Are you having trouble getting organized? Do you have memory problems? Mind Mapping is the trick that will revolutionize your professional (and personal) life! It is an ultra-simple and completely intuitive concept of organizing and prioritizing information that works exactly like the human brain! This may also be useful in a strategy foreducational engineering.
WHAT IS A MIND MAP?
Also called a “mind map” or “mind map”, a mind map allows you to transform a long list of boring ideas into an attractive, colorful, logical and organized diagram, in harmony with the natural functioning of the brain. It will be your best ally to organize your ideas, or even your life in general!
Are you wondering why it works? Simply because unlike the linear planes taught in school, which only use the left hemisphere of the brain, this new technique uses both cerebral hemispheres simultaneously:
- the left hemisphere, master of rationality, logic and language;
- the right hemisphere which manages creativity and represents the spirit of synthesis.
It thus promotes the association of ideas and therefore makes learning and memorizing more effective!
Find out how Beedeez makes memorization more effective!
IN WHAT SITUATION IS MIND MAPPING USEFUL?
ALL OF THEM! Making a mind map will help you:
- organize your ideas intuitively and quickly, on any subject: prepare for a vacation, a meeting or a speech, etc. A Mind Map allows you to make a clear and complete presentation of your ideas without ever forgetting the smallest detail;
- memorize quickly thanks to logical links between each idea. Since this principle takes up the path of thought, it makes it possible not to omit anything;
- Brainstorm (alone or with others) and come up with lots of new ideas. By writing down everything that goes through our heads around a subject, we put our brain into creative mode! In full swing, he will find lots of new ideas to connect with others.
A study shows that users of this technique achieve a productivity gain of around 25%!
HOW DO YOU USE A MIND MAP?
This “diagram” shows the path of your thought and therefore makes it easier to remember. Brainstorming has never been easier than using a heuristic schema. Taking notes by adding visuals in a creative way is an effective way to create a map of your ideas. In addition, in collaborative work, mind maps make it possible to generate ideas. Let me explain:
- in the center of the sheet, there is the subject to be treated;
- then, branches start from this center: each branch representing an idea or a main heading;
- then, each main idea can be supplemented by other branches (i.e. secondary ideas);
- and so on!
To make all this more engaging and stimulate the brain to promote memory, remember:
- To stimulate through the image : making small drawings to represent the main ideas makes it possible to obtain a mental representation and to attract the eye;
- To attract with color : adding color codes makes it easier to find your way around and highlight certain parts.
THE 5 TYPES OF MIND MAPS
Who says Mind Map, says variety of format. Indeed, there are different types of mind maps, adapted to your projects and your problems. You may have already heard of a mind map, concept map, or dialogue map. If that's not the case, we'll explain it all to you below.
The mind map: let's start with the big standard, the mind map. It is one of the most common forms of Mind Maps. Imagine a central node from which main categories radiate. You build a tree of information and ideas based on a central idea.
The concept map: now let's move on to the concept map. This graph shows the relationships between different concepts. It is often used during brainstorming sessions. The idea is to create a hierarchy of linked concepts for better understanding and especially better reasoning.
The organization chart: We no longer need to present the organization chart. However, it is part of the big Mind Map family, and yes. If you need to visually represent a step-by-step process or prioritization, an organization chart is for you. It helps to understand and identify problems. There are various types of organization charts, which are often used as part of organizational and hierarchical relationships.
Random Words: Random Words is a brainstorming technique to stimulate the imagination. The aim is to connect words, as the name suggests, randomly and use them to solve problems and to clarify the causal relationships between different ideas.
The dialog card: To end our list of mind map types, the dialog map is a facilitation technique for solving complex problems. It promotes a shared understanding of problems, which is essential, especially in Agile practices.
THE MAIN BENEFITS OF MIND MAPPING
Now that we've explored the different types of Mind Maps, let's look at the advantages of this method in a nutshell. The Mind Map is the ideal launch tool for these 7 reasons.
Simplification: they simplify the understanding of complex ideas, especially for strategic planning.
Continuous improvement: it improves presentation skills by facilitating the retention of information and by using visuals.
Memorization: The Mind Map helps to remember and recall information using the natural functioning of the mind.
Apprenticeship it also promotes the learning of new concepts by establishing links with existing knowledge.
Gamification: the fun approach to learning is the essence of this tool, making the process more engaging.
Creativity: the creativity of your teams is stimulated by making it possible to create links between ideas in a non-linear way.
Productivity: it also increases productivity by accelerating learning, thinking and communication.
Flexibility: To conclude, it allows greater flexibility and can be used in a variety of contexts, from revision to project planning.
THE ORIGINS OF THE MIND MAP
Mind mapping is often associated with the psychologist Tony Buzan. He popularized and democratized mind maps in the 1960s and 1970s.
His book “The Mind Map Book” published in 1993, became a best seller in the marketing world.
