Mind Mapping: A New Tool for Medical Writers

In your role as medical writer, you’ve just been assigned to write a regulatory document. To do your best, you’ll need to understand health authority (e.g., FDA, European Union Clinical Trials Regulation [EU CTR], etc.) guidelines and determine who your client team members are and what roles they’ll play in document development. In addition, you’ll create a process timeline and include team, management, and perhaps committee reviews and a quality control check of the document. After all this, you’ll work with the publishing team to finalize the document so it’s ready for submission to the authorities.  

As the lead author, you have a lot of responsibility! Where should you start? 

One organizing tool you might consider is mind mapping. This technique involves building a diagram to visually organize information, highlighting relationships among all the pieces that make up the whole. Typically, it starts with a central idea (literally—this main idea is placed in the center of the diagram) onto which you add branches leading to major ideas, which again branch out into other related ideas, and so on. An example of a basic mind map is below. 

Mind-mapping techniques are being used and studied in several health-related areas, such as medical student education, patient education, and qualitative data analysis. Many studies are finding that the use of mind maps results in improved learning and analysis over traditional techniques1-3.

Mind mapping techniques, grounded in neuroscience, offer a powerful tool for regulatory writers as well, encouraging effective brainstorming and the organization of complex ideas. Here's how they can be particularly beneficial:

Organizing Cross-Functional Input

Regulatory submissions often require input from various departments, including clinical, legal, and marketing teams. Mind maps help in visually organizing this diverse input, ensuring that all perspectives are considered and integrated seamlessly. By creating a central node for the submission and branching out to different functional areas, writers can easily track contributions and ensure comprehensive coverage.

Improving Creativity

Neuroscience suggests that mind mapping engages both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The left hemisphere is associated with logical thinking and detail orientation, while the right hemisphere is linked to creativity and holistic thinking. By stimulating both sides, mind mapping fosters a more creative and balanced approach to problem-solving. This dual engagement can lead to innovative solutions and more effective regulatory strategies.

Visualizing Regulatory Interplay

Regulatory requirements are often complex and interrelated. Mind maps allow writers to visualize these connections clearly. For instance, a central node could represent a regulatory submission, with branches for different regulatory guidelines, product development stages, and compliance checkpoints.

This visual representation helps in understanding how various requirements interact and impact each other, making it easier to identify potential issues and streamline the submission process.

Enhancing Memory and Recall

Mind mapping also aids in memory retention and recall by organizing information in a structured and visually appealing manner.

This can be particularly useful for regulatory writers who need to remember and reference vast amounts of detailed information. The visual cues provided by mind maps make it easier to retrieve information quickly and accurately.

Facilitating Collaboration

Mind maps can be shared and collectively edited, making them an excellent tool for team-based projects. Regulatory writers can use digital mind-mapping tools to collaborate in real-time, ensuring that all team members are aligned and contributing effectively. This collaborative approach can lead to more thorough and well-rounded submissions.

Summary

By leveraging mind-mapping techniques, regulatory writers can enhance their ability to organize complex ideas, foster creativity, and visualize the intricate interplay of regulatory requirements, ultimately leading to more efficient and effective submissions. Many online sites provide free mind-mapping templates to assist in the process, or you can create yours from scratch.

Consider further exploration into the world of mind mapping to learn how it could be useful for your work.

References

1. Sajadi AS, Majd PM, Maroufi SS, Abolghasemi J. Mind mapping in recalling and retrieving core contents in anesthesia technology students. J Educ Health Promot. 2023 Nov 27;12:397. doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1423_22. PMID: 38333160; PMCID: PMC10852188.

2. Buitron de la Vega P, Coe C, Paasche-Orlow MK, Clark JA, Waite K, Sanchez MJ, Armstrong E, Bokhour BG. "It's like a mirror image of my illness": Exploring Patient Perceptions About Illness Using Health Mind Mapping-a Qualitative Study. J Gen Intern Med. 2018 Oct;33(10):1692-1699. doi: 10.1007/s11606-018-4557-9. Epub 2018 Jul 10. PMID: 29992428; PMCID: PMC6153235.

3. Burgess-Allen J, Owen-Smith V. Using mind mapping techniques for rapid qualitative data analysis in public participation processes. Health Expect. 2010 Dec;13(4):406-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2010.00594.x. PMID: 20550595; PMCID: PMC5060552.

Additional resources:

10 Strategic Mind Mapping Techniques for Directors in Regulatory Affairs - KanBo

What is a Mind Map? Definition, Uses, Benefits, & Examples | Creately