Mind Mapping is a tool that trainers and delegates should be using on all courses.  Here Clive Lewis, MD of Illumine Training, and Tony Buzan’s preferred partner in corporate and public sector training explains why.

How good are trainers at getting their message across? And how good are participants at capturing the learning that is being relayed? For both trainers and learners Mind Mapping is a tool that they should use on every course. This tool not only helps trainers to present their subject in a way that is stimulating and memorable but Mind Maps® help learners to capture and code information so that it is easy to recall as and when they need it.  

So what are Mind Maps?  

In essence they provide the clearest expression of the way the human mind works; and we don’t think in lists or sentences, we think in images and key themes, shapes and patterns, all connected one to another. 

…in essence they provide the clearest expression of the way the human mind works… 

Let me start with a simple example. Consider for a moment the last course that you attended – and as you think about it be aware of the associated thoughts that instantly spring to mind: what the topic was, who was there, where it was, how long it lasted, what the venue was like and so on. 

These first thoughts are what are called Basic Ordering Ideas (BOIs) and each of these will, in turn, stimulate more associations. For example if you take the BOI theme of ‘venue’ you might then break it down into room, food, accommodation, location and staff. And each of these headings will have further associations. And this is why this approach is called ‘radiant’ thinking. It all radiates from one central theme. 

This radiant structure provides us with our foundation for Mind Mapping. You simply start with a core idea and then you draw thick lines representing the BOIs radiating out from your central word or image. Have a look at the Mind Map below on ‘the uses of Mind Maps’. It’s a classic map which depicts the issue at the centre, includes the BOIs branching out and then outlines a variety of other ideas associated with these branches. 

There are all sorts of applications for Mind Mapping – project planning, presentations, team working, performance appraisals, but the application I particularly want to focus on here is that of information recall, an issue of especial relevance to anyone who is learning. 

How do you make a Mind Map?  

Here is a guide although you can find a fuller explanation on http://www.mind-mapping.co.uk/ 

Take a blank piece of A4 paper and turn it on its side. 

• Start in the centre and draw an image that represents the topic you are working on.
• The main themes around the central image are like chapter headings.
• Draw thick lines which connect the themes to the main image and print one word associated with each of your themes in CAPITALS next to the line.
• Start to add another level of thought, using thinner lines, linked to each theme. These are your associated thoughts.
• Attach words or images.
• Add your personal touch
• Make your map artistic, colourful and imaginative
• Add humour, exaggeration or absurdity wherever you can. Your brain will delight in getting enjoyment from this process.

I have already mentioned that Mind Mapping helps learners to recall data but let me now explain in a little more detail how it achieves this. In essence this process uses your creativity and associative memory. And here are some of the key techniques on which it is founded. 

1. First you will notice that Mind Maps use a lot of colour. This is deliberate. When you start to Mind Map you will find that colour helps you to separate out the BOIs.  This isn’t a huge departure from what goes on all around us in our everyday life.  Red for stop, green for go is an obvious example. We live in a world of colour and the use of colour simply reflects and reinforces the natural process of thinking, making it easier for us to remember whatever it is we are trying to learn. 

2. You will also notice that Mind Mapping uses a great deal of imagery. In the Mind Map above there are pictures of brains and flip charts and watches. These images mean something specific to me, the Mind Mapper. I associate particular thoughts with them and they add impact to the map. In effect a picture speaks a thousand words but it is important to remember that the meaning I attach to an image is personal. Even if you wanted to capture exactly the same information or ideas you might use a very different image. 

3. You will also see that the thickness of lines radiating out from the central image vary. The reason for this is that the thickness of the line denotes its relative importance. The BOIs on this Mind Map are like chapter headings and therefore they have most weight. The less central, associated ideas have correspondingly smaller lines.
The use of a single word above each line is also important because every word has thousands of possible associations. One word per line helps clarity and comprehension and also enables better recall. 

4. It’s a personal process. People Mind Map their ideas in different ways and this is important, there is no one ‘right’ way. You will have your own associations, your own graphic style and phrases and images that are meaningful to you. The guiding principle is to use image, colour, dimension and spacing in a way that appeals to you. That is what will make your Mind Map and the information coded within it powerful and memorable. 

For people who are used to making notes it can of course be something of a stretch to put their trust in such colourful maps but take it from me, Mind Maps are a much more effective way of capturing both meaning and detail. After all just how many people read the notes they have made during courses and even if they do will that information stick, even if you read it several times? The chances are that it won’t. Lists of words simply are not memorable; they do not stimulate our minds. 

In contrast Mind Maps complement the notion of sticky learning i.e. learning that sticks. And in an age where knowledge is the fuel for business success this has to be of great value. 

Find out more about Mind Mapping at www.mind-mapping.co.uk

Tags: Mind Mapping, Mind Maps

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