Mind Mapping
A mind map is a diagram with a hierarchical structure used to visually organize and present information, thoughts or ideas. This is the description that comprehensively details the mind mapping technique practiced by many individuals and organizations today. However, there are many people who are not familiar with the term and technique of mind mapping. This article contains information on what a mind map is and how it was created.
How Did Mind Mapping Emerge?
A mind map is a diagram with a hierarchical structure used to visually organize and present information, thoughts or ideas. Although diagrams that are historically similar to mind maps were known centuries ago, the term mind mapping was first introduced and popularized by Tony Buzan, a British author and education consultant who was renewed around the world. Mind mapping was inspired by the creative techniques used by Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein in the past and the concept mapping technique introduced by Joseph D. Novak in the 1970s. In fact, Tony Buzan has reviewed that these people, for example Leonardo da Vinci, tend to use images, some connection and associations in his personal note-taking practice.
Tony Buzan’s ten-episode TV series Use Your Head, published on the BBC, has been instrumental in the field of mind creativity, effective learning and memorization techniques. The BBC Series, which made an official introduction to the concept of mind mapping, received praise around the world and after a while published a series of books such as use your memory, master your memory, use your head, speed reading. In one part of the series, Buzan talks about the origins of the mind mapping technique and how he came up with the idea of mind maps when he was working on neurophysiology and brain cells.
In an observation examining the grades of others, especially students, Buzan concluded that the more linear grades they got, the more they disliked them and the more desperate they were during exam times. He observed that students with better results tend to take scattered notes with scribbles, links, pictures, and key ideas, and if that was the case, then he thought that scattered notes were somehow better than linear notes. Later, he examined his process of remembering, realized that he could not remember the sentences and took notes in this way. Then Buzan tried to remember 10 sentences of 10 or more words he read, wrote or heard and failed the test. On the other hand, he can recall events that last for days, months or years associated with images, associations, and senses. He then studied the great poets, especially Shakespeare, to understand what his work was full of, which made him so memorable, attractive and clear. It is a fact that his work is full of images and associations.
What is a Mind Map?
The mind map is considered to be a versatile and easy-to-use tool that can find a wide range of uses for a wide variety of activities involving different cognitive functions such as creative thinking, memorizing or learning. Today, there are different software programs for creating mind maps. Mind maps; They differ from notes in that they are developed to support nonlinear thinking through the use of a combination of links, associations, images, colors, and keywords. The mind mapping technique has been proven to help users increase their productivity and their own organization, improve their creativity, encourage ideation and improve visualization.
More than 250 million people around the world apply the mind mapping technique to brainstorm, organize and present ideas and thoughts, take notes, work, project management, planning, and many other tasks in their daily lives. Mind maps work on the principle of using keywords to represent ideas or thoughts on a single central topic. These associations trigger the creativity and imagination of the users and encourage their brains to develop more ideas and thoughts about the main topic of the mind map.
How to Create an Effective and Powerful Mind Map?
Creating a mind map has many advantages. It is a mind mapping tool designed with the idea of simplifying the process of generating and visually organizing and presenting ideas, thoughts and knowledge. There are several steps on how to create an effective mind map that will simplify the learning or working process. These steps are as follows:
Determination of the Main Subject
The most important step in creating a powerful mind map is to have a relevant central topic. A mind map is used to explore and further develop a particular main topic, which is placed at the core of the mind map, which will then be mapped into a series of topics and subheadings. Mind maps are like trees with many branches and sub-branches, so one must imagine that the main idea is the core of the tree holding all branches and sub-branches together. How to choose a central topic? Depending on the purpose of the mind map, it must first be decided whether the main subject is a specific keyword, a sentence, a question to answer or a problem to be solved. It is then placed in the center of a suitable circle or different shape and personalized with color, font, symbol or image.
Branching the Map
Subjects or so-called branches are an integral part of mind maps. They are used to describe the most important areas on a particular topic. To put it in perspective, a mind map in the center, the main subject of which is the travel plan, can be spread across branches that cover the basics of a travel planning (route, accommodation, budget, transportation and agenda). However, the list of branches should be tailored to one’s needs, and that’s what makes mind maps flexible, versatile and transformative.
Mind mapping that works for one user doesn’t have to work for another user. As long as the map is created with indispensable elements and according to the main structure, users are free to add as many branches as they want and need. Often described with a keyword or two on the main topic, these topics are what inspires and stimulates the creative side of the brain to come up with new ideas and get more immersed in the subject.
Extension of Branches by Subbranches
After the main topic has expanded on different topics, it is time to break them down into subtopics or so-called sub-branches. It may sound confusing, but it is actually very simple because there is a central idea that spreads across different issues that further develop in subheadings. Each branch is connected to its sub-branches and all together detail the main idea put in the center. If branches are usually defined by one or two keywords, sub-branches can contain many words depending on what they describe. The description can range from one word to more complex sentences, as long as certain keywords related to the main idea are used.
Detailing and Enlargement of Subbranches
Sub-branches are what makes a mind map complete in terms of content. In other words, the mind map will not be as powerful as it should be if the topics are left in general and detailed. The focus should always be on expanding the mind map and topics until you are sure that there is nothing left to add to a particular branch. The map is the publication of all known information and every idea and connotation in the mind connected to the main subject. Once you’ve finished adding branches and sub-branches, more creative steps can be taken. And the map can be made bold and eye-catching by decorating it with different colors and pictures.
Coloring the Mind Map
In a mind map, choosing a font suitable for its content, choosing different striking colors in topics and subheadings makes the map a powerful tool. A software that can be used provides the opportunity to color each branch and sub-branch of the mind map according to personal preferences, allowing a powerful mind map to be created in a practical way. The role of colors is not just to make the map more attractive. Color has been found to have a beneficial effect on people’s memorization skills. To be more precise, several studies have shown that people have a greater than a word ability to memorize and remember a particular color. Therefore, it is always a good idea to use different colors when creating a mind map because it helps to memorize information more easily as this will link the information to one color.
If it is difficult to decide which colors and fonts to use, it should be checked whether there are certain parts of the content that are very important to memorize or the message to convey. The strongest colors can then be chosen to highlight the content. You can also make the text bold or underlined to make the map more memorable.
Adding Images to Topics and Subtopics
Once the mind map has been expanded and all relevant topics and subtopics highlighted in different colors, the next step should be continued. This section is to put pictures or symbols in the content. As he pointed out before, adding images to color and content provides even greater benefits for the brain, while colors aid easier memorization. Pictures and symbols associated with a particular concept or idea can help to better memorize and remember information. Therefore, this step should not be skipped if it is working on a map that will help remember something specific. This is especially important if he is studying for an exam or preparing a presentation with a mind map.
Adding a Background Image to the Mind Map
After completing all the previous steps, creating a mind map with branches and sub-branches, and decorating them with different colors, images, and symbols, it’s time to add a background image or pattern that will highlight the content and make the mind map into an expression. When choosing an image as a background, there should always be a style that corresponds to the main idea or topic of the map. Adding background images makes mind maps more attractive and eye-catching, which is why this step is important and should not be overlooked.
As a result, the advantages of applying the mind mapping technique in daily routine are enormous. Anyone can be a mind map user or a mind map master for that matter. All you need to get started is a suitable mind mapping software. From brainstorming and note-taking to planning projects or events, studying and public speaking or presenting, mind maps created can help stimulate both creative and logical thinking and encourage the free transfer of ideas and thoughts.
