Mind map: example and application. Mind map: example and application How to make mind maps

Mind maps are simply an irreplaceable and universal tool for every person. A mind map can be quite simple, I would even say primitive. But many who use cards say: “This is just a small summary in the form of an image, with points and numerous sub-points.” You can create such a tree-like outline for any purpose, for example, to collect different ideas or plan a vacation.

Now I want to tell you about one very interesting and necessary tool to make our lives easier. This method is perfect for people who like to plan and write down all their important thoughts and ideas. And we are talking about mind maps. If from a scientific point of view, then this is a graphic, structured image. How to properly create such a map at home? Yes, everything is quite simple, there are many different programs for this that can easily be found on the Internet.

As for me, I use cards for targeted advertising on social networks. In the cards I write down the name of the project, the target audience and the types of ads themselves that I use for my VKontakte advertising. In addition, I often use mind maps to depict my task, for example, for a day or a week. In the near future I want to start using maps to create structures for the most important and interesting novels from books. I recently saw something similar with one of my friends. Such cards look quite beautiful and always remind you of what exactly was in a particular book.

I have known about mind maps for quite a long time, since I was a student; by the way, I graduated from university 7 years ago. But, unfortunately, at that time I didn’t use them, because I didn’t quite understand how to make them, and besides, there were simply no such interesting and simple programs for compiling them. In my opinion, maps can be used in absolutely any area. Start making mind maps and it will become much easier for you to live and remember the most important moments in your life.

General information about mind maps and why they are needed

Their main task is visualization and structuring of even the most complex multi-level information, in other words, the decomposition of complex tasks into separate shelves. As a result, he begins to develop his mental, creative potential, bypassing all the incomprehensibility and confusion in his memory. The main goals that a person pursues when creating such maps are:

1. Remembering important moments. This could be, for example, a list of grocery shopping for the week, important tasks for the day, or a recipe for a dish you like.
2. Planning specific tasks. These could be goals or decisions that will help you achieve your goal or planning an important event such as a wedding or anniversary of a loved one.
3. Problem solving. Mind maps will be very helpful if you need to solve a difficult situation or make the right decision. They allow you to remember everything down to the smallest detail.
4. Education. An excellent method for visualizing important data for a specific discipline in a college or institute.
5. Analysis of thoughts. Have you encountered any seemingly unsolvable problems? Just sit down and calmly analyze everything.
6. Presentation. Will help in working with clients or business partners. For example, when you need to provide some information about your case, using just a large sheet of paper and a felt-tip pen.

In what areas of activity are mind maps still used?

Such cards will not be superfluous in places where it is necessary to increase the speed of thinking, make it better and divide it into different groups, volume, in order to adapt well in this complex world. In addition, they are used in the following areas:

1. Planning various events.
2. Structural creation of new tasks.
3. Creating a so-called capsule wardrobe. Draw how you see your image on paper. Shake out your wardrobe and remove clothes you already own and will need to buy. This way you will save yourself from unnecessary expenses.
4. Thorough cleaning of the house. To make it easier, you just need to divide the room into small zones. First, remove all dust from surfaces, and then wipe the floors.
5. Memory development. By making regular notes on your map, you can easily improve your overall memory percentage.

Lack of smart maps

In the case when it is made to facilitate the solution of various life problems, then people who have everything in order with logic may one day experience a stupor, that is, difficulties in solving a particular problem.

But what should people do in such a situation who cannot analyze their ideas and ideas well, those who cannot relax? But even in this case, a completely logical solution was found: just write down all your decisions and plans, no matter how strange they may be, and write down the decisions of the next level in the branch. Thus, people who have logical thinking will find it easier to understand this technology.

How to make a mind map?

Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to correctly make a mind map, so now I will tell you how to correctly depict what you need:

1. Take a completely clean sheet of paper; A4 paper or something similar, but without lines, is perfect for this. Lay it horizontally. This image is the most comfortable for visualizing your ideas and other thoughts.
2. Next, take a couple of colored markers or pens, there should be at least 4 different colors. Ideally, if present: red, yellow, green and blue. This approach will allow you to divide the entire sheet into information blocks and the colors that will be assigned to a specific block. You can also line the sheet according to the importance of your events and tasks, for example, yellow will be the highest, and green will be the lowest. All these are clever ways to make it much easier for you to absorb all the information.
3. At the very top and central point of the sheet, indicate the most important idea; this will be the main point of your map, and everything else that will be below will be sub-points. Also no less important is the presence of a thematic drawing that will indicate your main idea. Drawings activate more brain resources.
4. From the center of your drawing, draw a couple of branches and name each one with a keyword or phrase. The lines that will depart from the central pattern should be the most significant, and new, secondary branches should be added as necessary. This approach will establish a relationship between your completed and uncompleted tasks.
5. Make further branches from the center until you fill the entire sheet. That's all.

It is important to know! To understand the basic principle of how cards work, you need to clearly understand the tree when creating them.

All the advice that I will give you now is very important to follow to achieve maximum effect. So, let's begin:

1. It is important not to forget that creating mind maps is, first of all, a creative process; let your brain relax and produce the most creative information.
2. At the second level there should not be more than 5-7 branches.
3. As mentioned above, pictures and graphs are remembered. Don't be afraid to draw "funny pictures."
4. If possible, do not use services that are now very numerous on the Internet. It is better to draw a map by hand, it stimulates thinking.
5. Images on paper should be filled with emotions; this is always better remembered.
6. Write the words in one line and strictly horizontally.

Try making two simple mind maps for now to practice. And, when you start drawing up a new drawing, you will have an example of a mind map in your hands. You will feel how much more effective the assimilation of any material is. I am sure that when you understand the beauty and practicality of this tool, new opportunities will open up for you in all areas of life.

In the new millennium, when the volume and nature of information have become colossal, new methods and programs for their rapid assimilation have become urgently needed. Such methods soon appeared and were called "mind maps". Their creator is Tony Buzan, and the author of many books on self-improvement and thinking. His most famous work, the book "Super Mindset", created together with his brother, is a hit and a fulcrum for many of his followers.

