Creativity
Mind Mapping
The ‘what’ and the ‘why’?
M
Barry Mapp ind Mapping® is a powerful accelerated first article is to explain the unique features of
learning technique, available to both Mind Mapping – and why these features matter.
explains the
teacher and student. Its inherent
unique features simplicity and power come from its design and The Tree-Diagram Principle
of Mind Mapping rules. Other types of Visual-Association-Tools (VATs Tree diagrams are commonly used in many
– and why these for short), such as spider diagrams and bubble different walks of life, from the categorisation of
features matter diagrams are not as effective as Mind Mapping in fauna and flora, to business organisational charts.
assisting thinking, learning and remembering. Figure 1 shows the organising principle of the tree
Once a student or teacher becomes competent diagram. The way in which a tree diagram
in the use of the technique, it usually becomes organises information (from the higher level of
their preferred way of organising thoughts, abstraction to a lower level of abstraction) appears
planning, preparation and delivery of talks, to be an exceedingly effective way for the mind to
making notes and communicating information to ‘grasp’ the big picture and the key relationships
themselves and others. It is important that between varying objects.
anyone who teaches Mind Mapping understands However, there are several disadvantages to the
the unique capabilities of this specific technique, ordinary tree diagram, including its inefficiency
and has practical ‘hands-on’ experience in its use, in managing the paper ‘space’. A tree diagram is
so that they can coach the student in how to use sparse at its apex and cluttered at its ‘roots’. One
the tool to its full effectiveness. The aim of this key principle for memorising information is to
42 www.teachingexpertise.com ● Issue 12 ● Summer 2006
Creativity
maintain associations (which the tree diagram
does), but another important principle is to avoid The Tree Diagram Principle
cramming things together. The tree diagram can You have a poodle called Lucky.
be modified to form other VATs that make better The diagram relates your dog to the rest of the animal kingdom.
use of the paper space. TOPIC
Animal
Modified Tree Diagrams
Mammal
Figure 2 overleaf shows three examples of
modified tree diagrams in common use. Each Domesticated
uses an organising principle by which the topic
is placed at the centre, with a number of trees or
Pet
‘branches’ radiating from the topic and each Dog
separate branch linking together components or
ideas associated with the topic. All three designs Poodle
have this multiple tree-branching aspect and all
LUCKY
retain complete connectivity to the main topic.
This helps the brain assimilate the information At the base of any tree diagram are individual or special examples (in this case
given (lists and bullet points are woeful in this Lucky) and at the top of the diagram is a main category or topic. So the tree
regard, as most of the important connections get diagram goes from the high level of abstraction (animal) to a lower level of
abstraction (Lucky). Each level below is one example of the level above. So Lucky
lost in their organisation).
is a poodle is a dog is domesticated ias a mammal is an animal. The basic idea
Figure 2 also highlights some of the key ways in all visual maps is a variation on the tree diagram where the Topic is in the
in which Mind Maps differ from the other centre and several tree diagrams branch out from the centre, as follows.
organisational techniques. Mind Maps write on
the connecting branches rather than at the ends
of branches. Mind Maps are more compact and
the font size of the words themselves can be
bigger (and therefore they standout more, which TOPIC
aids memory). Note that when colour is added, it
does little to enhance a spider diagram, and
although bubble diagrams look pretty in colour
outline, in practice bubbles of colour tend to
distract the eye from the diagram’s content.
Figure 1
Colour on a Mind Map enhances the map and 4. Chunking – the brain likes information to be
underscores the map’s key points. broken down into small chunks. The mind can
hold about six (plus or minus three) bits of
Specific benefits of Mind Mapping information consciously at any one time (three
So far, we have noted that visual maps are to nine bits).
better than straight lists or notes. Now let’s look
at how and why Mind Maps have considerable Mind Mapping taps into the memory ‘magic’ of the
advantages over the other VATs. Where Mind above features. It enhances the effectiveness and
Mapping excels is in its features that are speed with which we put information into our
designed to help learning, recall and thinking. heads and then retrieve it again. The technique
organises information in such a way that it:
Learning and Remembering ● keeps all of the connections
Simple memory exercises with groups of people ● consists only of ‘trigger’ words made by the
will consistently demonstrate that the key brain, linked together
factors for aiding remembering are: ● good trigger words help to create pictures in
1. Making connections – the brain remembers the mind – and Mind Maps use symbols and
new material when we make strong images as well
connections to what we already know. We ● organises information into small chunks (a
remember things that are personal. good Mind Map rarely has more then nine
2. Triggers – the brain likes to have prompts or main branches and rarely more than five sub-
triggers in order to find the ‘needles’ that are branches flow from each main branches and,
