Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping

Introduction to Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is a visual form of note taking that offers an overview of a topic and its complex information, allowing students to comprehend, create new ideas and build connections. Through the use of colors, images and words, mind mapping encourages students to begin with a central idea and expand outward to more in-depth sub-topics.

A Mind Map is a powerful graphic technique which provides a universal key to unlock the potential of the brain. It harnesses the full range of cortical skills – word, image, number, logic, rhythm, colour and spatial awareness – in a single, uniquely powerful manner. In so doing, it gives you the freedom to roam the infinite expanses of your brain. A Mind Map can be applied to every aspect of life where improved learning and clearer thinking will enhance human performance.

Definition of a Mind Map

A mind map is a visual representation of hierarchical information that includes a central idea surrounded by connected branches of associated topics.

 Popularisation of the term "mind map"

Buzan's specific approach, and the introduction of the term "mind map" arose during a 1974 BBC TV series he hosted, called Use Your Head. In this show, and companion book series, Buzan promoted his conception of radial tree, diagramming key words in a colorful, radiant, tree-like structure.

Buzan says the idea was inspired by Alfred Korzybski's general semantics as popularized in science fiction novels, such as those of Robert A. Heinlein and A. E. van Vogt. He argues that while "traditional" outlines force readers to scan left to right and top to bottom, readers actually tend to scan the entire page in a non-linear fashion. Buzan's treatment also uses then-popular assumptions about the functions of cerebral hemispheres in order to explain the claimed increased effectiveness of mind mapping over other forms of note making.

Benefits of Mind Maps

• Help students brainstorm and explore any idea, concept, or problem
• Facilitate better understanding of relationships and connections between ideas and concepts
• Make it easy to communicate new ideas and thought processes
• Allow students to easily recall information
• Help students take notes and plan tasks
• Make it easy to organize ideas and concepts

 How to Mind Map

         All mind maps begin with a main concept or idea that the rest of the map revolves around, so choosing that idea or topic is the first step. Begin by creating an image or writing a word that represents that first main idea.

         From that main idea, create branches (as many as needed), that each represent a single word that relates to the main topic. It’s helpful to use different colors and images to differentiate the branches and sub-topics.

         Then, create sub-branches that stem from the main branches to further expand on ideas and concepts. These sub-branches will also contain words that elaborate on the topic of the branch it stems from. This helps develop and elaborate on the overall theme of the mind map. Including images and sketches can also be helpful in brainstorming and creating the sub-branch topics.

Mind Maps in Education and Teaching with Mind Maps

         Mind mapping is a beneficial learning tool to help students brainstorm any topic and think creatively. Mind maps are particularly helpful in the writing process and provide students with a natural way of thinking and building thoughts on a story plot or theme.

         Mind maps also provide teachers with insight into their students’ thought process regarding a specific topic. By asking students to create mind maps demonstrating their comprehension of a concept, teachers are able to understand what a student’s prior knowledge was and how well the student understands the assignment or the material being taught. This is a very effective way of evaluating students’ understanding.

Mind mapping software can bring numerous advantages to the strategic planning process. In this article, the second in our series on how to run planning workshops, we’ll investigate seven specific advantages it offers compared to traditional methods like white boarding.

1. Speed

It is easier to stay on schedule during planning sessions that are run with mind mapping than those using a traditional whiteboard. A lot naturally depends on the skills of the facilitator, but mind mapping offers several practical advantages.

First, the facilitator can move much faster through the planning day without having to stop regularly to clear the screen to write up the next topic. Second, the facilitator can add participant responses to the map quickly and accurately. Finally, a mind map can be expanded on-screen as ideas are added. Contrast this with using a whiteboard, where the session has to stop every time the board is full so that it can be recorded in one or more photos and then erased so the planning process can continue.

2. Transparency

With a mind map, people can see easily if their ideas are being recorded accurately by the facilitator or scribe and how their ideas relate to previous comments shared by their peers. The facilitator can also print or even email summary snapshots of the evolving map to participants in real time as the planning day progresses. This process can help everyone understand how the discussions have developed during the planning session. After the session is over, participants can compare the snapshots to the final write-up to see how their responses have been incorporated into the outcomes.

3. Engagement

The transparency of the mind mapping process also supports greater engagement by the participants. Everything is much clearer on a mind map compared to a whiteboard – not only the comments themselves, but also the connections between those comments and the key map topics. As a result participants can see the plan evolve thorough their input and share additional thoughts that also get added into the evolving plan.

4. Focus

Using a mind map, the facilitator can highlight specific topics for discussion, making the rest of the map “disappear” temporarily. This makes it much easier to keep everyone on track. Conversely, the facilitator can show a whole branch with multiple topics, helping team members to see how they are related. This is also a useful tool for showing topics lacking responses, which may indicate they may need more consideration and input from the group.

These features also make it easier to respond if the discussion starts to go off-topic. Anyone who has ever facilitated a planning day will understand this problem – a brilliant idea (or a not-so-helpful suggestion) is blurted out by a participant. But it has nothing to do with the topic currently being discussed; suddenly the workshop has veered off onto a tangent.

