In this article, we have a look at some questions regarding mindmaps and the answers people usually give to these questions. Please think about the questions yourself as well. What are your answers to them?
This first part may be a little bit theoretical. I use this to get you to think about mindmaps and mind mapping, food for thought so to speak. The second part offers you practical tips on how to create and use the Perfect Mindmap.
For the sake of clarity, I create two groups of people who work with mindmaps. We have people who USE mindmaps and people who CREATE mindmaps.
Fortunately most people believe they use mindmaps. Unfortunately, most people are not what they think they are. This has to do with the way we are taught how to create mindmaps. I will explain more about this later on.
When you think about mindmaps in their purest form, what comes to mind?
Most people give the same answer:
A mindmap is a colorful picture with information.
That’s true… when looking at the mindmap from a theoretical point of view.
Here’s another question.
What determines if you create a good mindmap (I’m not even talking about a perfect mindmap)?
Many people tell me that a good mindmap follows the directions given to us by Tony Buzan in his Mindmap Book. For me, that’s completely true. A mindmap is by definition the overview Tony Buzan described in his books and on many different websites.
Let’s dive a little bit deeper into this:
What is for you the perfect Mind Map?
Please note that I did not write Mindmap! For me, there is a clear difference between the two. Where the Mindmap is usually a colorful image filled with information, the Mind Map usually is not. It is quite different.
A Mind Map is for most people an overview of information taken from their minds and written/drawn on paper.
The Mind Map shows you the information in a practical overview and allows you to ‘play ‘ with this data. You ‘export’ the mind data to your paper where you can organize and manage it.
A mindmap also does this yet the result of the exercise is often much more a beautiful image whereas the mind map is a usable overview ready to take action and achieve results.
And this is exactly where we can create a clear distinction between the CREATORS (Mindmap) and the USERS (Mind Map).
Understand This
I don’t want to offend people who mindmap. A mindmap is a very powerful tool. I don’t think what Mindmappers do is not practical. I do believe that with a few small modifications and a different mindset you and I can create the perfect Mindmap.
For me, there is only one occasion to create a genuine Mindmap (with lots of images, color, etc). That is when I create a mindmap for a person (or group) on a certain topic and they need to understand and recall that information. This could be for instance during a training.
Using a mindmap for a planning, management report, to-do list or for example a conversation is not practical for me.
Can you imagine the amount of time we have to invest in creating a planning in a mindmap? I need images, colors, a nice natural flow of branches, etc. That’s not what I want! I want to create an overview of what I have to do!!!
A few other thoughts on the mindmap as a planning tool: I don’t want to lose a lot of TIME creating the map. The second thing is that I don’t want to remember the image tomorrow or later on that day. I only want to get things done.
And you?
Do you create Mindmaps for your planning?
Do you create Mind Maps or mindmap lookalikes to create an overview?
Again, for me the Perfect Mindmap is created when I mindmap for another person who needs to recall the information (e.g. study purposes).
Back to unleashing the mindmaps in your life.
I assume you know how to create mindmaps already (if not, have a look at the online mindmap training).
What we are doing right now is taking the mindmap technique and go back to the basics. We show information in a brain friendly format (content = words & symbols, image = the layout of the content).
The first thing you need to understand is that for most of us there will not be a practical usage of the Perfect Mindmap. Let go of the thought that you have to create a colorful image to use visual mapping.
Simply create practical Mindmaps or even better… create Mind Maps.
Of course you need to know what a Mind Map is then ?. Well, here are some basic guidelines on how to create one:
- A Mind Map is a visual map (overview) of information. Usually, I create them on paper.
- Most of the time, Mind Maps are created using one color (When creating them on a computer, I don’t other to look at the branch colors!).
- They may contain a small image but often only a few icons or symbols will do fine.
- Mind Maps are created quickly, jotting down the thoughts which come to mind.
- There is no center image. Why use a center image when you know what the topic of your overview is? Focus on the practical creation.
Do you see the difference?
I create my Mind Maps to assist me in moving forward. I don’t create too many (maybe only a few) mindmaps, simply because I don’t need the fancy images.
Even when you use the Mind Map for to-do list, planning, project, etc and you want to work on them a longer time, you probably don’t create a nice picture (Mindmap).
Why?
Because it is (again) not significantly helping you move towards your goal! Creating an image is great.
The result is more important. If you can do without the image, you should not use an image.
A clear overview is much more valuable to you and your activities than an image that took you a lot of time to create.
To me, the Perfect Mindmap is a map which helps me move forward. Most of the time (probably 97% and more), the Perfect Mindmap is a Mind Map. It creates an image of my thought processes and enables me to create positive results.
The result of the Perfect Mindmap usually is the Perfect Mindmap…
The result of USING the Perfect Mindmap is reaching goals and deadlines.
HOW TO USE THIS RIGHT NOW AND BENEFIT FROM IT
Today, when you create a Mindmap, identify whether you are a CREATOR or a USER. Do you spend too much time creating and perfecting the map?
When you are spending too much time on making the map look pretty and colorful, you are probably a creator.
When you create the overview and take action based on what you visualized, you are most likely a user.
What can you change to still have a positive outcome from the map while spending less time creating the map (HINT: lose many of the artistic stuff).
As always, let me know what you experienced using these tips and thoughts. I really look forward to working with you!
Arjen
(your mindmaps should work for you!)
To learn more about practical mind mapping, have a look at this page (opens in a new window)
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For me, the perfect mind map is all about conveying the right information to the user, whether it’s the creator of the mind map or someone else.
When I start mind mapping I have a clear outcome of the what the goals of the mind map are for me. If you can read the mind map back to yourself quickly and you can identify the goals, then you’ve won half the battle, but I like to identify and categorise goals and actions. I like to spend time on my mind maps and use colour, images and different fonts. They help me convey information in the mind map to myself and let me visually pick out the parts I need.