What is a mind map for?

(from English mindmap, or - is a creative way of revealing a topic, concept, idea, any object of thought or even a story. They will help you in:

Intellectual maps from Tony Buzan have gained wide scope due to the simplicity of their implementation. Their effectiveness lies in increasing work productivity, often on a fairly large scale.

How to create?

A smart map is very easy to create - all you need is a pen and a piece of paper, you can also use the screen of a computer, tablet, or laptop. The brain absorbs a multi-colored and multidimensional mind map more easily than a regular gray outline with diagrams and tables, so it is better to use multi-colored pens or pencils.

As you can see, the smart map can be easily supplemented with additional branch elements and associations, is easy to read, and easy to understand.

How does the brain work?

In order to understand how the mind map works, we first need to understand the principles. We all know: the brain consists of two hemispheres, each is responsible for a functional set unique to it. For example, the left hemisphere is responsible for logical meanings and sequences, words, numbers, formulas, diagrams and analysis. While the right is the perception of rhythm and space, imagination and representation of images. Most people rely mainly on the left hemisphere when solving their problems, and constant load on only one lobe of the brain atrophies the second, as a result of which the entire brain loses, since the main potential is not used.

Maps overload the whole brain

The brain functions perfectly when both hemispheres are connected, which is what Tony Buzan tried to achieve when creating his new method. Drawings connect the right hemisphere to work, and the connections between them connect the left hemisphere; a competent relationship between both allows you to use those reserves that were not previously in demand. This way, a mind map will help your entire brain work, and its constant use will make working with images habitual, which is a key point in all areas of life. T

So, many people note that after working with cards for a long time, they notice that they are completing them in their heads when reading or communicating, and this does not introduce chaos, but, on the contrary, increases understanding. By using your brain with such intensity, you will be able to ensure its normal functioning and performance.

Smart cards: programs

Nowadays, special programs are very popular in the world, with the help of which you can quickly and competently create mental maps. About two hundred different programs have now been created in the world in different categories:

• paid;
• free;
• online services.

Working with them is quite simple: first you need to go to the editor menu and start with “Create a new mind map”. A convenient option will immediately arise in which you will need to start creating a mental map by introducing a keyword - the program will immediately create a colored central symbol with your word. After this, you will need to enter additional keywords that will be responsible for the branches emanating from the central symbol. The program will draw and color each branch itself, and you can edit all aspects, from color to the structure of all branches. You can also copy and propagate branches, move them, delete them as desired. Very convenient, isn't it?

What are the advantages of the programs?

A smart map will help you correctly distribute all the information and outline its key points. But what to do if the volume of information is simply enormous and cannot be included in standard schemes written on a sheet of paper? This is why the programs have gained such popularity - they will help you create three-dimensional and multidimensional maps, with large amounts of information and sections.

Megamind maps are large-scale intellectual maps, examples of which you can find in an editor program or online service. This method is popular in industry and large companies, but it can be useful for anyone who uses this technique. They will help you improve your performance, and your map will acquire hyperconnections with multi-level information, the development of idea centers for new maps - after all, each such mind map will be part of a larger whole, created to help you in any endeavor.

Greetings to all readers of the site. Ekaterina Kalmykova is with you as always. And I immediately have a question for you: do you systematize your thoughts and, if so, how? Do you have any way to bring order to your head? I have - I use mind maps. And in this article I will share with you my experience in compiling them and show my examples of mind maps.

Mind map concept

The example I drew is quite simple and clear. Usually the diagram looks much more branched, since it can record a huge number of connections between objects.

Thanks to the use of such cards, a person perceives a large amount of information better and easier, because it is difficult for our brain to perceive information in the form of a sheet of text or a bunch of tables. It is much easier if the same information is presented in a visual form, which is diluted with color, complemented by drawings and based on associations.

Benefits of Using Mind Maps

1. Excellent helpers in mastering new material. The process is much faster, more fun and efficient.

2. Super planners. They make it very easy to make a plan for the day, write a list of tasks, highlight the most important items, etc.

3. Storage of thoughts. Write down everything that comes to your mind when working with the map. Typically, your brain sends you interesting and useful information regarding the task or idea you are visualizing.

4. A wonderful reminder. Here one cannot help but recall the Russian proverb “what is written with a pen cannot be cut down with an ax.” What is included on the map will be difficult to ignore. This means that the probability of completing the task is much higher.

5. Mind maps are suitable for large projects that are initially scary to take on. But as soon as you start visualizing, everything falls into place. The entire mega project, like a ball, gradually unwinds, and an ordered map of sequential actions appears in front of you.

How to Create Mind Maps

I would highlight two ways to create mind maps: manual and software.

For manual method All you need to do is take a sheet of paper, preferably a landscape one, pens, pencils, markers.

Software method is the use of computer programs. Considering both methods, you can see that they have both their pros and cons. Using a certain program, you can easily correct your mind map, change something in it and you don’t have to redraw it completely.

It is also much more convenient to carry a mental map on an electronic medium rather than a landscape sheet. The disadvantage of working in the program is its stereotyped nature, limitations in drawing and visual expression of your thoughts.

Programs for creating mental maps

The programs listed below can easily be found on the Internet, but please note that they are both paid and free. Therefore, choose an assistant to your liking.

I will highlight the following:

— Mindmeister. You can see how to work in this program and examples of maps.

- FreeMind. I use this program quite often. It allows you to create a memory card quickly and easily. Read more about working in the program in the article.

Rules for creating mental maps

When creating mental maps, you need to follow a few simple rules.

