Intelligence map on the topic of communication. Mind maps: scope and recommendations for preparation. What are mind maps

Tony Buzan, the creator of the term “mind maps,” recommended drawing them on paper with colored felt-tip pens. This is truly the most effective option. But today, in the age of information technology, the question of how to make a mind map on a computer becomes relevant.

There are many programs that allow you to create mind maps. There are also applications for tablets and smartphones. As part of the topic, I would like to talk about two options: offline, which I liked more, and online.

How to make a mind map on a computer online

To create intelligence maps online, the service is very convenient. You can register in it, or you can log in with your Google account or another popular service.

On this service you can create for free three mind maps at the same time. And, if the card is no longer needed, you can export it or even simply delete it and create another one.

If you need more cards, you can pay one of the tariffs. The cheapest is Edu Personal, which costs $2.49 per month. Not to say nothing at all, but not too expensive either. A couple of chocolates for the price. And at the same time, there will be a constant opportunity to work on maps in online and offline modes, export to 6 different formats, use the Presentation mode and other useful features.

However, I still used the free plan, and that was enough for me for now. Students give me access to their cards, and there may be more than three such cards.

So, how to work in this service. The home page contains a menu with an intuitive, user-friendly interface. Despite the fact that this service is actually English-language, at the bottom of the site, in the footer (footer), you can configure the language for displaying content.

The vertical menu allows you to select available folders containing your maps and maps that you have shared access to. The horizontal top menu contains tools for creating and importing mind maps, etc.

Click the New Map button. The Template Library window will open. You can choose any one that is most suitable. I chose empty to demonstrate the possibilities.

As you can see from the screenshot, there are tips that can help you quickly understand the intricacies of working with this service.

In the top menu there are buttons My maps (to go to the main page), + (adding a new topic-idea), arrow (adding a new connection), scissors (cut out a topic-idea), page (insert a topic-idea), crossed out circle ( delete topic idea). That's all. This is enough to get started.

Each topic can be edited using the tools located in the Properties window. Set the text format, insert icons and pictures into the idea topic, add notes, links, files and tasks. The topic that is currently selected is edited, that is, it is active.

How to export a created mind map

Once the mind map is created, go to the main page and click on the triangle in a circle sign located to the right of the created map.

The drop-down menu contains, along with other items, Export and Sharing. Select Export. In the window that opens, select the export format you are interested in. Please note that not all formats are supported in a free account. You can export it to pdf, jpg for free.

How to share your mind map with others so you can brainstorm

Now we need the Sharing item. In the Sharing Settings window that opens after selecting this item, select the option you are interested in: Private card, Shared, Public.

Depending on the selected option, make additional settings. If you want only a certain group of people to have access to the map, select Shared and invite people. You will have to enter the email addresses of all the people you want to invite. And don’t forget to set editing rights (at the top right of the Invite people... form) so that everyone you need can make changes to the map.

If you want the map to be available to anyone on the Internet, select Public. Set all parameters. So that everyone can edit the mind map, opposite the line Any user on the Internet set the Can edit parameter, that is, allow editing to everyone.

Now your mind map is available not only to you, but also to everyone to whom you have granted access to it. So we figured out how you can use the service to make a mind map on a computer.

You can specify any amount.

“Mental map... Esoteric again?” - I thought when I first read this title more than six months ago. Then I got into it and tried to draw my plans for the week in this format. It turned out surprisingly easy and interesting.
Here I could write that since then I began to use cards constantly, but this is not so. I forgot about them. And I remembered only in August, when I was planning a vacation trip. That's what came out of it.

What are mind maps

And suddenly, having accidentally stumbled upon a review of services for mind maps, I realized what tool I was missing. The puzzle came together and away we go - a map for going to the store, for planning life goals, for work. Maps, maps, maps... They were blue and multi-colored, in mindmaps and on album sheets. Now the euphoria has subsided, and I use them more soberly. I'll tell you how and when.

Mind maps and me

Where can I use the cards?

What am I doing
Using cards I collect information and sort it. What I know about the subject: properties, disadvantages, features, use - all this easily fits into the mind map scheme.

What should you do
Replace a boring lecture with a simple presentation and you will capture the audience's attention. Replace it with an interesting presentation and you will also win the respect of your audience.

2. Learning and remembering

What am I doing
The same as in the previous paragraph: I highlight the main issue, put it into sections. A huge plus of cards is that you can complete the drawings of branches if a new thought suddenly comes to mind. That's why I always draw with reserve. I’m not very friendly with services yet; I prefer a snow-white sheet of paper and colored markers.

