Make a mind map on the topic of a social group. Mind maps are a useful tool for structuring information

Due to the specifics of my work, I constantly monitor the emergence and development of tools like the construction methodology. Naturally, I also follow the software that implements the methods. It seemed to me that I knew all these programs. But iMind Map really surprised me. Firstly, because I didn’t notice the elephant. Secondly, because the program is much better than analogues in terms of stimulating thinking.

However, it is not surprising - the program was made and is under the patronage of the founder of this technique, Tony Byuzan. Until now, I have used the most advanced and popular solution - Mind Manager from Mindjet. I continue to use it when I need to create a structure. But if I need to find a solution or think, iMind Map is exactly what I need. What is so special about this program?

The methodology for constructing mind maps is based on the visualization and structuring of thinking. So, what the map looks like has crucial. Any mind map is a tree. A tree has a trunk and branches extending from it. The further away from the trunk, the thinner the branches become - this simple visualization principle allows you to display the train of thought in the correct order.

Each branch is a separate direction or thought that you develop. The thinner the section of the branch, the more new, fresh or detailed it is in relation to the main idea.

By default, all main branches of the tree have different colors. This is also important and allows you to separate one thought and the course of its development from another, while maintaining the overall structure. The color and shape of the branches can be changed at will.

In principle, it is very convenient to work with branches. They can be dragged, stretched, you can change their shape. Two drawing modes determine how the branch will be drawn: automatically or freehand. Drawing by hand, you can give the branch any shape. In addition, you can even change the drawing of the branch itself. For example, make it in the form of a road or an arrow. The visualization of a branch is the visualization of a thought.

Branches can also be of two types: simple (linear) and in the form of a rectangle. In the first version, the text is located on the branch itself. In the second case, the text is inside the rectangle. Representing a branch as a rectangle is very handy for displaying key thoughts and comments.

The branches can be connected to each other, for this there are separate arrows.

Images can be used to enhance visualization. They can be placed on the branch itself, assigned as the base point of the branch, or simply placed anywhere. In addition to pictures, branches can be marked with icons, the choice of which is very large in iMind Map. By the way, in addition to adding files with pictures, you can sketch an image and immediately add it to the map. Just an invaluable feature for brainstorming.

The cool thing about iMind Map is that you can add flowcharts directly to your mind map. I really miss this in the same MindManager. Each element of the circuit can be connected to any element of the entire map.

The automatic tidying function works very well. One click, and the map takes on the optimal look in terms of display and placement of elements. So don't worry about mess when working with the map.

Separately, it is worth talking about the ways of presenting the map.

Project type

Like many other mind mapping software, iMind Map allows you to convert branches into tasks. And the whole map is a single project. In order to make it more convenient to work with the map from the point of view of project management, a separate view is provided. In this case, the branches of the map are presented in the form of a list with the timing, duration, and percentage of completion.

By the way, iMind Map works with the Drop Task service. I would not say that the type of project in itself will bring great benefits, but maintaining small projects in this mode is quite possible. But in conjunction with Drop Task - a completely different matter. I highly recommend paying attention to the service itself and trying it in conjunction with iMind Map. Everything looks unusual, very, very cool. But this, perhaps, pulls on a separate article.

Map 3D

A very unusual presentation. The program will convert your map into a 3D image that you can rotate as you wish. It would seem that it is just a visual feature. But no. The presentation is extremely convenient for holding and focusing attention on a particular branch, thought, task. Unusual, interesting, adds zest - in a word, I liked it.

Text Mode

In this mode, the mind map is presented as a structured text. Sub-items can be collapsed and expanded. This view, for example, is very convenient for working with text alignment. The number of nested sub-items is infinite. You can first sketch out the structure of the text in the form of a map with notes on the main theses and ideas, and then switch to text mode and already. Pictures and icons in this view are also displayed. This view is also very convenient for preparing for a presentation and working with abstracts.

Presentation Mode

There is no such effective and effective presentation mode in any analogue program. The mind map is the whole story. iMind Map in presentation mode lets you tell the story in the way and in the order you choose. Before starting a presentation, you can set up the order in which branches are displayed, comments on them, types of transitions from one branch to another, and much more. You can set up transitions on click of keys, or set the timing of each branch. You can even loop the presentation so that it is shown all the time - kiosk mode.

