Part 1: Circle Map - Thinking Maps with Excalidraw in Obsidian

TL;DR

A circle map is the entry point for defining concepts and context using a central statement surrounded by nouns.

Briefing Cornell Notes

Briefing

Circle maps are presented as a practical way to define concepts and build a clear frame of reference—starting with an essential question and then organizing key nouns around a central statement. The method is framed as a thinking tool for self-reflection: draw the frame first, write the question at the top, and later return to that frame to measure how thinking evolves. The core value is context—making it easier to classify ideas, connect them to relevant information, and navigate what matters before diving into details.

The discussion ties circle maps to Thinking Maps, a set of eight visual language tools created by David Hurley, each designed for a specific thinking task. The circle map is positioned as the entry point for “defining context,” while other maps handle different cognitive moves: bubble maps for describing attributes, double bubble maps for comparing and contrasting, tree maps for classification, brace maps for breaking a whole into parts, flow maps for sequencing, multi-flow maps for cause and effect, and bridge maps for analogies. Together, the system functions like a menu of thinking operations—use the one that matches the mental job at hand.

To make the approach concrete, the transcript walks through a scenario about improving thinking skills. It lists fundamental thinking abilities that the maps are meant to support: defining context, classifying things, sequencing ideas or activities, comparing and contrasting, taking things apart and organizing parts of a whole, seeing analogies, describing and characterizing, and understanding cause-and-effect relationships. The circle map becomes the organizing scaffold for these skills by anchoring the central idea and surrounding it with the relevant nouns.

A second example shows how the circle map can be used to explain Excalidraw to a friend. The tool is described as useful for illustrating ideas, telling stories, designing solutions, thinking more visually, and collaborating through a shared virtual whiteboard. In the circle map, those nouns and concepts form a structured “concept map” around the central statement.

Finally, the transcript connects the thinking-map workflow to Obsidian and Excalidraw by using wiki links around the central statement. That turns the circle map into a navigable hub—effectively a virtual index that links out to notes and drawings. The practical takeaway is that circle maps don’t just clarify meaning; they also connect ideas to a broader knowledge system, setting up the next step in the series: bubble maps for describing attributes.

Cornell Notes

Thinking Maps are eight visual tools for different thinking tasks, and the circle map is the starting point for defining context. A circle map begins with a reflection frame: draw the frame, write the essential question at the top, and later revisit it to track growth in thinking. The circle map organizes nouns around a central statement to build a frame of reference for the topic. The transcript also maps core thinking skills—classification, sequencing, comparison, parts/whole organization, analogies, characterization, and cause-and-effect—onto the full set of eight maps. In Obsidian, adding wiki links around the central statement turns the circle map into a navigable hub for related notes and drawings.

What makes a circle map different from other thinking maps?

A circle map is designed to define concepts and context by building a frame of reference. It uses a central statement with nouns arranged around it, and it starts with a reflection frame where the essential question sits at the top. That question anchors the purpose of the thinking session, while the surrounding nouns clarify what belongs in the context.

How does the reflection frame work, and why does it matter?

The process begins by drawing the frame and articulating the essential question at the top. The question represents what the thinker is trying to answer. The transcript emphasizes that the frame will be revisited later in the series, implying the frame is meant to support self-checking and refinement over time, not just one-time brainstorming.

Which thinking skills are treated as fundamental, and how do they relate to the map set?

The transcript lists fundamental thinking skills: defining context, classifying things, sequencing ideas/activities or timelines, comparing and contrasting, taking things apart and organizing parts of a whole, seeing analogies, describing and characterizing, and understanding cause-and-effect relations. Each skill aligns with one of the eight Thinking Maps—e.g., tree maps for classification, flow maps for sequencing, multi-flow maps for cause and effect, and bridge maps for analogies.

How can a circle map help explain a concept like Excalidraw to someone else?

The example centers on describing Excalidraw to a friend. The circle map would place the central statement in the middle, then surround it with nouns representing uses and capabilities: illustrating ideas, telling stories, designing solutions, thinking more visually, and collaborating via a shared virtual whiteboard. The result is a structured, visual explanation rather than a linear description.

What does adding Obsidian wiki links around the circle map accomplish?

By placing wiki links around the central statement, the circle map becomes a virtual map of content. Instead of being only a static diagram, it becomes a jumping board into related notes and drawings, turning the concept map into a navigable knowledge structure inside Obsidian.

What are the eight Thinking Maps and what thinking task does each serve?

The set includes: circle map (define context), bubble map (describe attributes), double bubble map (compare and contrast), tree map (classify things), brace map (describe parts of a whole), flow map (sequence), multi-flow map (cause and effect), and bridge map (analogies). Each map has its own frame, reinforcing that different thinking tasks benefit from different visual structures.

Review Questions

When building a circle map, what goes at the top of the reflection frame, and what is the purpose of revisiting it later?
Match each thinking task (classification, sequencing, cause-and-effect, analogies) to the correct Thinking Map.
How does adding wiki links around a circle map change how the diagram functions in a knowledge system?

Key Points

1
A circle map is the entry point for defining concepts and context using a central statement surrounded by nouns.
2
Start with a reflection frame and write the essential question at the top to anchor the thinking goal.
3
Thinking Maps provide eight distinct visual tools, each aligned to a specific thinking task such as attributes, classification, sequencing, or cause-and-effect.
4
Fundamental thinking skills—context, classification, sequencing, comparison, parts/whole organization, analogies, characterization, and cause-and-effect—map directly to the eight Thinking Maps.
5
Using Obsidian wiki links around the circle map turns it into a navigable hub that links to related notes and drawings.
6
Excalidraw can be organized in a circle map by listing nouns that capture its practical uses, from illustration and storytelling to collaboration.

Highlights

The circle map’s job is context: it builds a frame of reference by placing nouns around a central statement.

The reflection frame starts with an essential question, designed for later revisiting as thinking develops.

The eight Thinking Maps function like a toolkit: pick the map that matches the mental task—attributes, comparison, classification, parts, sequence, cause-and-effect, or analogies.

Linking a circle map to Obsidian notes turns a diagram into a content index for quick navigation.

Topics

Thinking Maps
Circle Map
Obsidian
Excalidraw
Visual Note-Taking