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Productivity

An Introduction to Mind Mapping

by Jimmy Day on November 11, 2009 · 0 comments

in Productivity

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I‘ll be the first to admit that writing (among other things) doesn’t come particularly easy to me.  While many people have no problem sitting down in front of a computer and banging out a 500-word post in a matter of minutes, I tend to squirm between sentences as my fingers fail to keep pace with my brain. While I’ve invented a number of creative, yet awkward methods for dealing with and eventually overcoming writer’s block, none have proven quite as effective as creating a mind map.

So what exactly is a mind map?

A mind map is simply a visual representation of ideas or tasks. They’re well suited for just about any project you can think of, whether it be scoping out a software development project, goal setting, a book outline, etc.  The purpose of the mind map is to serve as a logical, visual “brain dump” of your interconnected thoughts and ideas.

Generally, you’ll start out with a centralized theme or idea in the middle of your paper or screen and will then add a “parent layer” of branches to further elaborate on that concept. After adding multiple sets of branches and sub-branches, you’ll be left with a visual aid that logically explains the centralized concept. While this may sound a bit arduous at first, the process really couldn’t be easier and the payoff is well worth the effort.

The mind mapping process

  1. Start with a central concept or issue. Easy enough – simply write down the main idea or purpose of your mind map in the center of a piece of paper.
  2. Create branches and multiple levels of sub-branches. After you’ve stated the central concept, create a few branches, or ideas that are related to your central topic. From there, you’ll want to create multiple layers of sub branches that will help you to further flesh out your ideas.
  3. Arrange the branches in a logical fashion. Obviously this step only applies to mind maps created on the computer as opposed to pen and paper. Do your best to organize your branches in such a way that they appear to flow in an order that makes sense, i.e. from project start to finish. Doing so will help you to retain the information better.

How can a mind map help me?

  • Mind maps can save you precious time. As I said, mind mapping is an excellent planning exercise for virtually any task. Instead of jumping in to your project head-first with no preparation, spend some time really fleshing out your ideas so you’ll be ready to hit the ground running when it’s time to begin.
  • Mind mapping can uncover new ideas. As you delve deeper into your mind map and have created a number of sub branches, ideas really begin to  flow because your brain is being bombarded with logically organized, visual information. Because the information is well-organized, it makes it easy to further develop each branch in your mind map.
  • Mind mapping can help you retain more information. As demonstrated in the video below, mind mapping can greatly improve upon your ability to retain information since it forces you to focus on one detail of a larger concept at a time.
  • Mind maps can improve your ability to solve problems! When presented with a new challenge, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, spend a few minutes creating a detailed mind map of any and all ideas and thoughts that come to mind. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to discovering the solution that you might have otherwise missed.

Mind map applications

FreeMind – (Website)

If I were to steer you toward a particular mind mapping application, FreeMind would probably be the one. Able to run on most any platform since it’s developed in Java, FreeMind allows you to create highly detailed mind maps and export them into a wide array of formats. While it may not have as many bells and whistles as some of the other applications, it’s an open source product and therefore, free for the taking.

Curio – (Website)

Curio is a  step up from FreeMind, both in terms of price and features. While able to create detailed, visually rich mind maps, the real power of Curio comes from its ability to link other documents to your mind maps, suh as spreadsheets and multimedia. At this time, Curio is Mac only and comes in two editions: standard and professional, priced at $99 and $149 respectively.

MindView 3 – (Website)

Last on our list of mind map applications would be our enterprise level solution, MindView 3.  MindView 3 boasts a number of features that business users will find useful such as project planning with Gantt chart creation, advanced formula development, and Microsoft Office integration. Priced at $389, it may be overkill for most people who would be happy with a less  robust solution.

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