Working with mind maps

Mind maps are tree-like diagrams that capture product requirements. When you make a mind map, you create a conceptual model of the product in insurance business terms. Creating this mind map is often the first stage of conceptualizing an insurance product. Product implementation is not the focus at this stage.

Install and configure Xmind

Mind maps are created in Xmind 8, a mind mapping and brainstorming software developed by Xmind Ltd. Before you can create a mindmap, install and configure Xmind.

Mind map requirements

Advanced Product Designer App reads mind maps to generate insurance products. To ensure correct product generation, mind maps must meet certain requirements. These include, for example:
Structural features
Mind maps must follow structural patterns. The root of the mind map must be either a product or a product line. The branches capture different features of the product or product line, such as risk objects, coverages, conditions, and exclusions.
Use of markers
Guidewire provides XMind markers to tag the elements of your map that are part of the product model. You can also mark data types and attributes. These markers are used by Advanced Product Designer App to create the product when the mind map is imported. For more information on downloading these markers, see Add Guidewire markers to Xmind.
Labeling
Labels must be applied to all products and product lines in the mind map and must follow naming conventions.

Using mind maps from Guidewire GO

You do not have to create mind maps from scratch to use them in product conceptualization. Guidewire GO offers pre-packaged product lines that include mind maps and XML templates to aid in product conceptualization. These mind maps and templates can be imported directly to Advanced Product Designer App. Guidewire GO product kits are available for purchase on Guidewire Marketplace.

Updating products

Creating a mind map is an iterative process. The project team works on the mind map, defining and fine-tuning the product requirements until reaching agreement on the model and achieving product stability.

As you continue to define and design the product, you can make changes to the mind map, such as corrections or additions. You can reimport the updated mind map to update the APD App product. For example, if you change the name of a topic in a mind map, the new name is added when you update the product.

You can also generate a mind map from a product that you have edited in Advanced Product Designer App (see Generate mind map from product). This will help you keep the APD App product in sync with the mind map.

However, not all features of the mind map are updated in APD App. If you delete a topic from the mind map, it is not deleted when you update the product. You must delete topics manually from the product.

Some details dropped from mind map

You can model product details such as pricing relationships in the mind map. However, these relationships are not supported when creating a product and are dropped. After you have created a APD App product, you can add these dropped details from the mind map. In APD App, you can:

  • Edit the product line, risk objects, coverages, exclusions, conditions, and other parts of the product model
  • Add lines to a product
  • Define pricing
  • Create usage properties that specify how a value is obtained and when it is available
  • Set minimum and maximum values