
4. Move to next
1. Stop immediately
2. Document all EXPLORED branches
3. Document all UNCHARTED branches
4. Document all PARTIAL branches
5. Recommend future starting point
## Exploration Summary
**Session Goal**: [What we set out to explore]
**Coverage**: [X of Y branches explored]
**Final Map**:
[TOPIC] ├─ [A] ──────── ✓ EXPLORED │ └─ 7 ideas captured ├─ [B] ──────── ◐ PARTIAL │ ├─ [B.1] ─── ✓ EXPLORED (deep dive) │ │ ├─ [B.1.1] ✓ EXPLORED │ │ └─ [B.1.2] ✓ EXPLORED │ ├─ [B.2] ─── ⊘ SKIPPED (time) │ └─ [B.3] ─── ○ UNCHARTED ├─ [C] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED └─ [D] ──────── ○ UNCHARTED
## Explored Territory
### [A]: [Title]
**Status**: ✓ EXPLORED
**Ideas Captured**: 7
**Key Findings**:
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]
**Decisions Made**: [Any decisions]
### [B.1]: [Title]
**Status**: ✓ EXPLORED (deep dive)
**Depth**: 2 levels ([B.1.1], [B.1.2])
**Ideas Captured**: 12
**Key Findings**:
- [Finding 1]
## Uncharted Territory
The following areas remain unexplored:
### [B.2]: [Title]
**Status**: ⊘ SKIPPED
**Reason**: Operator chose to skip due to time constraints
**What's there**: [Known or suspected content]
**Priority for future**: Medium
**Dependencies**: None
### [B.3]: [Title]
**Status**: ○ UNCHARTED
**Reason**: Session ended before reaching
**What's there**: [Brief description]
**Priority for future**: High - related to deep dive findings
**Dependencies**: None
### [C]: [Title]
**Status**: ○ UNCHARTED
**Reason**: Not reached this session
**What's there**: [Major area description]
**Priority for future**: High
**Dependencies**: None
### [D]: [Title]
**Status**: ○ UNCHARTED
**Reason**: Not reached this session
**What's there**: [Major area description]
**Priority for future**: Medium
**Dependencies**: May depend on [C] findings
## Recommended Future Work
**Priority 1**: Complete [B]
- Explore [B.3]
- Revisit [B.2] if time
**Priority 2**: Explore [C]
- Major unexplored branch
- May reveal new sub-branches
**Priority 3**: Explore [D]
- Lowest priority
- Consider after [C] complete
**Starting Point**: Resume at [B] to complete partial work