In this presentation I will discuss how I have used mind maps in my teaching. In particular, I will describe an assignment in which students were asked to produce mind maps in a module that heavily featured numerical methods. I will explain my reasons for developing this kind of assignment and what skills I wanted students to develop. I will also reflect on the implementation of the assignment, and on student engagement with it. I will use this as a springboard to briefly discuss challenges and possibilities of helping students develop a richer understanding of mathematics.