1. Use one mind map to express thoughts or ideas on one topic.
2. It is best to place the sheet horizontally (whether it is a paper sheet or a sheet on a computer monitor), since this is how the human eye perceives information best. Remember how information is arranged on TV, on a chalkboard at school or on a monitor.
3. As a rule, the main subject (task, idea) is placed in the center, which gradually acquires logical connections and interconnected branches. These can be goals, subgoals, points, sub-points, etc.
4. It is advisable to highlight all connections in different colors, use icons, symbols, pictures. This way you arrange everything visually using your associations. All graphic elements help to depict a clear mental map. It's important not to overdo it here. The map should simplify the perception of the information presented, and not vice versa. The mental map should be bright and expressive, but at the same time simple.

Where can you use the mind map?

In my opinion, mind maps can be used in different areas of activity. Mind mapping is useful for many categories: managers, employees of any company, teachers, journalists, etc. In addition, it can be used in our daily life to solve everyday problems.

The following areas of application can be distinguished:

1. Diverse tasks at work. Projects whose goal is to develop or implement something. Various organizational events.

2. Projects in your personal life. Using mind maps you can plan a banquet, plan a vacation or go to the country))

3. To-do lists.

4. Organizational structures of companies and organizations.

5. Design of website structure and program interfaces.

6. Structuring texts. Create content, a plan for the speech, and an agenda for the report.

7. Presentations in the form of a mind map.

8. Taking notes from the lecture

Mistakes when using mind maps

When you create a mind map for the first time, pay attention to the most common mistakes that arise when working:

1. The mental map is too complex and highly branched. Such a map will only confuse rather than clarify everything.
2. Same designs and colors for different branches.
3. Lack of pictures and icons
4. Ambiguity and chaos. All elements must be interconnected

In fact, I have been familiar with mental maps for a long time. I just didn’t know about the existence of certain programs and scientific concepts. Always at the institute during lectures, in order to have time to write down and remember everything, I only drew circles, arrows, and figures that were understandable to me. These were my mind maps that helped me graduate from college with honors. Now, being no longer a student, I actively use mental maps in my daily work. I often use a mind map before writing a blog article.

Surely you use something similar?

I hope after reading the article you will be able to make mind mapping easier for yourself: choose the program that is most convenient for you and go ahead!

And I also want to introduce you to the cool book by H. Muller “Drawing up mental maps. Method of generating and structuring ideas.” A very interesting and useful book. Download, study and put into practice! Download HERE!

Don’t forget: the best thank you to me is a repost of the article :)

Sincerely, Ekaterina Kalmykova

A mind map (also known as a mind map, thought map and mental map) is an analytical tool that is used if you need to find the most effective solution to a problem. Mind maps can be used for a variety of purposes: to generate ideas, prepare for presentations, organize and conduct various events, take notes on lectures, memorize large amounts of information, plan your work day, the progress of work on a project or free time, and much, much more.

Radiant Thinking

Tony Buzan: “By studying the structure of the brain, I discovered what I had been so persistently looking for. I was inspired by the fact that the human brain is made up of approximately 100 billion cells, each of which contributes to the thought process. The structure of neurons could not but cause admiration: processes extend from the center of the cell in all directions, resembling a branched tree. It occurred to me that using a diagram based on this model, it was possible to create a universal thinking tool. This became the starting point for the development of the theory of radiant thinking, which ultimately led to the creation of the technique of constructing mind maps."

In short, a mind map is a complex diagram that copies the tree structure of a neuron and is built on the basis of associations. However, since its inception in the mid-1960s, mind mapping has proven to be not only an excellent way to keep records, but also an effective thinking tool. The theory has developed rapidly and has found application in a variety of areas - from stimulating creative thinking to improving memory and fighting dementia.

Stages of creating a mind map

A good mind map has three main components.

1. A central image that conveys the topic (subject) of study.

So, if you need a mind map to plan a project, you can place an image of a stationery folder in the center. At the same time, you do not need any special artistic skills.

2. Thick main branches extending from the central image.

These branches represent key topics relevant to the subject matter being studied. Each branch should have its own color. In turn, the main branches are divided into “shoots” of the second and third levels, which represent subtopics.

3. A single keyword or image on each branch.

So…

Step 1

Place a piece of paper horizontally in front of you (as if you were deciding to draw a landscape). In the center, use at least three different colors to depict the subject you want to study. In our example, these are the plays of William Shakespeare. If you don't want to draw a portrait of a great poet, draw a pen and ink or any other symbol. The central image stimulates the imagination and evokes associations. If you need to place a word in the center, let it look three-dimensional and be accompanied by an image.

Step 2

Choose a color and draw a thick branch extending from the center image, like a branch from a tree trunk. Give the branch a natural curve, as this is visually more attractive to the brain and will increase the likelihood of remembering information on that branch. Paint over the branch. Its thickness symbolizes the importance of this association in the hierarchy of the mind map.

Step 3

Label the branch with one word or a capital letter. In our example, the mind map is dedicated to the plays of Shakespeare, which means that the first branch could be called “COMEDY”, “TRAGEDY” or “HISTORY”. Instead of a word, you can draw a comedian's mask, a dagger or a crown.

Step 4

Draw secondary branches extending from the main one. Then the branches of the third level, extending from the second. Label each branch with one word, or a symbol, or a combination of both. Each character must have its own branch. Take your time: leave a few branches empty, this stimulates the brain to come up with something to fill them with.

Step 5

Choose a different color and draw the next main branch extending from the center image. (Many beginners find it easier to move clockwise around the center image, but you can do whatever works for you.) As before, draw the second- and third-order branches and label each one. Add a few more main branches to make a total of five or six.

Step 6

Now that you have a structure of main branches, you can freely move throughout the mind map from branch to branch, fill in the gaps and add new additional branches as associations arise.

Step 7

If desired, you can add arrows, connecting lines, and links between the main branches to emphasize the relationships between them. Voila - you've created your first mind map!

Go ahead

You can continue to work on the example given and expand the mind map to include, for example:

All 37 of Shakespeare's plays,

His sonnets and poems

As well as basic facts relating to his life and historical era.

