Tony Buzan, the creator of mind mapping, outlined some guidelines for creating mind maps. Most of them focused on the visuals. He said that you should make your maps as colorful and vibrant as possible, with a great deal of images, graphics, symbols, and creative lettering.
The reason for this is that visuals help communicate the ideas behind your mind maps. They also make the maps easier to understand and recall.
One final benefit of visuals in mind maps is that they make it a creative and fun activity, and that’s exactly what mind mapping should be. As opposed to the left-brained analytical methods of list making, outlining, and so on, the mind map uses both sides of the brain, including the creative right side.
If you’re still not sure where to go with mind mapping or kicking the tires, here’s a great way to get you thinking about it with both sides of your brain. Go to Google or another search engine and perform an image search for the keyword ‘mind map.’
You’ll get a wide variety of creative mind maps that explore various topics in many different ways. There’s no better way to inspire yourself to get into mind mapping than to see the many ways it can be done.
Try searching for the keyword ‘mind map’ and a topic you’re interested in or thinking about using mind maps for, and you’ll certainly find something that will inspire you.
Luckily, artistic talent is not a requirement for creating mind maps. If you feel that you’re not handy enough with a pen and paper, you can create mind maps on the computer using software programs. These programs offer a wealth of visuals to play with. Some programs offer more than others, so check out a few before you purchase.
Mind mapping is more than just an organizational tool for businesses, it’s a creative activity. Buzan understood that, and that is why his guidelines call for colorful visuals.
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