The program offers a set of presentation presentation templates, which makes its creation even easier. Scaling, transitions, accents on branches - all this is done in just a couple of clicks. The result is a very high quality product. My rating is five out of five.

Branch queuing mode

Similar to text mode and is structured text. But the purpose of this mode is precisely to determine the order of branches. In this mode, you determine the order in which your ideas will be presented on the map and in the . That is, you can do this both in the map mode, simply by dragging the branches, and in this mode, changing the levels of the branches in the form of text. Actually very convenient.

Summary and some chips

The only software that fully complies with the principles of building mind maps and visualizing the process of thinking.
Developed with the support of method founder Tony Buzan.
Very convenient work on building and changing mind maps.
Integration with Drop Task allows you to carry out big projects.
Flexible display and presentation settings.
Building mind maps turns into an exciting process.
On the ThinkBuzan website, you can take a free online training on building mind maps.
The program works on different platforms: Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Android.
The built-in map display optimization works like magic.
The best software for preparing presentations based on mind maps.
Ability to add flowcharts to the map.
Completely in Russian.

Finally

iMind Map is the best mind mapping software in my opinion. The only program of its kind that stimulates. I strongly advise you to try it, since there is a trial version. Recently, the program has been supplemented with new features and updated to the 8th version. But more on that next time. That's all I wanted to say. ;)

Good time, Dear readers and guests of the blog!
Today I want to talk with you about one interesting technique that will help you analyze any information better and more efficiently: a mental map - you will learn examples of some of them from this article.

This technique is not so complicated, and its applicability knows no bounds. After all, we all sometimes find ourselves in a situation where we urgently need to sort out some business, material, or maybe even in our own lives? In this case, you should definitely get acquainted with mind mapping!

A small outline of the article:

What is a mental map?
How are mind maps created?
What to look for when mind mapping
Types of programs for creating mental maps
Application of mental maps in life.

What kind of animal is this?

Mind mapping (maindmapping) is a convenient way to structure information, where the main topic is in the center of the sheet, and related concepts are arranged around in the form tree diagram.

Psychology, mnemonics and neurolinguistics are successfully combined here. In this article you will see examples of such cards.

One of my cards, monthly plan:

This technique was first proposed by Tony Buzan, a British psychologist. He explains the high efficiency of mental maps by the peculiarity of human psychology to perceive information in its entirety and non-linearly, as if scanning.

Therefore, the kilometers of text familiar to us in ordinary notes so quickly tire and annoy, you yourself know.

How it's done?

As mentioned above, a mental map is such a voluminous tree-like system. At the very beginning of use, you need to decide on theme- a word or a small definition that will set the direction for all the resulting data.

“Following” is said for a reason: you need to set different flows of subsequent information, drawing more and more branches.

A huge plus of using mental maps is that there, in fact, there can be no extra information! All the details that would be omitted in a regular table or abstract will find their place on the smaller branches of our system, and the details of these details on even smaller branches!

In this regard, the use of mental maps is very convenient when you need to understand your own thoughts and desires.

You can record anything, all associations and thoughts that pop up, structuring the information into the main and the following without any problems: the whole picture will form by itself.

A few details to pay attention to:

1. Bright colors

Human psychology is arranged in such a way that at first we perceive colors, lines, general structure, and then we go into the symbols, which are the letters that make up the text. Therefore, it is useful to highlight outstanding moments with bright pens, markers, pencils and other things.

2. Special styles

Based on the same principle of psychology, it would be nice if, when using a map, each branch was framed in some special, different style from other branches. In this case, there will be less chance of confusing information, since the data will not be associated with each other on subconscious level.

3. Notation system

A chain of thoughts in the mind can arise very quickly, and just as quickly be replaced by another. Therefore, in order to eliminate the risk of incomplete filling of the mental map, I recommend that you come up with and put into use your own symbol system in advance: to save time.

4. Illustrations and images

Don't limit yourself to text alone. Additional visual materials will make the information included in the map even easier to understand.

5. Additional Notes

The whole effect can be lost if you start to overdo it with the text. To deepen the material, you can use footnotes on special small pieces of paper-bookmarks, where the mentioned topic will be explained in a little more detail than the map allows.

6. Uniqueness

Clearly state the material at the levels of the map, otherwise the mental map will not fulfill its main task: it will not help you analyze information more successfully.

