IT IS SAID that the best way to prove your understanding of something is to teach it to someone else. Noted educator and researcher Joseph Novak developed Concept Mapping as a technique for organizing concepts in a way that illustrates a thorough understanding of a topic, problem, or situation. The result is an ideal method for achieving clarity; all of the information regarding a particular topic is laid out in a way that fosters shared comprehension. This is particularly helpful when you need to illustrate the various people, places, and things associated with a systematic solution.
A typical map includes various concepts (nouns) and relational links (verbs) related to a given subject area. It helps you document your current knowledge in a visual manner. In addition to guiding your initial exploration of a topic, concept maps are also an effective way of soliciting information from a subject matter expert, helping to guide you and your team to a fuller understanding of an unfamiliar domain.