Hierarchies, maps and symbol libraries
Mind map
A radial hierarchy: one central topic, branches of subtopics growing outward.
mindmap.basic@1New DDN source
Why use it?
Brainstorming needs a shape that rewards adding, not arranging — the map grows the way the conversation does.
When it helps
Workshops, note-taking, scope exploration before any formal structure exists.
How to read it
- The centre is the subject; each ring outward is one level more specific.
- Sibling order is the order they were declared, not a ranking.
- Branches always leave the vertical centre of an entity's left or right side — the root branches from both.
- Entities with long note bodies cap at ten rows: a scrollbar pans them, and the lower-right handle resizes the window (presentation only).
What you need
- The central topic
- The branches
Things to check
- Do not force a mind map to hold cross-links — that is a concept map.
- More than three levels usually means one branch deserves its own map.
Scope of this diagram
Declared hierarchy rendered radially; no semantics beyond parent/child.
Work with the converted example
- Open the viewer and select
mindmap. Inspect the rendered view and its source. - Open the designer. Keep the selected profile and inspect its legal palette and property controls.
- Change one displayed title or an appropriate data value. Apply the edit and check the resulting diagram.
- Run the verifier and review its diagnostics before moving complete content into review.
- Download your edited DDN source to retain the change.
The example uses the indentation-based ddn-next-1 dialect. The language guide explains reusable definitions, dotted data rows and explicit property blocks.