Having memorized the information presented on the map, you will know many facts about the life and work of the great poet and, on occasion, you will be able to show off this knowledge. Because mind mapping involves both hemispheres of the brain, the technique is multifunctional and applies to all cognitive functions, including memory, creative thinking, learning, and all forms of thinking. This is one of the reasons why this technique is called the “Swiss army knife of the brain.”

Bekhterev S. Fragment from the book “Mind Management: Solving Business Problems Using Mind Maps”
Publishing house "Alpina Publishers"

Tony Buzan remembered Newton and Einstein, who were struggling from bad to bad at school, and asked important questions: “Do we know how to learn? Are we using our brains correctly? Having applied his method in practice, the author decided that it can be effectively used in any intellectual activity, and especially in business. After all, what is business if not the ability to quickly collect and analyze information from different sources (about competitors, customer needs, suppliers, the market, prices, trends, forecasts, etc.), make a quick and correct decision based on it, and then ensure its implementation? This is how the book “Use your head” was born. In it, Buzan popularly described the method of mind maps. He based it on the basic principles of how the human brain works, explained that we use our biological computer called the “brain” inefficiently, and proposed a way to improve this efficiency.

Mind maps have become successfully used in many areas of intellectual work. With the spread of computers, the first programs for building them in electronic form began to appear, which opened up additional opportunities for corporate use and solving business problems. The creative abilities of people who used this method began to unfold more strongly, which inevitably increased their effectiveness. Mind maps have become the main tool for completing tasks for many knowledge workers, including now in Russia.

Rules for constructing mind maps

It is most convenient to explain the rules for constructing mind maps using... the mind map itself (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Rules for constructing mind maps

Let us comment on the presented rules in more detail.

1. The main thing!

1.1. Start from the center. In the center is the most important idea, the purpose of building a mind map. Start with the main idea and you will have new ideas to complement it.

1.2. Read clockwise, starting from the upper right corner. Information is read in a circle, starting from the center of the card and continuing from the upper right corner and then clockwise. This rule is adopted for reading all mind maps. If you specify a different sequence, indicate the reading order with ordinal numbers.

1.3. Use different colors! The colors we choose always have more meaning than they might seem. We perceive color instantly, but it takes time to perceive text. Different colors can be perceived differently and have different meanings in different cultures and to different people. This is discussed in more detail below.

1.4. Always experiment! During his practice, the author has seen many mind maps. And each of these cards had its own unique individual style. Since each person’s thinking is unique, the map as a result of thinking also turns out to be unique and inimitable. Don't be afraid to experiment, try, search and find the best ways to present information that are most suitable for you.

2. Central image

One of the key concepts in creating mind maps, without which it is impossible to create key associations from which the mind map will be built. The central image should be the most striking object for you, because it will be your focus, the main purpose of creating a mind map. To do this, set the task as clearly as possible, use the most “catchy” colors and designs that inspire you at the moment when creating a central image.

3. Design it!

Draw! If you are in doubt whether you should draw or not, then the choice is obvious - draw! A visual image is remembered for a long time, perceived with maximum speed, and forms a huge number of associations. Our brain is designed in such a way that we almost instantly form a visual association for any word. Draw this first association. As a rule, then to perceive information from a mind map, you will not even need to read what is written there - you will just have to look at the pictures, and the necessary information will immediately pop up in your head.

Color it! Each color has its own meaning, and often it is very individual for each person. The meaning of a particular color for an individual depends on factors such as personal preferences, previous experience, and cultural influences. In different cultures, the same color can have completely different meanings. For example, in Russia the color of mourning is considered black, and in Japan it is white. Depending on the meaning attached to color, it can significantly simplify and speed up the perception of information. It takes a moment to understand the prohibitive color of a traffic light. In the same way, you can read information from a mind map if you understand the meanings of the colors used in it. You can come up with your own notations or use the author’s interpretation below.

Use keywords! There should be few of them so that they do not add up to a complete sentence. As you will see below, information presented in the form of keywords visually linked to each other makes the brain work as quickly as possible. When you read only keywords, you get a sense of incompleteness, which causes many new associations that continue the mind map.

If you are creating a map by hand, use block letters, as handwritten text takes much longer to read than printed text.

Refer all new associations that appear to further branches of the map or write them in comments around map objects (topics), which, when written on paper, are conveniently done on stickers.

Connect your thoughts! The use of connecting branches helps our brain structure information at maximum speed and create a holistic image.

Use no more than 7±2 branches from each object, and better - no more than 5-7, since even a tired person can easily perceive such a map.

Show connections of the main topic using a line, thickening it at the base and gradually narrowing it at the subordinate topic.

If topics from neighboring branches are connected to each other, connect them with arrows.

Use grouping to indicate groups of the same meaning.

Sometimes you will feel that you need to add more, for example, two branches, but you will not be able to formulate their names. In this case, it is recommended to draw branches and leave them empty. At this point, you will have an unfinished action and your brain will become hypermotivated to fill out these branches and come up with the necessary ideas.

Try building your first mind map by completing the first lesson.

When the technology of mind maps was created, convenient personal computers were not yet in mass use, and the first maps were built manually using ordinary paper, colored pencils and felt-tip pens.

The author of this book has more than once met people who generally do not recognize the creation of mind maps using computer programs and build all their maps on paper. And the author himself, although the laptop has long become part of his body, sometimes also gladly rolls up his sleeves, takes large sheets of paper, pencils, felt-tip pens, stickers, tape and begins to draw.

Because this method has its wonderful advantages (as well as disadvantages).

Drawing mind maps are characterized by a reformulation of Murphy's law: “A mind map always takes up exactly as much space as it is given, and a little more.” The author has more than once been convinced of the validity of this law when sheets of A1 and even A0 format were completely filled out.

Therefore you will need:

• clean white sheets, preferably at least A3 format. The A4 format may simply not be enough for the riot of your associations;
• colored felt-tip pens, or better yet, colored pencils, as they can be erased with an eraser, so you can make adjustments and see your train of thought. The more colors the better;
• eraser;
• stickers, preferably in different colors and sizes;
• scotch. If one sheet of paper is not enough for you, you can attach another one to it.

