This article is in response to an email from one of my subscribers. He mentions a few problems that he has with Mind Maps, which I hope to address here. If he has the problem, then the chances are that many of you may have the same or similar problems.

I would like to start by stating upfront that this is not a defence of Mind Maps. Mind Maps and Mind Mapping, like any other technique, has its champions and its detractors.

Tony Buzan, the inventor of the Mind Map, goes to great lengths to prove that linear is bad and Mind Maps are good. Yet many successful people all over the world still use linear methods to great effect.

My take on the matter is this: Take out of it whatever works for you, and discard what doesn’t. Tony Buzan, uses the analogy of the ancient Martial Arts’ story of students first having to accept what the master says without questioning anything, apply the principles themselves and then only adapt it to suit themselves.

In this way, students not only become the new masters, but become better than the masters. You cannot know if Mind Mapping works without trying it. Debating and questioning whether it works will never give you the correct answer. It will just enforce what you already believe.

Coming back to the concerns in the email, I would just like to summarise the concerns that the writer had.

He was concerned that:

• There was no advantage of the Mind Map over just clustering what seems to be the Key subject
• A Mind Map takes so much energy to fill in the space that others cannot understand your Mind Maps
• Mind Maps of 10 years ago cannot be understood, even by the creator as only a skeleton is there

These are all valid concerns. Let’s look at them one by one.

Clustering

I wrote an article a while ago called when is a Mind Map not a Mind Map? This also sparked a lot of debate. While I believe that Tony Buzan’s approach of a central image and branches radiating out from the central image creates structure and order, yet maintaining creativity, many people use clustering to great effect.

If clustering works for you use it. If you feel that it’s becoming chaotic, get closer to the Mind Map Principles.

Others cannot understand your Mind Map

I admit that a Mind Map containing only Key Words is very difficult to read by another person. It takes a lot of energy to ‘rebuild’ what the creator of the Mind Map intended.

I solve this in two ways:

1. I add more than key words to my branches. In my article on Mind Map Principles, I state that this is the Mind Mapping principle that I break the most frequently. I do this to make it easier for others to read my Mind Map. Most of my personal Mind Maps still use Keys Words as Key Words have the ability to radiate out in many different ways, stimulating creativity.
2. I give a linear text summary with my Mind Maps. I think this is quite a unique approach, but many people have commended me on my Mind Map summaries. Tim Goodenough, one of the authors of ‘In the Zone with South Afria’s sports heroes’ had the following to say about my article How to improve performance with Mind Maps – In the Zone:
   

   “Can I just say that very few people have been able to capture the essence of “In the Zone” as succinctly and as effectively as you have here.

   The combination of Mindmap and explanations that go beyond what was described in the book show a deep and rich understanding of what we were trying to get across, and as one of the authors can I say thank you for this great introduction to our work.

   Thank you for your great feedback, our hope was to be able to get this information ‘out there’ so that people reading the book can take as much or as little as they wanted, but still walk away with something meaningful that they can apply in their life.

   Warm regards
   Tim Goodenough”

Another way to solve this problem, would be the approach that Adam Sicinski of IQ Matrix uses. He provides detailed Mind Maps on many topics using a unique Mind Mapping approach. His Mind Maps can be used by anybody, as it ‘reads like a book’. There are many free Mind Maps on his sight for you to download and try.

I’ve decided to go the Mind Map summary route by providing the Key Concepts in a Mind Map, as well as a linear summary. I feel that it’s easier for most people to follow and remember, as the linear method is so entrenched in them. This method provides the best of both worlds.

This article mainly covers Mind Maps and memory as that was the gist of the email. There are many other applications of Mind Maps, of which many can be found on MindMapTutor.com. Here are a few applications of Mind Maps:

• Motivation
• Goal Setting
• Time Management
• Study Methods
• Memory
• Recall
• Writing
• Presentations
• Brain Storming
• Problem Solving
• And Much more…

Old Mind Maps cannot be understood, even by the creator

This may be true for Mind Maps that only use Key Words. If one of the two methods above were used, the Mind Maps would be understood without any problems.

Choosing the correct Key Words is essential. If the Mind Map was done for recall purposes, it is important that the Key Words chosen are the ones that trigger the correct recall. If you choose the incorrect Key Words, you could trigger an entirely different train of thought. While this may be good for creative pieces, it is terrible for learning and studying.

Key Words are important enough to be studied as a subject on its own. I will post a future article on Key Words to guide you in choosing and using Key Words.

In the meantime, I recommend that you use the principles Accept, Apply, Adapt. And don’t forget that I offer a free course on the basic principles of Mind Mapping. The course also gives you templates and uses free Mind Mapping software, which you can download and start using immediately.

Enrol now, it won’t cost you anything and there are no strings attached. It’s not often that an opportunity like this comes along!

Until next time…