buried in its infinite ‘haystack’. therefore, ideas flow from the high level of
3. Pictures – regardless of any preferred ‘learning abstraction to the low).
style’, the brain always finds it easier to use
and remember ‘pictures’ than words or It is true that spider diagrams and bubble
sentences. diagrams also maintain connections and break
www.teachingexpertise.com ● Issue 12 ● Summer 2006 43
Creativity
be done to ‘re-read’ the map. Less processing
means ‘less memorable’. Phrases written on
branches (rather than single words) also means
reduced memory-triggering effect.
Now read a Mind Map
In my next article, we will look at how to
construct Mind Maps. First though, it is always
a good idea for you to learn to read from a Mind
Map before you attempt to start creating them. So
turn to Figure 3 [insert jpeg of holiday mind map]
and prepare to read this Mind Map. Imagine that
you have received this as a postcard from a friend
and read the content as though you are reading it
out aloud to someone else in the room.
Tip: You read a Mind Map from the centre
outwards, so that on the right side you will read
one main branch at a time, from left to right and
on the left side, from right to left (you may find
Figure 2 this a bit strange at first). Attempt to read the map
the ‘whole’ down into chunks, but only Mind
in grammatical sentences – you will need to
Mapping is consistent in the way that it uses
imagine and embellish it a little from your own
‘trigger words’, imagery and colour. The key to
personal holiday experiences and add your own
this the use of single words. Only the Mind
adverbs and adjectives etc.
Mapping principles specify that each branch
supports just one word. All of the other
techniques tend to use phrases not single words Once you have read the Mind Map get some paper
in the structure. For long-term recall, Mind and a pen. First, just reflect on this reading
Mapping needs to be combined with an effective exercise. How easy or difficult was it for you to read
but brief review strategy (which will be outlined this map? How much information was contained
in my second article in the next issue of TEX). on this small postcard? Next, take your eyes away
from the Mind Map and write down as much detail
Make your own connections about the holiday as you can remember.
You remember something new far more clearly
when you have made connections to it yourself. Tip: Start by sketching out as much of the centre
I often demonstrate to groups how I can actually picture as you can recall, together with any writing
make it less easy for them to remember that was included in the picture (the central image
acts as a trigger for the rest of the Map).
Barry Mapp trained with something when I give them the fullest picture
Tony Buzan in Mental
possible and leave no ‘space’ for them to make
Literacy and Mind
Mapping and runs his their own mental imagery or connections. Now see if you can recall any of the key words
own courses in schools, Every time you read someone else’s Mind that were associated with the main branches
colleges and business.
Map, you make your own connections with the that grew out of the central image and their
He is a visiting Lecturer
at Birmingham words and pictures (when you read your own approximate relative positions. (Don’t worry
University and Morley Maps also!). You have to do this because the about getting the structure right – we will work
College and a
consultant for Dudley Mind Map never contains all the information on that next time). As you recall a main heading,
Regional Staff College, needed (only trigger words), so you have to fill this will then trigger some of the sub-branch
where he runs modular in the spaces from your own mental database, detail. So have a go and see how much of the
workshops for teachers
and trainers on Mind thereby automatically making your own map you can recall (If you struggle, take a quick
Mapping and Thinking connections with the material as you go along. peep at the whole Map and try again).
Skills. Barry has worked
Herein lies the ‘hidden’ learning and the power Congratulations! You may well have read your
with primary schools
integrating the Mind of Mind Maps. The more mental ‘processing’ you first Mind Map and you will be amazed about
Map technique across do, in order to read or create the map, the more how much information it actually contained and
the whole school.
you will remember. how much you remembered! (You will be even
Tex@BarryMapp.co.uk
One reason why computer-generated Mind more amazed if you test yourself again in one
Maps are not as good for learning as hand-drawn hour’s time.) Hopefully, this exercise will now
Mind Map is trade marks
® ones is that they make it too easy for people to have wetted your appetite to learn the next step:
of the Buzan Organisation put whole phrases onto branches. This then how to construct your own Mind Maps – but you
reduces the amount of processing that needs to will have to wait until the next issue of TEX.
44 www.teachingexpertise.com ● Issue 12 ● Summer 2006