You can use idea mapping / webs to help you generate ideas. You could do this for your outline, your character profiling, your setting, or any other brainstorming you want to do. Some examples of how this works are linked here:

http://raenidaystorystation.com/thelittlestpumpkin.aspx

http://www.inspiration.com/vlearning/index.cfm?fuseaction=techniques (check out "webs" and "idea maps")

http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/quickrefs/25-brainstorming.xml