It is best to place the sheet horizontally. If the sheet is large, you can immediately attach it to the wall with tape.

Below is an example of constructing a “Great summer vacation with the whole family” mind map, where you can see how such an urgent problem was solved.

Alexey Bashkeev, Head of Analytics, Incore Media

After I became acquainted with the mind mapping method during the training, I began to apply it in all areas of my life. Below is an example of a map our family drew to solve such an important task as a great summer vacation for the whole family.

First we drew the central image. Then each of us wrote down 10 vacation options on stickers, one for each sticker. After that, we placed them on the map, connected them with each other, and the result shown below was obtained (see Fig. 2).

Surprisingly, all the options received seem quite obvious, but it is easier to make a decision when you see them presented in a clear structure.

We hung this map in the kitchen and over the summer we tried the best of the options listed. Now we have compiled a similar mind map for winter holidays!

Rice. 1.2. Results of the family brainstorming session “Great summer vacation for the whole family?”

As you'll notice, hand-drawn mind maps rely heavily on drawings. This greatly simplifies the memorization and perception of information, since the drawings are remembered for a long time.

Often at trainings we are told: “But we don’t know how to draw!” We have to constantly prove that this is not true. What have you done before in your life: drew a person or wrote the first number? Did you color the sun or write a word? Fortunately, learning to draw is much easier than learning to write. We can draw! It’s just that over time we stop using this great opportunity to record information. Let's remember and learn again!

You will have a visual association for each word almost immediately. Draw exactly this association! Because then, remembering a visual symbol, your consciousness will easily retrieve the word associated with it from the unconscious.

Mind maps have gained popularity in many developed countries. But why does this technology work this way? Why is this way of presenting information so effective? What principles of the human brain is this technology based on? It is based on two principles of the human brain.

Principle one. Left- and right-hemisphere thinking

Mind map technology was originally based on the principle that the right hemisphere perceives information according to different laws than the left. The difference in the functioning of the hemispheres is shown in Fig. 3.

At one time, Tony Buzan rightly noted that most information is presented in the form of numbers and letters, convenient for perception by the left hemisphere (just remember the linear representation of information in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Lotus Notes - office applications with which most office employees work) .

Rice. 3. Hemispheres of the brain and the “division” of labor between them 1

The mind mapping method allows you to present information in such a way that it can be perceived by both the left and right hemispheres at the same time.

Thanks to the use of colors, patterns and spatial connections, any information begins to be perceived, analyzed and remembered much faster and more effectively than with its usual linear representation in the form of numbers and letters. Thus, humanity has the opportunity to make maximum use of the huge reserves of the right hemisphere.

Do we use the creative capabilities of the right hemisphere in our everyday life? Yes. Of course yes. And all without exception.

Imagine the following situation. You are trying to explain to your interlocutor something quite complex or information-intensive (the concept of a new project, launching a product on the market, the strategy of a new direction, the structure of a new book or article, the current state of business processes, etc.), and this cannot be done in any way. words, and next to you is a pen and a sheet of paper. What will you do? 100% of those to whom the author asked this question answered unequivocally: “Let’s start drawing.” And often without even imagining what will be drawn in the end, we just start drawing. Why? Because in many situations, this step allows you to find a common language much faster and convey the necessary thoughts. For example, such an explanation often results in diagrams like the one shown in Fig. 4.

Or here’s another question: what do you do when you’re talking on the phone about some unpleasant or difficult topic, and next to you is the same pen with a sheet of paper? Most answer: “Well, we’re drawing something.” But why? After all, the one with whom we are talking does not see us. The answer is simple. We draw in order to connect the creative zones of the right hemisphere of the brain to thinking through the best answer options and thereby use a larger volume of the cerebral cortex, which will increase the number of possible answer options and increase their originality.

How many exact postal addresses can you remember where you have ever been, for example, st. Profsoyuznaya, 33, apt. 147? None of the participants in our trainings could name more than 10 addresses. And how many addresses can you visually remember where you have ever been in order to get there if necessary (for example, here behind the temple turn left, then at the fork to the right and in the courtyard there is a third entrance, a polished black door)? The number of such addresses is impossible to count, and as soon as most people find themselves in a place where they have already been, they will immediately remember how and where to get out of there. This example also shows how the left hemisphere (physical memory of addresses) and the right hemisphere (spatial memory) work.

There are a huge number of examples around us in which the cerebral cortex of our right hemisphere works.

Rice. 4. A typical diagram obtained during spontaneous drawing to explain complex information-intensive issues 1

1. Traffic light

This is perhaps one of the most striking examples of visualization. Do you know why red was chosen as a prohibitive color? Because our brain perceives it faster than any other. And the green color is perceived longer than other colors, which is very important before crossing the road: you will have time to think carefully and look around. That is why we relax when we are in nature among green trees. Green color “slows down” our attention. A modern innovation in traffic lights is the use of special signs indicating that you need to walk or stand.

By the way, imagine if the traffic lights instead of colors had simple inscriptions:

And all these inscriptions would light up in one color, for example blue. How would you navigate? The majority answered this question in order: the top signal is on - stop, the bottom light is on - go. You see, even here we engage the faster right hemisphere.

2.Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is the favorite email organizer for many users, including due to its advanced visualization capabilities, which are significantly less in its closest competitors: Lotus Notes, The Bat, Thunderbird, etc.

For example, a company employee only needs a few seconds of viewing the consolidated calendars of consultants to understand who is doing what and what free zones there are for making appointments. It’s enough to know that according to the corporate standard for using Outlook, off-site meetings are colored orange, tightly scheduled meetings within the office are blue, and budgeted tasks that do not have a strict start and finish are colored in green. Knowing this, you can look at Fig. 5, very quickly understand that one employee has three off-site meetings scheduled for November 11, and he will only be in the office at 17.00, but at this time he already has an internal meeting scheduled with the sales department. You can also quickly understand that his colleague has two budgeted tasks planned, and he can safely schedule a consultation or training for November 11th.

