Idea map

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An Idea Map (or Idea Mapping) is a whole-brained visual thinking tool containing key thoughts and images, and is typically organized using a tree diagram structure. Ideas are linked together based on a hierarchy of associations determined by the creator of the map.

A hand-drawn idea map
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A hand-drawn idea map

Contents

[edit] Background

The structure of idea maps can be traced to many historical examples. Using a graphical display of colors, lines, and associations to assist human thinking was well known by medieval times. Two of Ramon Llull’s tree diagrams include “The Tree of Knowledge” (about 1270 AD) and “The Tree of the Philosophy of Love” (1298 AD). In the 1960’s these tree diagrams were called mind maps and popularized by British author Tony Buzan. Although idea mapping has a foundation in mind mapping, it does not hold to the laws of mind mapping. Rules are constantly broken based on the purpose and application of the map.

[edit] Contrast with Concept Mapping

Idea mapping is different than Concept mapping. Idea maps are created based on radial associations. The hierarchy is determined by placing the main idea in the center of the page; branches attached to the central idea become the next level of the hierarchy, and so on. Take an example of creating a map of a book. The center of the Tree structure might be the title of the book. The surrounding branches might be Setting, Plot, Characters, etc. Off of Characters there could be a number of sub-branches list each character and sub-sub-branches with more details. Concept maps are based on connections between concepts and frequently label the connections made between nodes. You can see the visual distinctions in their unique structures. Both play valuable roles in the world of learning to assist in graphically representing ideas and concepts. A concept map grows within a context frame defined by an explicit "focus question," while an idea map has its associating branches drawn from a central topic. Another contrast between Concept mapping and idea mapping is that an idea map reflects your individual associations. A concept map is supposed to be a map, a system view, of a real (abstract) system or set of concepts. It can take a lot more discussion to reach agreement about a Concept map.

[edit] Applications of Idea Maps

Idea maps have been used in numerous applications by business professionals, educators, and learners around the globe. Some of these applications include:

  • Creating and delivering presentations
  • Strategic planning (or planning or any kind)
  • Corporate or personal mission/vision
  • Team or individual brainstorming
  • Studying
  • Note taking
  • Problem solving
  • Decision making
  • Organizing and clarifying complex issues
  • Creating customer profiles
  • Project management
  • Meeting agendas
  • Preparing for a performance review
  • Develop and deliver training curriculum
  • Marketing strategies
  • Book of Knowledge
  • Designing a website

(See NAST, Jamie. Idea Mapping. Chapter 12 “Idea-Mapping Menu”.)

[edit] Idea Mapping Benefits

Following are a number of areas where one might benefit from idea mapping:

  1. Clarifies thinking
  2. Improves organization
  3. Enhances creativity
  4. A systemic visual of the issue at hand shows connections between data points that might otherwise have gone unnoticed in a more linear document.
  5. Increased memory
  6. Performance improvement
  7. Better able to manage information overload

There can be some benefits to creating idea maps by hand – especially when the objective is to enhance memory. (See HAGWOOD, Scott. Memory Power. Chapter one “Meeting My Memory”.) There are also many benefits when generating maps electronically.

[edit] Tools

These tools can be used effectively to organise large amounts of information, combining spatial organisation, dynamic hierarchical structuring and especially to merge data from team brainstorming sessions or other collaborative efforts. The ease of editing, the time-savings of re-drawing, the ability to create links, and interface with other software products are among some of the advantages of using software.

Below are some software products:

[edit] Free Software

[edit] Proprietary Software

There are many pieces of proprietary software (in alphabetical order) that allow the creation of mind maps.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Buzan, T. (1991). The Mind Map Book . New York: Penguin.
  • Hagwood, S. (2006). Memory Power. New York: Free Press. Future Knowledge Group
  • Nast, J. (2006). Idea Mapping. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons

[edit] External links

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