What is Mind Mapping?

A Mind Map is a diagram used to represent concepts, ideas, tasks or other items linked to a central theme. In a Mind Map, the central theme is often illustrated with a graphical image. The ideas related to the main theme radiate in a clockwise direction from that central image as "branches". Topics and ideas of lesser importance are represented as "sub-branches"of their relevant branch.

By presenting the relationships between ideas in a non-linear graphical manner, Mind Mapping encourages a brainstorming approach to the handling and organization of information. Mind Maps have numerous applications both in the education sector, where they are used as an aid to studying and learning, and in the business sector, to facilitate critical thinking, problem solving and decision making.

Mind Maps have many strengths and benefits:

Simple

• Easy to create
• Easy to expand
• Easy to filter

Visual

• Easy to remember
• Easy to overview
• Highlight links and relationships

Creative

• Stimulate imagination
• Boost motivation
• Improve productivity

Collaborative

• Promote team spirit
• Encourage group communication
• Optimize work processes

People have been organizing their thoughts for centuries by drawing graphical "tree-like" representations of their ideas, particularly in the areas of psychology and education. The concept of the modern Mind Map was developed by Tony Buzan, a British psychologist and businessman, who argued that the radial structure of Mind Maps, reinforced by the use of lines, symbols, words, color and images, is much more in line with the brain natural way of processing information than the traditional linear approach. According to the Mind Mapping theory, the use of Mind Maps is therefore not only significantly more conducive to memory retention, but also promotes creativity, organization and analytical skills.

The five essential characteristics of a Mind Map:

• The main idea, subject or focus is crystallized in a central image.
• The main themes radiate from the central image as "branches".
• Each branch includes a key image or word drawn on its associated line.
• Topics of lesser importance are represented as "twigs" of the relevant branch.
• The branches form a connected "tree-like" structure.

Building a Mind Map typically consists of the following steps:

1. Start from the central concept or issue
2. Create branches and sub-branches to capture all related ideas and issues
3. Add pictures, documents, hyperlinks as needed to each branch
4. Arrange the branches logically
5. Create visual links between related branches
6. Present or distribute your Mind Map

It is of course possible to draw Mind Maps by hand, but using specialized Mind Mapping software such as MindView will greatly increase their potential, resulting in many new applications and additional benefits.

Typical uses of Mind Mapping software:

• Individual use

• Taking notes
• Organizing ideas
• Planning reports and proposals
• Task management
• Time management
• Project planning
• Problem solving

• Collaboration

• Meeting agendas
• Brainstorm sessions
• Presentations
• Workshops
• Seminars
• Strategy meetings
• Planning meetings

Benefits of using MindView to build your Mind Maps:

• Very quick to build, organize and re-organize
• Can be expanded or collapsed to increase or decrease the level of detail
• Can be filtered to focus on a particular area or idea
• Can be linked to other maps
• Can be enhanced with external resources (graphics, spreadsheets, websites, links, etc.)
• Different map styles available
• 6 different representations of the data (including Outline, Timeline and Gantt Chart)
• Can be split in several pages instantaneously for legible printouts on any printer
• Easy to share via the MindView Viewer
• Easy to convert to other formats (Word, PowerPoint, HTML, Project, etc.)
• Can also be created by import from other formats (Word, PowerPoint, Project, etc.)
• Synchronization possible between MindView and external formats