Note in the fun-facts, the first Mind Mapping World Championship took place in London in 1999. And in 2007, the world's largest mind map was created in Singapore by students.
HOW DO YOU CREATE A MIND MAP? OUR 5-STEP METHOD
There are many tips for setting up a quality mind map. We have selected the 5 key steps that, in our opinion, will allow you not to miss out on the production of this one. It's an opportunity to learn together!
STEP 1: BRAINSTORMING YOUR TEAM
Start with a central idea, keyword, or concept that you place in the middle of your mind map.
This will allow you to create branches in all directions to stimulate creativity. This gives you plenty of space to fully express your thoughts.
STEP 2: THINK ABOUT THE VISUAL ASPECT AND THE COLORS USED
Remember that images are often more understandable than words. A relevant image draws attention and reinforces the focus on the central concept but also on the other concepts to prioritize in your thinking.
These invigorating color combinations can add elegance and beauty to your creations.
STEP 3: MAKE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT IDEAS OR CONCEPTS
You will now integrate the connections between your various ideas and style them. Curved branches get more attention than straight lines.
They direct readers' concentration, making it easier to understand.
STEP 4: SPECIFY YOUR KEYWORDS
When creating your Mind Map, use simple and unique words to represent the concepts and make them as understandable as possible. It is also essential to facilitate memorization!
STEP 5: IDENTIFY KEYWORDS THAT CAN BE REPLACED BY IMAGES
Remember that images have a greater power of comprehension than words. They reinforce understanding through their visual presentation. For the aesthetics of your mind map, this is also not to be overlooked!
FROM MIND MAPPING TO BUSINESS MAPPING
Whether it is to improve the efficiency of meetings, increase productivity, optimize project management or even perfect a brainstorming session, Business Mapping simply requires a sheet and pens. This will make it easier for you to take notes in meetings!
Whether for solitary use or in a team, directly or remotely, know that there is also online software to facilitate the collaborative use of this revolutionary tool! You can thus add pictograms, images or any other content to your support to make it easier for you to remember.
CREATE A MIND MAP WITH SPECIALIZED SOFTWARE
Now that you have a better idea, you certainly want to get started! So we've put together a selection of the 6 best tools available on the web to create your own mind map. So here are 3 free software and 3 paid options, just for you!
OUR SELECTION OF THE 3 FREE MIND MAPPING TOOLS
GitMind : This tool allows you to create concept maps online for free. It's ideal for visualizing complex concepts, generating new ideas, creating lists and plans, and preparing presentations, all with ease.
Wisemapping : It is an open source mind mapping software that is easy to use for creating, sharing, and collaborating on mind maps. You can also import files from Microsoft Office or Google Docs without worrying about file formats. And the best part is that it's also free!
MindMup : Freemium and unlimited mind mapping tool, ideal for students. It allows you to create and share mind maps while saving them in the MindMup cloud or via Google Drive at no cost. There are also paid subscriptions to increase your storage space if needed.
3 PAID MIND MAPPING TOOLS
MindManager : If you're ready to invest in Mind Mapping software, MindManager is a great option. It is designed to bring clarity and structure to your projects. It turns your ideas into dynamic visual mind maps and can generate all the mind map types listed above. It also promotes the collaboration of your teams. The annual subscription cost depends on the number of users.
Price:
- $99/year for 1 user
- $179/year for a team
Xmind : Xmind is a paid idea management and mind mapping solution for businesses. You can customize your mind maps, collaborate with your team, track projects, and export data. Prices vary between an annual subscription and a monthly subscription.
Price: 59.99$/year
MindMeister : Like Xmind, MindMeister is a paid online idea management and mind mapping software for businesses. It offers the customization of mind maps, collaboration, project monitoring and data export. You can opt for an annual or monthly subscription. Note that the free version still allows you to generate 3 Mind Maps and benefit from the basic functionalities.
Price: 6€/month
5 EXAMPLES OF MIND MAPS FOR YOUR PROJECTS
Now that you know how to create a Mind Map, here are 5 examples to inspire you in your projects. Keep in mind that there is a format for each pro.
Mind map example: Used to organize ideas around a central topic, such as a marketing project.
Concept Map Example: Perfect for representing relationships between different concepts in a history course.
Random Words example: Used in brainstorming sessions to generate new ideas.
Organizational chart example: Ideal for visualizing the steps of a manufacturing process.
Example of a dialog card: Useful for solving complex problems by promoting shared understanding.
Using these examples, you can start creating your own mind maps for a variety of projects, whether it's organizing ideas, strategic planning, solving problems, or creating compelling presentations.
Remember that Mind Mapping can be a powerful tool to improve productivity and creativity, whether in your personal project or for a professional project. With the right tools and techniques, you can increase your ability to generate and organize ideas effectively.
Happy Mind Mapping!
