The Top 10 Uses for Mind Mapping
Why Mind Mapping Is The Swiss Army Knife Of Management Thinking Tools!
A new survey of Mind Mapping users in business, sponsored by Illumine training, reveals that Mind Mapping can be likened to the famous Swiss Army knife.
Just like the renowned pocket knife, the study shows that Mind Mapping is highly versatile, easy to use and is very useful when it comes to solving tricky problems! The metaphor continues when it comes to the concerns that users have about using Mind Mapping. The survey suggests that users worry that, like the pocket knife, Mind Mapping might be perceived as a little “unprofessional!”
For those not familiar with Mind Mapping, it is a note making, note taking and thinking system that is designed to help people access their own thinking power in a way that is efficient, effective… and enjoyable.
Mind Maps® have been around for over 30 years and are used in every country in the world. Their originator, Tony Buzan, is renowned as one of the world’s foremost experts on the brain and how to use it better. Mind Maps work in the same way as the brain; they are designed to mirror the structure of the brain and its most basic building block, the brain cell.
The Top 10 Uses Of Mind Maps
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Planning
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Problem solving
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Making/taking notes
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Writing presentations
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Scheduling
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Studying/revision
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Brain blooming
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Analysis
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Creative Thinking
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Decision making
Download our Mind Map that shows many more uses of Mind Maps.
Research for Illumine was conducted by Rik Ellis at Coleg Gwent in Wales to identify those areas where the Mind Mapping technique is of most practical value to today’s business executives.
The most common application for Mind Mapping is in planning, not only for project work but also for writing presentations and for what is called ‘brain blooming’, a way of using Mind Maps to capture and harness a group’s thoughts and ideas. Just behind this is the help that Mind Mapping provides in the area of problem solving – especially in the way it helps practitioners to see the overall problem as they Mind Map all aspects of the issue at hand. And the third most common application for Mind Mapping is in the area of note taking as a much more efficient alternative to the common practise of taking written minutes.
It is also interesting to note that in the research sample it was found that Mind Mapping not only benefits people in their professional lives but is found by an overwhelming majority (84 per cent) to benefit them personally too. Seventy four per cent felt that employing the technique saved them time, 65 per cent believed they benefited from clearer thoughts and 61 per cent believed they were more organised after they had been trained in the technique.
As for what challenges people face in Mind Mapping the research found that of those who did find any difficulties the major two obstacles were scepticism and resistance to trying something new. According to the research “Company culture plays a crucial part in overcoming these challenges as too can the approach taken to implement the change… this would be best addressed by offering coaching and support to aid implementation.”
Why Change Managers Need To Mind Map
Any manager who is facing change at work needs to be able to encourage their colleagues and teams to become more innovative and to tackle new situations and problems with a different form of thinking. In this context there is no better technique than Mind Mapping for demonstrating that critical, creative and strategic thinking is now a top priority.
It is also helpful for change managers to know that one of the major benefits of introducing Mind Mapping to their teams is an improved performance in terms of people’s planning capability. With the volumes of information that people receive every day, and the pressure they have to deliver on time and to budget, teams need to be able to think clearly and summarise the information they have so that what they know is useable and accessible. Mind Maps allow this to happen. As one interviewee from our survey said ‘Utilising Mind Mapping made my ’scattergun’ brain more organised, making planning more coherent and utilising my time much more efficiently’.
When looking at what benefits organisations get from Mind Mapping the research found that all the respondents said that their companies benefited from improved planning. Sixty seven per cent also said that there was improved staff efficiency and fifty per cent found improvements in time saving. Other interesting benefits to companies were the findings that Mind Maps helped improve staff morale and motivation, improve creativity in writing and proved an effective tool of communication.
Take the survey and see the results here…
Illumine Training are the world’s leading trainers in Mind Mapping for Business. We offer a number of training options through our practical training courses and seminars.
Advanced Thinking and Learning Workshop combines Mind Mapping, Speed Reading and Memory techniques to provide you with the strategies and skills to master information and ease information overload. Find out more at www.illumine.co.uk/aims
Illumine Business Mapping offers a comprehensive one day workshop in London and Manchester. This is also available in-house if you are looking to train a team or group. Find out more at www.illumine.co.uk/bmap
We also offer a 1 hour Mind Mapping Mastery online learning session. Not as comprehensive as our training course, it will give you the skills you need Mind Map in your workplace. As the session is online all you need is a PC, Internet connection, headphones (speakers or telephone line), paper and coloured pens. Find out more at www.illumine.co.uk/webinars
Find out more about Mind Mapping Software here.
Mind Map® and Mind Maps® are trademarks of the Buzan Organisation.
MindManager® and Mindjet® are trademarks of Mindjet.
Tags: Business Mapping (Training), Mind Mapping, Mind Mapping survey, Mind Mapping uses, Sept 2009 - Using Both Sides of the Brain
