Why Mind Mapping Works – The Proof Is Here!
Radiant Thinking
So why do Mind Maps work? Can’t I just stick to my lists and my conventional tried and tested techniques?
In a Mind Map, information is structured in a way that mirrors exactly how the brain functions – in a radiant rather than linear manner. A Mind Map literally ‘maps’ out your thoughts, using associations, connections and triggers to stimulate further ideas. They extract your ideas from your head into something visible and structured.
Research shows that the brain likes to work on the basis of association and it will connect every idea, memory or piece of information to tens, hundreds and even thousands of other ideas and concepts.
Anokhin P.K. (1973). ‘The forming of natural and artificial intelligence’. Impact of Science in Society, Vol. XXIII 3.
Make a Statement with Colour
Sure colour makes documents and Mind Maps look ‘prettier,’ but are there any other reasons why we should be using it?
- Capture and engage attention: 92% believe colour presents an image of impressive quality (Xerox study, 2003).
- Inform: Colour improves comprehension by 73% (‘The Power of Color’, Successful Meetings, June 1992).
- Boost sales: Colour increases brand recognition by up to 80% (University of Loyola, Maryland study).
- Improve memory: 90% believe that they remember presentations and documents better when colour is used (Xerox study, 2003).
Is a Picture Really Worth a Thousand Words?
Mind Maps use images – Mind Maps are images!
It is commonly accepted that images convey much much more information than a key word or even a whole sentence. But there are other reasons you should use them too:
Memory: Novak (1998)¹, Rico (1983)², and Shone (1984)³ all point out that the economical way Mind Maps summarise information into visual symbols, helps you to remember that information i.e. the Mind Map can be clearly pictured in your mind’s eye.
Creativity: According to Margulies (1991), before children learn a language, they visualise pictures in their minds which are linked to concepts. Unfortunately, once children are trained to write only words in one colour on lined paper, their creative channels and mental flexibility diminishes. Images keep this creativity fired up.
Margulies, S. (1991), Mapping Inner Space: Learning and Teaching Mind Mapping. Zephyr, Tucson, AZ.
Impact: A study has proved the benefits of utilising visual elements in presentations and tightly integrating them with words. By comparing visual presentations with verbal presentations, the results were vastly in favour of visualisations. Presenters who used visual language were perceived by the audience as more effective than those using no visuals – they were clearer, more concise, more interesting, more professional, more credible and better prepared.
The Wharton School (1981), A Study of the Effects of the Use of Overhead Transparencies on Business Meetings. Wharton Applied Research Center, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Key words: To Use or Not To Use – that is the question
Tony Buzan has always been passionate about using key words in Mind Maps rather than phrases or a collection of words. Tony states that a key word is essentially a word that will trigger as much relevant meaning as possible. So by using key words in your Mind Map, you open up your thinking and stimulate your mind to dig deeper and see greater detail on thoughts that were previously vague. Sentences lock in ideas as key words are hidden away. For the ultimate freedom of thinking key words should be used and here is a good example of why...
Take your name for example, let’s go for Tony Buzan. If “Tony Buzan” was on a branch the associations are limited to Tony Buzan – what he does, what he likes, dislikes etc. If you were to put just “Buzan” on one branch you can then radiate many more diverse ideas from it – Tony, his brother, mother, father, grandparents etc. You can easily see how one key word provides a much bigger range of associations compared to when you lock together two words which ends up filtering your ideas and limiting the possible connections.
Research on note-making and note-taking conducted by Dr Howe (1970) revealed that key word notes personally made or given to students were far more effective in terms of the understanding and recall they engendered than complete transcript notes or sentence summary notes.
Howe, M.J.A (1970), ‘Using students’ notes to examine the role of the individual learner in acquiring meaningful subject matter’. Journal of Educational Research, 64, 61-3
Perform at Your Best with Whole Skills Thinking!
Mind Mapping brings together your left brain (words, logic, numbers, linearity) and right brain skills (curves, colour, rhythm, images, space) which dramatically increases your mind power. By using both cortical sides simultaneously you are maximising your brain’s potential.
The more you integrate left and right brain activities, the more the brain’s performance becomes synergetic. This means that each cortical skill enhances the performance of other areas so that the brain is working at its optimum.
Sperry, R.W. (1968), ‘Hemispheric deconnection and unity in conscious awareness’. Scientific American, Vol. 23, pp. 723-35.
It’s All About Connections
Mind Maps are based on associations and connections. Once ideas are displayed in Mind Map form, patterns of thought can be easily examined revealing similarities and linkages between information in different parts of the map.
By encouraging people to link apparently different ideas and concepts in this way, Mind Mapping actually promotes divergent and highly creative thinking.
White, R. and Gunstone, R. (1992), Probing Understanding. Falmer Press, New York
Emphasising and Grouping – Can They Really Help My Memory?
By gathering and highlighting key branches within a boundary, such as a highlight cloud, you’re using a memory technique known as ‘chunking’.
Our short-term memory is on average only capable of storing seven items of information and chunking can help us use this storage space more effectively.
Glass, A.L. and Holyoak, K.J. (1986), Cognition. New York: Random House.
How to Harness The Science
iMindMap, the only Mind Mapping software endorsed by Tony Buzan, combines all the proven elements of Mind Mapping with cutting edge technology to produce a tool that really does work.
By harnessing the techniques that has been scientifically researched and documented has culminated in a software tool that is truly effective by increasing our thinking abilities, enhancing creativity and improving memory.
iMindMap can enhance and advance a whole array of activities, including organising, creating, innovating, planning, presenting, note taking, learning, structuring, communicating, problem solving and project managing.
FREE 7-day trial of iMindMap can be downloaded from www.iMindMap.com so why not try it out for yourself and see if it actually does work!
Further References
- Novak, J. (1998), Learning, creating and using knowledge. Concept maps as facilitative tools in schools and corporations. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.
- Rico, G.R. (1983), Writing the natural way. Using Right-Brain Techniques to release your expressive powers. Los Angeles: J.P Tarcher, Inc
- Shone, R. (1984), Creative Visualization. New York: Thorsons Publishers Inc.
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