Computer programs

You do not have to draw the entire map by hand, because there are special programs that help you do mind mapping digitally.

Here is some of them:

iMindMap - this is the program I used before, it is very easy to use, beautiful and spectacular maps are obtained. I am well acquainted with her, in the future I will tell you in more detail.

But it has a significant disadvantage - a high cost, it’s worth buying if you are going to definitely use it all the time, I switched to paper ones, and in the examples my old cards ...

Coggle is a simple interface and an abundance of features. Allows you to create high-quality mental maps in a short time. You can upload files by simply dragging and dropping from your desktop.

Allows collaboration on the same map. There is an undo function, as well as a detailed history of changes.

Xmind is a popular cross-platform program that exists in paid and free versions. In addition to mind mapping, it supports Ishikawa diagrams. Quite useful for time management.

Mapul is a paid program that runs on a monthly subscription. Distinguished by its original design. Good for creating handwritten maps, there is a Russian language in the settings.

MindMeister is a simple program without a confusing interface. There is an app for Android and iOS. Generally paid, but there is a free trial version. Allows you to work together in real time.

WiseMapping is a program that allows you to work on maps online, without downloading to your computer. Supports both collaborative and personal work. Allows you to export the finished product to another format, insert it into websites, presentations, and more.

Application of mind maps

Mind maps can be useful in various areas of our lives:

1. Learning new material

Both in schools, universities and various courses, as well as in self-education. It makes sense to abandon the usual linear notes and switch to mental maps.

With mind maps, it becomes easier to perceive new information. This is due to the accentuated cause-and-effect relationships, so the process of mastering the material is faster.

In addition, it can save time, because when writing long notes, it takes you time to write and then reread the material that is not very important.

And since in the sections of information you arrange all the topics and subtopics as a multi-level system, you will not have time for a long search and decoding of the material.

Therefore, mind mapping is a worthy alternative.

2. Analysis of life situations

When it is difficult to understand what to do, what choices to make and what actions to take, mind mapping also comes to the rescue.

Sequentially laying out information on the shelves-branches, you can unexpectedly see the situation with new sides, deal with the details and discover the exits and opportunities that are imperceptible at first glance.

3. Self-knowledge

It is difficult to decide on a profession, a profile of study, and in general to live in the modern world, if you yourself do not know what you can and what you want.

Mind maps allow you to accurately analyze your emotions, feelings and tastes, helping to identify sometimes unexpected reasons for the current state of affairs.

4. Self-development

With the help of mental maps, it is quite convenient to control your own progress and progress towards your goals. It also helps to organize your time and efforts, not allowing you to hide from attention to the little things, ignoring which often leads to losses.

5. Planning

I quite often draw up a plan in the form of a map, for example, almost every article on the blog begins with drawing up an article plan, you can learn more about this.

Well, you can see the drawn up plan for the month in the example above, it just shows the plan for December, though 2014 ...

And we strive for success, right? Never give up, and let intelligence cards be your faithful assistants even in the most confusing situations!

On this I think it's time to end, all the best!

In the new millennium, when the volume and nature of information has become colossal, new methods and programs have become urgently needed for their rapid assimilation. Such methods soon appeared and were called "mind maps". Their creator is Tony Buzan, and the author of many books on self-improvement and thinking. His most famous work, the book "Supermind", created with his brother, is a hit and a fulcrum of many of his followers.

What is a mind map for?

(from English mindmap, or is a creative way of revealing a topic, concept, idea, any object of thought or even a story. They will help you in:

Mind maps from Tony Buzan have become widespread due to the simplicity of their implementation. Their effectiveness lies in increasing the productivity of work, often on a fairly large scale.

How to create?

A smart map is very easy to create - all you need is a pen and a piece of paper, you can also use the screen of a computer, tablet, laptop. The brain is easier to digest a multi-colored and multidimensional mind map than a regular gray abstract with diagrams and tables, so it is better to use multi-colored pens or pencils.

As you can see, the mind map is easily supplemented with additional branches-elements and associations, easy to read, easy to understand.

How does the brain work?

In order to understand how a mind map works, we first need to understand the principles. We all know that the brain consists of two hemispheres, each responsible for its own functional set. For example, the left hemisphere is responsible for logical meanings and sequences, words, numbers, formulas, diagrams and analysis. While the right is the perception of rhythm and space, imagination and representation of images. Most people rely mainly on the left hemisphere to solve their problems, and the constant load on only one part of the brain atrophies the second, as a result of which the whole brain loses, since the main potential is not used.