With a mind map, it is much easier to “park” those comments by recording them on screen, but then “hide” them from immediate view, so they won’t distract the group. These ideas don’t disappear – they can be discussed later, but the parking process helps the facilitator to maintain the subtle pressure to stay on-topic.

5. Flexibility

One of the core advantages of a mind map over a whiteboard is the ease with which ideas can be grouped and moved around the screen in real time during the planning session. Not only individual topics and comments can be handled this way – entire branches with multiple topics can also be easily moved, restructured or added to the map.

At its most basic level, this makes it easier for the facilitator to respond if a participant suggests that their comments have been put in the wrong place. More importantly, it allows a skilled facilitator to shape the planning session by grouping related ideas as participants share them. They can be attached to relevant existing topics, or the facilitator can create new topics to accommodate them.

Individual responses can that deal with a new issue or idea also be highlighted and used as the “parent” topic for further comments. Relationship lines can also be drawn between comments that may be attached to different topics but which share something important in common. This flexibility also makes it easy for the facilitator to create lists of topics or responses and ask the group to prioritize or rank them.

6. Efficiency

Some of the features I’ve already mentioned also contribute to another advantage of a mind map compared to a whiteboard – efficiency. For example, there is no need for the facilitator to spend a lot of time transcribing a scrawl of handwritten notes at the end of the session – the material is already there, typed up and ready for a final edit. This means that the outcomes can be produced much faster, even immediately after the planning session has ended.

7. Adaptability

There is a final killer advantage of using mind maps over whiteboards to run your next planning day – adaptability.

Whiteboards are essentially static. Even if it has wheels, I bet your organization’s whiteboard spends most of its time in your meeting room; anything anyone does with it there is usually transcribed, then transferred and converted into useful outcomes somewhere else. While there are some programs which assist in this process, the paradigm essentially remains the same.

A mind map is the complete opposite. The screen or monitor that’s used for a mind-mapped planning workshop is just a vehicle for display. Everything that’s done during the session stays within the mind map and consequently with the facilitator, at least initially. What happens next is up to the facilitator and the organization, but there is a range of other options for sharing it. As mentioned earlier, the outcomes can be distributed to attendees at the end of the planning session. Most mind mapping programs also make it easy to export the outcomes directly into Word documents for further editing. In addition, many of them can export map contents to spreadsheets, project management programs and team collaboration tools like Sharepoint.

In addition to serving as thinking and planning tool, another capability of mind mapping software points to its supreme adaptability. In many cases, the mind map can be converted into an ongoing planning and management tool for your team. Specific features vary from program to program, but most of the more mature mind mapping tools enables you to enter task-related data for each of the actions identified in a planning session, such as start and end dates, resources, priorities and progress to date.

Some even allow you to display task information as a Gantt chart or as timeline which can be updated to display the team’s implementation progress. We are not necessarily talking here about the level of sophistication of, say, Microsoft Project, but most of the major mind mapping programs have more than enough features to be great project management tools for smaller teams and organizations.

7 Steps to Making a Mind Map

1. Start in the CENTRE of a blank page turned sideways. Why? Because starting in the centre gives your Brain freedom to spread out in all directions and to express itself more freely and naturally.
2. Use an IMAGE or PICTURE for your central idea. Why? Because an image is worth a thousand words and helps you use your Imagination. A central image is more interesting, keeps you focussed, helps you concentrate, and gives your Brain more of a buzz!
3. Use COLOURS throughout. Why? Because colours are as exciting to your Brain as are images. Colour adds extra vibrancy and life to your Mind Map, adds tremendous energy to your Creative Thinking, and is fun!
4. CONNECT your MAIN BRANCHES to the central image and connect your second- and third-level branches to the first and second levels, etc. Why? Because your Brain works by association. It likes to link two (or three, or four) things together. If you connect the branches, you will understand and remember a lot more easily.
5. Make your branches CURVED rather than straight-lined. Why? Because having nothing but straight lines is boring to your Brain.
6. Use ONE KEY WORD PER LINE. Why Because single key words give your Mind Map more power and flexibility.
7. Use IMAGES throughout. Why Because each image, like the central image, is also worth a thousand words. So if you have only 10 images in your Mind Map, it’s already the equal of 10,000 words of notes!

Benefit From The Mind Mapping Concept

You need to understand the mind mapping concept to be able to really appreciate the benefits of using this method. Even for beginners learning more about the mind mapping method should not be something intimidating. The truth is mind mapping is such a simple tool to learn that you don’t even have to stress yourself so much about it!

Of course it’s important that you know the mind mapping definition, learn how to apply it in your day to day activities, and determine the different mind mapping benefits. Understanding these mind mapping concepts can immensely help you improve your productivity and efficiency at work or for whatever purpose it may be.

Mind Mapping Concept Defined

ü  Mind mapping is simply a diagram used to visually represent or outline information. It is a powerful graphic technique you can use to translate what’s in your mind into a visual picture. Since mind mapping works like the brain does it allows you to organize and understand information faster and better.