Rice. 5. Visualization in Outlook 2007 Calendar

Rice. 6. Plain non-rendered Outlook 2007 Calendar

Looking at this consolidated calendar, you can quickly understand that it is unlikely that it will be possible to gather all the consultants together on November 11 and that you need to look for another day for this.

Look at fig. 6. Will you be able to come to the same conclusions with the same speed if you analyze a non-visualized Calendar?

3. Cockpit

Pilots experience a huge information load. In the cockpit there is a huge number of different instruments, the indicators of which must be monitored. Additional stress is caused by the cost of any mistake, because pilots are responsible not only for their own lives.

Correct visualization of the control panel is key: the pilot must quickly analyze all incoming information (Fig. 7).

Note that modern cockpits do not have as many monotonous sensors as older models that rely primarily on the analytical left brain. In modern cockpits, color codes for key controls and instruments are displayed on LCD monitors; electronic display systems and an integrated information signaling system are used to the maximum, which display flight and navigation information on the status of the power plant and general aircraft systems on the displays. Previously, all this had to be imagined using a variety of monotonous dark instruments, as in the figure above (information taken from the website www.ifc.com)!

Rice. 7. Cockpit of the obsolete TU-154 (top) and modern IL-96 (bottom)

4. Map of the general battle

Imagine this picture: at army headquarters, generals stand at a wall on which information about all armies is written only using numbers and letters: coordinates and descriptions (number of units, condition) of tank, air force, infantry, artillery, support units, such the same information about the enemy according to intelligence data, the latest information about the allied forces. No map, no spatial arrangement - just numbers of coordinates and letters of description. It's hard to imagine, isn't it?

It is not difficult to guess how valuable every second is in order to have time to analyze all the information, develop a strategy and make a final decision on the method of attack.

It is not surprising that the military has been using diagrams, maps, symbols of divisions, detachments and armies, their own and others, since ancient times. Otherwise, it would be impossible to process huge regularly received flows of information with coordinates, new information about losses, retreats and attacks, and even more so to quickly coordinate actions with each other (Fig. 8).

Rice. 8. Map of the general battle. Strategy development by army headquarters

Principle two. Associative thinking

Have you ever wondered what the word “consider” means? We often call someone smart, but what does that mean? What is the deep essence of this amazing Russian word?

A smart person is a person who is able to build correct images in his head based on incoming information, that is, identical to the images of the author of information, storyteller, etc. (at a lecture, while reading a book, article, letter, conducting business negotiations, etc.). And vice versa, we call a person incompetent, to put it mildly (or dull, to put it mildly), if he does not understand information the way we would like, or does not understand it at all (although the problem may be in the inconvenient format of the information itself).

I remember an anecdote about teachers of higher mathematics and experimental physics.

Colleague, how can you be in a good mood after this group? There are only stupid people there!

Really? And in my opinion, they are very capable, even brilliant students. Especially when you stop telling them and start showing them...

Any incoming information must first form an image in our head. Once we understand something, we form an image in our head and remember the information much easier and for a much longer period. Information that has not been converted into images is “empty” information that has no meaning and is easily forgotten (remember cramming at school).

Alexander Romanovich Luria, a famous Soviet psychologist and physiologist, noted that “the basis of verbal memory is always the process of recoding the reported material, associated with the process of abstraction from unimportant details and generalization of the central points of information...”

Rice. 9. How verbal information is perceived1

Natalya Petrovna Bekhtereva, an outstanding Russian scientist, called the process of understanding information schemes: “Schemes can be different... We call a person talented or even brilliant if such a scheme, idea, concept turns out to be correct... when disparate facts fit into a coherent system and complex It turns out that it is possible to present events simply, present them in the form of a diagram, and even predict something based on it.” In order to understand how images are formed in our heads, it is enough to see the features of storing information in our brain. To do this, let's look at an enlarged picture of the structure of our brain (Fig. 10).

As you know, our brain consists of approximately 1,000,000,000,000 cells called neurons. Their number does not increase throughout life, but can decrease under the influence of severe stress, alcohol intoxication, trauma and other unfavorable factors. But if the number of neurons does not increase from the moment a person is born, then where is all the incoming information stored and processed?

Rice. 10. Illustration showing the interconnections of neurons. The drawing is simplified a thousand times and corresponds to a microscopic part of brain tissue

Each neuron is connected to others by a huge number of branch connections that are formed throughout a person’s life. The more intense a person’s information life, the greater the number of such connections between brain cells. This amount changes throughout a person's life. Moreover, the more intense his intellectual life, the more such connections are created, the more developed the person’s brain and, accordingly, the person himself.

All information that is distributed in the brain is associatively transmitted between neurons at the speed of electric current, and the greater the number of such connections, the more capable the brain is of perceiving new information.

When we take in information, whether it's reading a book or listening to a lecture, all the many neural connections in our brain are activated to help us form an image. Once we form an image, we understand the information. It is difficult for us to read a book or perceive someone's story if we cannot quickly build images based on the information we receive. Or we may simply not have enough previous experience and training (that is, the number of connections between neurons) to understand the new information. It is extremely difficult to understand something at a seminar on financial management (no matter how talented the teacher is) if you do not know how to count, multiply, divide...

PERCEPTION AND MEMORIZATION THROUGH IMAGERY REPRESENTATIONS

Remember how at school we learned by heart many words, sentences and definitions, without ever understanding their meaning. What is verbal memory and does it exist at all? Here is the definition of verbal memory given by psychologist Luria (to whose work Tony Buzan especially refers): “When receiving verbal information, a person remembers the words least of all, trying to retain the textual impression that has reached him.”

To demonstrate what verbal memory is, try memorizing the following 10 words:

night-forest-house-window-cat-table-pie-ringing-needle-fire.

