A mind map is a one-page visual method of organizing and capturing information. It is based on a circular format, with relevant topics branching off a central theme. Each branch, in turn, can be broken down into sub-branches/subtopics that link to related documents.
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During client meetings, participants view presentations on a 60-inch screen. The right-hand side of the mind map portrays more conceptual and social topics, while the left side is for more objective, number-oriented topics. However, the software allows users to organize the branches any way they wish.
When you remove the expectations and just let your ideas flow, idea generation comes naturally. When you do sit down to write, you can just follow the path laid out in your mind map and fill in the cracks. It makes writing so much easier (and much less stressful).
After an initial round of brainstorming, I use the Focus Mode tool in MindNode to go back around and zoom in on each section to develop it further. Focusing on a specific section allows my brain to really reach deep and make sure that I get everything related that may be bouncing around in there. I absolutely love the way Focus Mode works in MindNode by graying out the rest of the mind map so you can more easily concentrate on a specific section. Take a look:
Pro tip: resist the temptation to think you got everything the first time! Going back through my mind map a second time fills in the cracks and helps me generate a ton of new ideas and connections.
Using a large sheet of paper, begin in the center with your main concept which you wish to explore or your key problem which you wish to solve. Allow your mind to suggest main ideas or steps which naturally flow from your main concept or problem. Place these categories as channels or bubbles flowing outward from the central idea. In order to achieve each of these categories, you will likely require smaller steps or sub-categories. Continue to draw arrows out from each category to its subcategories. Proceed with this until you think that you have covered all elements which will be needed to complete your project or solve your problem.
Make your map as simple or as elaborate as you desire by using drawings, colors, or varying scripts. Remember, the purpose of the mind map is not to create an aesthetic illustration but to organize all of your rambling thoughts and concerns about your project on one diagram. You will feel your confusion and anxiety drift away as you realize that you now can begin productive work, knowing that nothing will slip through the cracks. If you think of additional points later, simply add them in the appropriate section of your mind map.
The image above is my example which I created in order to manage the production on my solo exhibition. I chose to highlight tasks as I tackled them; so that I could see at a glance what needed to be done next. In general, I began at the top center of the mind map by deciding on the theme and title of my show. I was able to start here because I had already completed a large number of paintings and needed to narrow them down for a cohesive theme. I engaged my husband and son in selecting a title for the show with the prerequisite that I prefer descriptive titles which I think aids visability in search engines.
Once the theme, title, and paintings had been selected I worked mostly clockwise around my map, keeping in mind any deadlines which I scheduled on my calendar. Next, I focused on the most physically demanding chore of framing my works. Since my venue is local I was able to take photos of the walls in the gallery and to use my limited Photoshop skills to virtually place my paintings in the gallery. I wrote press releases and submitted them to newspapers, newsletters, and online newsletters. I designed and ordered large postcards from VistaPrint.com with a printed invitation to my artist reception and mailed them to collectors, galleries, media contacts, friends, family and acquantances. I posted my show invitation on my social media and wrote an article for my monthly artist e-newsletter.
Ruth, Great article! I've used mind mapping before but I must admit, I usually end up making list after list on big pieces of cardstock, which I narrow down and down, until near the exhibition date, I have ONE final to-do list to contend with. Mind mapping is much easier, but I could see where combining the two might work well for me. Thanks!
Ruth, This is a brilliant example of how to organize for a solo show or any big event! I used mapping to teach my 9 year old students how to organize thoughts for writing a paper, but I can see that this is a tool with many possibilities. Too bad one couldn't hilight all the tasks NOT completed, and then un-hilight them when completed. :) Thanks for reminding me of this valuable tool which only requires paper and pencil. Cathy
Hi Ruth, Very interesting approach. I just had a solo exhibition in Vienna, Austria, and there were minor things that fell between the cracks, eg we forgot to organize somebody who takes fotos during the opening. Apart from that, everything worked fine but I always forget how much work it is. ;-) It would not have happened without the many volunteer helpers from among my friends and one friend who coordinated them all. I think mind mapping is great when you want to greenlight on everything that needs doing. However, I am not so sure that it is a good solution for prioritizing tasks. But then - everybody works / thinks differently. All the best, Faith Dance
Great advice, Ruth. This reminds me of a chart I made for a counselor who was helping me sort out family relationships and conflicts. The galaxy consisted of near and distant people and the lines between them and me, and them and them were designed to express hot or cool relationships, back and forth. It taught me so much about my own issues, and about the dynamics of my large family. There were a few lines that went a LOT of ways, showing some central perpetrators! And told the counselor where my own hot issues were.
Cathy, I think it is wonderful that you are teaching mind mapping to 9 year olds for writing a paper. I would have been grateful for a teacher like you when my sons were that age. Faith, Congratulations on a solo show in Vienna, Austria! What a wonderful experience for you. How blessed you are with many volunteers to help with your show and with one friend who coordinated everything. Susan, I never thought of using mind mapping for diagraming family relationships and conflicts. I do remember a class in family relationships in which there was a chart of the possible lines of communication within a family and how quickly these lines increased with the addition of a new family member. It looked like a spider web.
I have used the Mind Mapping technique before and find it very useful. However I used software to manage the process and would think doing it on one sheet of paper would be difficult. That is because one of the great things about mind maps is that as you go you discover groupings and associations you were not aware of at the outset. This means that something you initially associated with a concept on the upper right hand of the page now belongs in the lower left. You either draw a long arrow around or start a new map. If I was going to use paper and pencil I would get a pack of those tiny post-it notes in multiple colors and write my ideas, concepts, and to-do's on them and paste them up on a large sheet of paper, then I could move them around as new groupings and orders became apparent. There is a good reference for the best software tools at -best-mind-mapping-tools-476534555, some of which are free.
Mark, Thank you for posting the link for mind mapping software. I'm sure that this would make the process neater than on plain paper by allowing us to move items around. Jana, I'm glad that you enjoyed the article. Sandy, I hope you won't feel bad about learning something new. I also feel like burying my head when faced with new computer technologies which I need to learn. Ruth
Great organization, Ruth! I remember we worked on helping kids develop their stories using mind maps. It is a great tool in a huge arsenal of learning for kids and adults alike. I like the way you highlighted your completed tasks. Helps you see visually how much you have accomplished and yet to do.
Hi Ruth, Great article! As a former photographer myself, I know how much work an exhibition is and how important it is to have a good system for planning, organizing and managing it. I think drawing a mind map by hand is a great way to stimulate your brain, especially because of the haptic experience and the freedom it offers. Mind mapping software has a lot of advantages too though, like being able to add deadlines and priorities to tasks, share your maps with colleagues and collaborate with them, or simply modify the map as you finish certain tasks and new ones appear. There are many different tools out there, but you can find a list of some of the best ones here: -mapping-tools/ Cheers!
Dagny, Thank you for your comments and for your link to mind mapping tools. I'm sure there are advantages to creating and updating your map on the computer, over just a paper copy. Cheers! Ruth
Version beta 0.9.16I personally hate the WYSIWYG mode but I understand that others might find this feature helpful. My problem is that I copy and paste very often into and out of mindmaps. Due to the WYSIWYG mode I can not pasten normally into thunderbird. Copying into mindmaps is terrible. Suggestion: having the possibility to select between plain text modus or html modus or mixed modus. Helpful would be also a shortcut to "paste as plain text and split" and copy as plain text. --bebach 2008-04-05 2ff7e9595c
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