ü  It is an expression of radiant thinking thus it helps unlock the potential of the brain. The mind mapping design enables you to easily sort through different details and recognize relationships among these details.

ü  What do you need to remember about mind mapping?

ü  There are essential characteristics of mind mapping you need to know and remember when making mind maps.

ü  First of all when mind mapping you need to identify and place the central topic at the centre of your mind map. It will serve as the central image or the focal point of the map. Second the main themes of the central topic radiates from the central image. This is why mind mapping is known to be the expression of radiant thinking.  Third the 2^nd level topics will form as the branches for your mind map. These branches form a connected nodal structure.

ü  The simple mind mapping design described above defines how mind mapping works. You only need to apply it when making your own mind map and I’m sure you will benefit a lot from the activity.

Advantages of the Mind Mapping Concept

ü  You need to know the various advantages of mind mapping. If you don’t know it yet… this simple, practical tool enhances your creative thinking and enables you to become more productive and efficient.

ü  Mind mapping increases your creativity and productivity because it’s an excellent tool to let you generate more ideas, identify relationships among the different data and information, and effectively improve your memory and retention.

ü  Making a mind map is an excellent way for you to be able to sort through your thoughts and ideas. This activity allows you to quickly generate creative and even unique ideas in less time. It gives you the freedom you need when brainstorming so that the flow of ideas is not blocked or hampered like linear thinking does.

ü  This method is a great way for you to categorize and organize the ideas you brainstormed and identify their relationships. By using a single page or space you can already place a huge amount of information and check its connections. Making connections is easier to do because you have all the information about a particular topic in a single glance. It can even help you discover new relationships among seemingly unrelated ideas and information.

ü  The use of colours, images, and keywords in mind mapping aids in enhancing your memory and retention. Isn’t it easier to remember information this way rather than reading long sentences? The use of colours, images, and keywords also help make learning more interesting and fun so you become more motivated to remember important details.

Disadvantages of the Mind Mapping Concept

ü  Mind mapping also has its share of disadvantages. Although the following disadvantages doesn’t take away the benefits that mind mapping undoubtedly provides it’s still useful to know some of its downside.

ü  Mind mapping may be difficult for those people who are very logical in the way they think. In brainstorming for example mind mapping encourages you to let the flow of ideas go freely. You even need to let your intuition work. For logical people it will be hard to trust their intuitive side because logic is telling them that this way of thinking is not possible.

ü  To be able to fully understand the meaning of a mind map active participation is important. You have to know that mind maps provide a self explanatory information and structure that can be understood best by the person or people who took part in making it. So it might be a little difficult for other people who did not witness the activity to make complete sense out of the mind map.

Mind Mapping

What are mind maps?

Mind maps:

• Provide a holistic, overall picture, showing all aspects of a topic.
• Portray different ideas radiating from a central thought or subject.
• Flow from 'main topics' placed on thick branches near the centre to 'sub topics' on thinner branches, and finally 'details' on thin branches on the edges.
• Show the links between different concepts.

What can mind maps be used for?

Mind maps can be used for just about anything in your degree!

A mind map can help you:

• Outline your ideas on a subject
• Organise your thoughts
• Visualise a whole concept
• Take and review notes
• Plan an essay
• Revise for your exams

How to draw a mind map

It is really important to use the correct rules for mind mapping but once you understand and familiarise yourself with how to turn your thoughts into a mind map, it will become an easy way to process information. Here are some simple rules:

• Use a blank, unlined, piece of paper - landscape. Lines will distract the eye and prevent you from reading the map quickly; landscape will give you more scope for creating horizontal branches.
• Begin with your central idea. This could be a revision topic or an essay title.
• Think about the main topics associated with your central idea. Create thick branches radiating from the centre - each thick branch represents one of the main topics you have identified. Use a different colour for each.
• Draw thinner branches radiating from the thick ones, maintaining the same colour scheme. These represent the sub topics.
• The thinnest branches - the details - then stem from the sub topics, reaching the edges of the mind map. Again these must be produced in the same colour as the thickest branch.
• Print key words (or very short phrases) clearly along the length of each branch (not at the end). You may want to use upper case for the thick (main topic) branches and lower case for the thinner branches.
• Use symbols and pictures to create memory associations.
• You can add to any of the branches at any time and make links between branches.
• When you have finished your mind map, think about how you might produce the information in linear form (eg paragraphs), perhaps by numbering each set of branches.

Advantages of mind maps

• Adaptable - they can be used for lectures; note-making from books; essay plans etc. as well as less structured tasks.
• Easy to add ideas later, at any time.
• Help you focus on the links and relationships between ideas so you don't just have disconnected facts.
• Can be personalised with pictures and symbols to make things more memorable.
• Useful tool for condensing lots of information – eg a whole topic into a mind map poster, to aid revision.

Disadvantages of mind maps

• Can't incorporate large chunks of text.
• You have to stick to the rules of mind mapping to get the optimum benefit from the tool.
• Creating the map may take time. However, this will help you to review or recall information and will check your understanding.
• When you've personalised your map, it can be difficult for others to understand.