Cards load the whole brain

The brain functions perfectly when both hemispheres are connected, which is what Tony Buzan was trying to achieve when creating his new method. Drawings connect the right hemisphere to work, and the connections between them - the left, a competent ratio of both allows you to use those reserves that were not in demand before. So the mind map will help your whole brain work, and its constant use will make it habitual to work with images, which is a key moment in all areas of life. T

So, many people note that, having worked with cards for a long time, they notice that they are completing them in their heads already when reading or communicating, and this does not bring chaos, but, on the contrary, increases understanding. By using your brain at this intensity, you will be able to keep it functioning and working properly.

Smart cards: programs

Now special programs are very popular in the world, with the help of which you can quickly and competently create mental maps. About two hundred different programs in different categories have now been created in the world:

paid;
free;
online services.

Working on them is quite simple: first you need to go to the editor menu and start with "Create a new mind map". A convenient one will immediately arise in which you will need to start creating a mental map by entering a keyword - the program will immediately create a colored central symbol with your word. After that, you will need to enter additional keywords that will be responsible for the branches emanating from the central symbol. The program will draw and color each branch itself, and it will be possible to edit all points, from color to the structure diagram of all branches. You can also copy and propagate branches, move them, delete as desired. Very convenient, isn't it?

What are the benefits of the programs?

An intellectual map will help you correctly distribute all the information and paint its key points. But what to do if the amount of information is simply huge and cannot be included in standard schemes painted on a sheet of paper? That is why the programs have gained such popularity - they will help you create three-dimensional and multidimensional maps, with large amounts of information and sections.

Megamind maps are large-scale mind maps, examples of which you can find in the editor program or online service. This method is popular in industry and large companies, but it can be useful to anyone who uses this technique. They will help you improve your performance, and hyperlink your map with multi-level information, develop idea centers for new maps - after all, each such mind map will be part of a large whole created to help you in any endeavor.

An intellect map is a technique for presenting any process or event, thought or idea in a comprehensive, systematized, visual (graphical) form.

Mind-maps (the term can be translated as "intelligence maps", "mind maps", "thought maps", "thinking maps", "mental maps", "memory maps" or "mind maps") - information displayed in graphical form on a large sheet of paper. It reflects the connections (semantic, causal, associative, etc.) between concepts, parts and components of the area under consideration. This is clearer than the usual presentation of thoughts in words in writing. After all, a verbal description generates a lot of unnecessary information, makes our brain work in a manner unusual for it. As a result, this leads to loss of time, to a decrease in concentration and to rapid fatigue.

Although the first examples of the creation of mind maps can be found in scientific works created centuries ago, their widespread use began in the second half of the twentieth century thanks to the English psychologist Tony Buzan. Buzan systematized the use of mind maps, developed rules and principles for their construction, and made a lot of efforts to popularize and disseminate this technology. Of the 82 books written by Buzan and devoted to this topic, the most famous is - "Teach Yourself to Think" - it is included in the list of 1000 greatest books of the millennium.

The effectiveness of mind maps is explained by the fact that thought processes take place in a similar way. The human brain consists of neurons that are connected to each other by processes - dendrites. Different images stimulate different groups of neurons and connections between them. You can think of an intelligence map as a photograph of the complex and intricate relationships of our thoughts, which give our brain the ability to streamline and detail objects and phenomena. When using mental maps, we kind of try to draw our thinking.

The purpose of creating a mind map is to put things in order in your head, get a complete picture and find new associations. Tony Buzan believes that mind maps help to better manage thought processes and give greater freedom of thought.

Mind maps today are made up of entrepreneurs, teachers, scientists, designers, engineers and people of many other specialties. And this is understandable, because the creation of mind maps helps to approach the solution of any problem more meaningfully, putting it on the shelves. Moreover, the use of intelligence cards is possible in various areas of our lives. In the West, among successful people, mind maps have long gained popularity. Here is an example of a billionaire mind map Richard Branson:

Scope of mind maps

Mind maps can be used to plan your own life

Quite often, in a large amount of information, we do not see the whole picture, and drawing up a plan in the form of a mental map helps to restore a holistic vision of the situation. You can plan projects, starting with organizing a holiday and ending with a project starting your own business. You can make plans for life, year, month, week, day, prioritizing things and affecting all sorts of aspects of life. Budget planning with the help of mind maps helps to prioritize the importance of spending, easily track its implementation and make adjustments.