It's difficult, isn't it? Let's complicate the task. Now try to remember the whole story.

“At night in the forest, a cat climbed into the house through the window, jumped on the table, ate the pie, but broke the plate, which caused a ringing sound. He felt that the fragment stuck into his paw like a needle, and he felt pain in his paw, as if from fire.”

Oddly enough, there were more words, and it became easier to remember them. Why? Because we have translated the language of words into the language of images and impressions, which is more understandable to our brain and much easier to perceive.

Now it becomes clear why we cannot think linearly, especially in unclear situations. Our thoughts “jump” from one to another, and at the next moment in time, completely unexpectedly for us, we are already thinking about something else.

For example, when we think about something, many associations related to this topic appear in our minds. We start thinking about how to spend the New Year, and a whole fountain of ideas immediately appears in our heads: “Buy more cognac! Organize more competitions! Think about where to store drunks. How to get everyone to the place? Who to choose as the presenter? How can you keep it all in your head?!” - and we automatically reach for a pen and paper and begin to write everything down in order to somehow structure everything and not lose valuable thoughts.

The principle of associative thinking is that our brain, due to its structure, works with information associatively, and not linearly. At the same time, images are created in our heads, thanks to which we understand the information.

Based on this principle, Tony Buzan proposed recording information not linearly, as is customary in most cases, but associatively (radiantly), connecting thoughts with each other in space, rightly suggesting that this form would be the most convenient for perception, since the brain needs will carry out a minimum of work to create an image, that is, understanding the information.

Information presented in the form of mind maps is perceived faster, more efficiently, and is remembered faster and for a longer period, as this corresponds to the natural associative nature of our thinking. It's just the way our brains work.

So, according to the two principles stated above, any information is perceived by us in the form of images that are formed on the basis of the information received. And the more volume of the cerebral cortex we use when perceiving and analyzing information, the faster we can build the desired image, that is, understand the information.

Mind management technologies are built on these features of the brain.

Mind management algorithm

A mind map is one of the best ways to increase the efficiency of intellectual work, that is, the creation of intellectual products. What is an intellectual product?

Intellectual products include writing texts, implementing any projects, training, analysis, goal setting for the quarter, year, life, personal development, solving problems and non-standard tasks, strategic planning, etc. and so on. In essence, all knowledge workers are engaged in the creation of intellectual products. What is the most common problem?

During our consulting practice, we have repeatedly observed how the natural laws of intellectual work are violated, when they first do something, come up with ideas while doing it, and after they do it, they exclaim: “But we forgot the most important thing!”

The creation of any intellectual product (writing a book, preparing a presentation, developing a strategy, and even planning and realizing a dream) most effectively occurs in five stages, each of which has its own clear goal, which, most likely, you know at least on an intuitive level. I called these stages the mind management algorithm.

1. Birth of an idea

What time do you usually have brilliant work-related ideas? Most people we ask this question usually answer something like: “In the shower. On holiday. During sleep". Sounds familiar, doesn't it? And for some reason the best ideas related to your personal life come at work.

The birth of an idea is perhaps the most mysterious stage. You never know when it will emerge from the depths of the unconscious. When this moment comes, it seems that the brilliant insight will remain with us forever and we will never forget it... But no. As soon as the phone suddenly rings or the dog barks, a painful, painfully familiar thought appears: “Oh, what was this brilliant thing I was thinking about?!” About something bold and new...” And it’s not always possible to remember, right?

Take care of your ideas, remember the basic principle of time management (the principle of materialization) - write it down! Don't foolishly waste brilliant ideas that can change your life. The first advice that Vladimir Mayakovsky gave to aspiring writers was to buy a notebook, always have it with you and write down all observations, which can then form the basis of the plot.

2. Brainstorming - creating chaos for the mind map

So, when the idea is successfully caught, we are faced with the task of developing an intellectual product. For example, write an article on a new topic. What do most people do in this case? Naturally! Take a blank sheet of paper or open Word and start writing. Or rather, try to write. Since you constantly have to stop, look for the right thoughts in the associative chaos and drive away the unnecessary ones (although how useful they would be in the next section!). Here it is, the associative nature of thinking!

It turns out that we are trying to do two jobs at the same time: write a specific part of the text and continue to think about others, which contradicts the associative nature of our thinking and, naturally, reduces the efficiency of work. We need to concentrate on one task, and at the moment when useful thoughts swarm in our minds, we need to catch them all as quickly as possible, because it is unknown when they will appear next time.

The main task at this stage is to conduct a brainstorming session, the purpose of which is to write down all the associative ideas that have arisen related to the intellectual product being created. If you have a chaos of useful and interesting thoughts, you yourself can determine the moment when you need to start organizing them.

3. Mind Map Creation / Analysis

It is impossible to bring order to a completely empty room, just as it is impossible to create the structure of an intellectual product without having in front of you the chaos of thoughts associated with it. This is proven by the very practical method of limited chaos proposed by Gleb Arkhangelsky in the book “Time Drive”.

At the structuring stage, the main goal is to understand the logic, that is, to form an image of an intellectual product, which is achieved through structuring, for example in the form of a mind map. Do you know the pleasant feeling when you suddenly suddenly understand how to respond to an unpleasant letter you received a few days ago, or when you understand where you want to go on vacation? This happens when the brain has processed the information received and offered you the most suitable solution.

The same thing, only much faster, happens when you structure (best in the form of a mind map) the results of a brainstorming session, for example, on writing an article. At one point, there is an understanding of what this article will be like, that is, its image is formed. You clearly see the structure, you know where to write what and what data and pictures to place, you understand what information the reader will take from the article and how he will generally perceive it.

At the moment of achieving an understanding of the formation of the image of the future intellectual product, you can move on to action.

