Key Takeaways
- Mind maps break down complex ideas and make them easy to understand.
- In competitive intelligence, mind maps provide a framework that helps analysts understand a contract opportunity and analyze competitors’ capabilities.
- Using a common mind map framework can enable cross-competitor comparisons to enable better competitive analysis.
Introduction to mind mapping
Have you ever been thrown into a capture for a complex opportunity that seems to invite a crowded field of competitors? It can be challenging to understand the core requirements of a contract in a short period of time and to narrow down a group of competitors to focus on. Consider mind mapping as a tool to help you simplify this process.
Mind mapping is a visual way to organize your ideas around a central concept. Mind maps make complex subjects easier to understand by allowing you to see the bigger picture and recognize key points and patterns.
Creating mind maps is not a revolutionary idea. Online diagramming applications such as MindMeister and Lucidchart make mind mapping easy.
Mind Mapping in Competitive Intelligence
Mind maps can be a useful tool for competitive intelligence analysts. They not only visualize and clarify complex situations or problems, but can also be easily shared to spark discussion and discovery within your capture team.
Mind mapping within Competitive Intelligence can:
- Break down a complex contract opportunity and identify its core requirements.
- Compare competitors to determine which are best equipped to meet those requirements.
- Visualize competitor capabilities and insights to better guide capture strategy.
We will demonstrate the process of creating a mind map as an analyst who is evaluating a potential competitor for a cloud computing migration contract.
Step #1: Identify the technical requirements
In the first step, the analyst must read the contract’s statement of work (SOW) and identify a few core requirements that define the contract opportunity. The number of technical requirements may vary depending on the complexity of the work being procured.
Step #2: Identify aspects of differentiation that a competitor could use to address requirements
The identified requirements provide context around what capabilities a competitor may leverage to demonstrate their strengths in each core requirement. Relevant competitor differentiation often centers on People, Processes, Tools, and Past Performance (PPTP).
The analyst should identify aspects of competitor differentiation by asking basic questions about each of these categories in the context of the three core requirements. As the analyst extends their mind map, their questions should become narrower and more specific to the competitor’s capabilities and why they matter.
For example, for the first core requirement, the analyst should ask the following questions based on PPTP:
- People: Has the competitor made any cloud architect/SME strategic hires? How would this hire help them for this opportunity?
- Processes: Does the competitor use specific branded processes for cloud migration? Does the competitor have a cloud center of excellence or any other cloud-related facility? What is their importance for this opportunity?
- Tools: Does the competitor have any relevant cloud migration technologies or tools? How are they important to this opportunity?
- Past performance: Has the competitor worked as a prime or subcontractor on other contracts that have similar technical requirements? How is this work relevant to this opportunity?
The analyst should use the same analytical process for each requirement. Posing these questions will naturally drive the next phases of the intelligence process: collection and analysis.
How can you learn this and other analytical skills?
We cover this and other competitive intelligence and analytical techniques in our Advanced CI Boot Camp. Do you want to learn more? Contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mind Mapping in Competitive Intelligence
What is mind mapping in competitive intelligence?
Mind mapping in competitive intelligence is a visual method for organizing information about a contract opportunity, competitor, market, or customer around a central topic. Analysts can divide a complex subject into connected categories, making it easier to recognize important requirements, competitor capabilities, relationships, patterns, and intelligence gaps.
How can mind mapping support federal capture planning?
Mind mapping can help a federal capture team break an opportunity into its core technical and management requirements. The team can then connect each requirement to relevant competitors, capabilities, differentiators, and research questions. This creates a shared picture of the competitive environment and helps the team focus its intelligence collection and capture strategy.
How do you create a competitive intelligence mind map?
Begin with the contract opportunity or competitor as the central topic. Review the statement of work and create a branch for each major technical or management requirement. Under each requirement, add branches for the competitor’s people, processes, tools, and past performance. Continue expanding the map with specific evidence, analytical questions, intelligence gaps, and implications for the opportunity.
What should be included in a competitor mind map?
A competitor mind map should include the competitor’s key personnel, relevant processes, proprietary or partnered tools, and past performance. It can also include contract roles, customer relationships, certifications, facilities, strategic hires, teaming partners, and documented strengths or weaknesses. Each item should be connected to a specific solicitation requirement so the analysis remains relevant to the opportunity.
What is the People, Processes, Tools, and Past Performance framework?
People, Processes, Tools, and Past Performance, or PPTP, is a framework for evaluating how a competitor may address a contract requirement. People covers executives, subject-matter experts, and strategic hires. Processes include delivery methods, centers of excellence, and branded approaches. Tools include relevant technologies and platforms. Past performance examines comparable work performed as a prime contractor, subcontractor, or teaming partner.
How can mind maps help compare multiple competitors?
Analysts can create a separate mind map for each competitor using the same requirements and PPTP categories. Applying a consistent structure makes it easier to compare capabilities, identify differentiators, recognize gaps, and determine which companies are best positioned for the opportunity. This comparison can also help a capture team decide which competitors deserve the greatest attention.
How can mind mapping improve a capture team’s strategy?
Mind mapping can improve the capture strategy by connecting solicitation requirements to evidence of competitors’ capabilities and likely differentiators. It helps the team identify where a competitor may be strong, where its approach may be vulnerable, and where additional research is needed. These insights can inform positioning, solution development, teaming decisions, competitive messaging, and Black Hat Reviews.
About the Author
Brian Lindholm is the Founder and Managing Principal of FedSavvy Strategies, a firm he has led since 2012, helping federal contractors navigate complex competitive landscapes. A former U.S. Naval Officer, Brian integrates a disciplined perspective with deep expertise in federal contracting. He is widely recognized as a master of Competitive Intelligence (CI), having designed and led more than 500 Black Hat Reviews while successfully building robust corporate intelligence functions.
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