Mind maps help you make the right decision

AT decision-making process, in case of a dilemma - “go - do not go”, “buy - do not buy”, “change jobs - do not change” ... mind maps help to approach these issues in a more balanced way:

Mind maps allow you to collect all the necessary information related to solving a problem on one sheet and take a look at it at a glance.
Mind maps do not let you lose sight of all the pros and cons of a particular decision.
Mind maps activate associative thinking, which allows you to see important factors missed in traditional analysis.
Plus, the use of images and colors in mental maps activates intuition, and this can also affect the correctness of decisions made.

Mind mapping will help you prepare for the presentation and convince the audience

How is the presentation going? A person reads articles and books, ... makes extracts from them ... In order not to get confused in the variety of the collected material, it is useful to structure it in the form of mind maps. In the course of the performance, mind maps, by simply crossing out or adding a branch, allow you to shorten or expand the performance. A well-composed mind map helps not to get lost and not to lose the main idea, while maintaining the overall picture of speech.

The advantages of a mind map over a text plan are obvious: ten keywords are much easier to remember than ten pages of text; it is almost impossible to knock a speaker armed with a presentation mental map with questions or something else; the mind map can be presented as a good example (slides, posters), so the audience will remember the main idea better and will be less distracted by looking around; at the end of the presentation, printed copies of mind maps can be used as handouts.

It is very beneficial and useful to use mind maps for learning

When taking notes on lectures, writing term papers (abstracts, diplomas, dissertations), analyzing, understanding and memorizing large amounts of information, the use of mental maps is simply necessary. Information presented in the form of familiar abstracts (a pile of written sheets that look no different from each other) leads to large time losses. It takes a lot of time to record, and later to search and read the necessary information. But the compilation of mind maps, in addition to contributing to better assimilation and memorization of the text, also entails development of creative and creative thinking, being a kind of exercise for the mind. In a previous article “For the body - aerobics, and for the mind - neurobics”, It was already said that habitual and monotonous activities lead to the inability to concentrate on new material, to a decrease in mental abilities and memory impairment. What is lecture notes for a student? Monotonous and boring job.

I remember when I was writing my thesis, because of the not very good detailing of the structure, sometimes there were moments of misunderstanding of further actions. Surely, people who write texts without a preliminary outline of a plan often fall into such a dead end. The mind map helps to break out of the creative impasse, it is like a skeleton on which the rest of the text builds up.

Mind map on which Tony Buzan wrote the book - "Teach Yourself to Think":

A mind map is a good tool for increase the effectiveness of brainstorming

To work in a team, Tony Buzan suggests using collective mind maps. When you need to generate an idea or develop a creative project, make a group decision and model joint project management, well, or in order to analyze the results of activities, use the method of compiling collective mind maps.

Individual mental maps become part of collective thought maps, being the graphic embodiment of consensus reached within the group.

According to Buzan, this method differs from the usual brainstorming, when the team leader writes down the key ideas proposed by employees - " In fact, this greatly interferes with the work, because each proposal voiced in front of the team leads to the use of familiar patterns, the mediation of thought flows in the brains of the participants, often moving towards the same thing in the same direction.».

Rules for compiling mental maps

An excerpt from Tony Buzan's book "Superthinking", in which the author describes the technology for creating mind maps:

Use emphasis

Associate

Use arrows when you want to show connections between mind map items.
Use colors.
Use information coding.

Strive for clarity in expressing thoughts

Stick to the principle: one keyword per line.
Use capital letters.
Place keywords above relevant lines.
Make sure that the length of the line is approximately equal to the length of the corresponding keyword.
Connect lines with other lines and make sure that the main branches of the map are connected to the central image.
Make the main lines smoother and bolder.
Separate blocks of important information using lines.
Make sure that your drawings (images) are as clear as possible.
Hold the paper horizontally in front of you, preferably in the landscape position.
Try to arrange all words horizontally.

P.S. On the Internet, there are a large number of both online services for developing mind maps and applications for various platforms.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.