4. Action

If you have successfully completed the first three stages, achieving the goal of each of them, then the process of implementing your plan will proceed with maximum efficiency. The chaos of thoughts, ordered into a structure, will no longer bother you, and you will be able to concentrate all your attention on achieving your goal. And if another necessary thought comes to you that was missed during the brainstorming stage, then you can easily fit it into your structure. Mind maps allow you to do this with maximum speed.

At the action stage, the main goal is to implement your plans according to the structure you created.

5. Result

The natural consequence of achieving the goals of the first four stages is obtaining results. It doesn’t always meet our expectations at the first stage, but that’s the beauty of smart products: if you follow the natural logic of their creation, that is, the mind management algorithm, the result usually exceeds all expectations.

Let's see how the mind management algorithm was used to solve such a pressing problem for many Russian managers as the restoration of vital resources.

Natalya Sosnovskaya, project manager of one of the large telecommunications companies

The understanding that life resources must be managed and forced to rest properly has, of course, always been there. “You need to rest”, “you look bad” - you can often hear from colleagues and friends. But for some reason, no one tells how to properly restore vital energy, effectively spending the time allotted for rest. The situation became clearer during the time management training, when we came to the topic of managing life resources, and everything turned out to be very simple: for effective recovery energy, you need to force yourself to rest properly, restoring physical, emotional and intellectual strength. The regularity of recovery should occur in accordance with the rhythms of a person’s life - daily, weekly and annually. Moreover, if you do not recuperate effectively today, you can greatly lose in your work efficiency tomorrow. The same is true for weekly and annual holidays. It would seem that everything is clear, but there is no answer to the question: what exactly needs to be done to restore your strength and acquire new ones? There is an idea of ​​the problem. There is motivation to solve it. There is no solution.

And here came the answer from the business coach: “You should come up with activities that restore your physical, emotional and intellectual resources for yourself. What works for one person may not work for another.”

A brainstorming session was conducted to identify such activities. The group was divided into three subgroups, each of which had to find the maximum number of ways to restore vital resources on a daily, weekly and annual basis.

Each participant was given 10 stickers, on each of which they had to write one way to restore vital resources. After everyone completed the task, it was possible to structure the ideas received and analyze the information.

Taking sheets of A1 format, the participants in their subgroups began to combine the thoughts they had received. A sticker with an idea was attached to a similar area if it was already marked on a sheet of flipchart, and if it was not, then a new area was created (Fig. 11).

We saw before us many different ways to restore resources every year, from which each one chose the one that suited him.

After we had an overview of possible ways to restore vital resources and realized that this, too, can and should be planned, all that remains is to proceed to the most difficult thing - to force ourselves to do something.

Thanks to the fact that the bright mind maps constantly attract attention, I had to regularly ask myself the question “What am I doing with what is written there?” And the more often I asked myself this question, the more often I forced myself to act! And little by little the result began to appear...

Rice. 11. Results of grouping the results of the brainstorming session “Annual restoration of vital resources”

As soon as I began to consciously plan for the restoration of my vital resources, I noticed an interesting feature: my body allocates much more energy to perform the assigned tasks if I know that they will be followed by a guaranteed, pre-planned restoration of energy. And the more interesting the vacation is planned, the more energy is released, the more tasks can be completed!

Rice. 12. Mind map for daily resource recovery

Definition of mind management

So, our intellectual activity is subject to the following clear working principles.

• We cannot operate with more than 7±2 objects of information at the same time.
• Any thought can be immediately lost and supplanted by another, not always more important and priority thought.
• We underutilize our brain's ability to perceive grouped and related information that contains semantic colors, pictures, patterns, and typical connections.
• Information is perceived the better, the larger the volume of the cerebral cortex is connected to its perception.
• Our brain thinks associatively, building connections of thoughts and a logical structure from the information received (based on our and only our logic or experience), after which we form an understanding of the information, that is, an image appears.
• In order to quickly achieve the result of a planned intellectual product, you must first collect all your thoughts, structure them in order to understand what exactly needs to be done to achieve the result.

The ability to properly structure information is becoming a necessary skill in the modern world, since the average office employee now receives 90% of information in electronic form, the amount of which doubles every few years.

And since the majority of electronic information is received and processed through such common office programs as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point, Lotus Notes, etc., which mainly involve the perception of the left (analytical) hemisphere, then for most modern office workers The picture shown in Fig. is typical. 13.

Rice. 13. Linear information flows attacking an office employee

In the absence of the necessary structuring skills, information received in electronic form is one of the main time sinks, and the role of the ability of a modern employee to quickly process electronic information, analyze it and make decisions based on it is one of the keys in increasing the efficiency of his work.

You can acquire such skills and learn to use modern technologies for using the enormous resources of our brain with the help of discoveries in the field of mind management (Fig. 14).

Mind management is a technology for presenting information flows in a form that requires minimal time and psychophysiological resources for search, analysis and understanding

Rice. 14. Mind management. Information flow management

At one of the trainings in a consulting company, at the beginning of the financial crisis, a very pressing problem was voiced - how to reduce costs during the crisis?

During a 10-minute brainstorming session and subsequent structuring of the ideas received, a visual mind map with a lot of interesting workable options was obtained (Fig. 15).

We analyzed each of the received options for adequacy, canceling some, accepting others and planning the next actions for the third. According to the client's feedback, after two months, with the help of specific actions based on the created mind map, they managed to reduce costs by more than 20% - here is the result.

A frighteningly large number of ideas pop into our heads when we begin to think about such large-scale tasks and problems as “reducing costs.” If you grab the first ideas you come across and start taking action, you are unlikely to achieve the desired result. But if you strictly follow the stages of the mind management algorithm and form an image of the problem, the result will not be long in coming!

Buzan, T. and B., Superthinking. Minsk: Potpourri, 2003. - P. 11.

Quote by: Buzan T. and B. Superthinking. Minsk: Potpourri, 2003. - P. 31.

Quote by: Luria A.R. Lectures on general psychology. St. Petersburg: Peter, 2007. - P. 211.

Arkhangelsky G. Time drive: How to have time to live and work. M.: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2005.