I always struggle to get started on a new project. So whenever I feel uninspired or unmotivated, I start with a key word in the middle of a page and mind map around it. It helps me to link and associate words together, and helps my ideas flow.
The next step after mind mapping would be to select a theme found through the mind map and take notes on that specific subject. This allows me to research the topic and make little notes/reminders to myself to help me research further into that topic.
For example, this project brief is ‘Sense of Place’. I started off with a very broad mind map, noting down any words which link with Sense of Place, including; Location, place, senses.. etc. 
From this I created another mind map focusing on the topic of ‘Place’. Again, I linked more words, and discovered the idea of Nightmares and Dreams. Which helped me to discover a completely new angle on ‘Sense of Place’. This then started my inspiration for the beginning stages of research.