What should you do
Create notes for lectures or books, write various texts (coursework, dissertations, articles), analyze the text. You can use detailed maps (1 map - 1 question), you can write down basic schemes.
By the way, most of you have seen something like mind maps in textbooks - these are flowcharts of the main questions of the course.

3. Brainstorming.

What am I doing
I come up with ideas (what to give for a holiday), solve problems (where to find time to study) - this is how cards help with brainstorming. I can draw cards alone or with colleagues, in any case it is effective.

What should you do
Maps for brainstorming are drawn as usual. In the center is the problem, large branches are solutions, small branches are features or consequences. If you need to generate ideas, then there will be a topic in the center, and the ideas themselves are large branches.

4. Decision making.

What am I doing
I am a logician to the core. Intuitive decisions are not my strong point. And here I have differences with Tony Buzan, the founder of the mind mapping method. It is believed that drawing and the use of symbols stimulate creative thinking, which means that the brain is tuned to search for an effective and non-standard way out of the situation (I don’t argue with that). And at such moments, intuition turns on and we make a decision based on it (here’s the catch).
Therefore, I simply write the problem in the center of the sheet, with branches of the 2nd level I designate all possible solutions, and with branches of the 3rd level I denote the consequences of these decisions.

What should you do
You write down the problem and turn it around from all sides, at the same time writing down everything that comes to mind. We organized our thoughts and saw the solution. Those who find it easier to handle facts and figures write them on branches. And whoever relies on intuition will bet on the associativity of the cards.

5. Planning.

Plan work and personal projects, budget or time.

What am I doing
First, I wrote down on the map all the books I want to read. Then I singled out from the book the form in which I would learn the material (synopsis, summary). And I created a similar goal on SmartProgress.
And then a big drawback of the cards emerged - it is difficult to tie them to deadlines. On a Gantt chart, for example, it is clearly visible which event should take place and when, and the temporal relationship of events is visible. And on the mind map you can only sign the deadline by which the task must be completed. In SmartProgress you can set intermediate deadlines, there are deadline reminders. So these two tools work well together.

What should you do
In the center of the sheet, indicate a goal, for example, “to celebrate a wedding anniversary.” And then write down the associations. Choosing a venue, list of guests, menu, budget, program - these are the key lines of your mind map. From each large ray, several more small rays depart, specifying who and in what way you will invite, what elements of the program will be, and who is responsible for them.

Why is this particular form advantageous?

The larger the volume of the cerebral cortex is connected to the perception of information, the better it is remembered. The brain does not think linearly, but associatively, so for most people, mind maps are a suitable tool for planning or working with large amounts of data.

Pros and cons of mind maps

And now about the advantages.

The brain first focuses on the key areas of the project. This helps you prioritize.
All main and auxiliary stages of the project are clearly visible. Contradictions, interference, and overlaps are also noticeable.
It is convenient to mark the paths already taken.
It’s easy to expand the project by adding new branches.
You can place heterogeneous elements on maps: megabytes coexist with the number of people.

What if you use mind mapping to plan goals? In combination with SmartProgress It turns out quite effectively. The main directions are determined on the map, and discipline occurs using the service.

How to build maps

In the center of the sheet or a little higher, draw a central image (idea, goal, problem). Draw from it first-level branches (sub-ideas), with associations or key concepts that slightly reveal the central image. From the branches of the 1st level, take the branches of the 2nd level. If necessary, add 3rd level branches.

12 Tips for Drawing Maps

1. Include imaginative, creative thinking and associative skills. This helps the brain approach a problem from different angles and look for an unusual but effective solution.
2. Use different colors of branches to separate directions of work. If this is a map with tasks for employees, mark the branches with a specific color for each project participant. There should be no more than 8 colors so as not to get confused. The highest speed of perception is for red, yellow and orange colors. The lowest is in brown, blue and green.
3. The number of branches of 2 and subsequent levels should not be more than 5-7.
4. The map reflects the style of thinking, so do not try to standardize it.
5. Exaggerated examples are better remembered. Therefore, feel free to draw unusual pictures.
6. Freehand drawing stimulates thinking. Despite the various convenient services, do not neglect white paper and markers.
7. Make images vivid and memorable so that they evoke emotions. This will help the brain work in the right direction.
8. Build the structure according to hierarchy: important concepts are closer to the center, details are further away. You can number the branches if necessary.
9. Less words, more drawings. If there are several words, then write them down in one line so that the eye does not make unnecessary movements.
10. Come up with your own symbols. Lightning is fast, eye is control, light bulb is important.
11. Draw the first level lines thicker to see the importance of actions. The length of the line is equal to the length of the word. Vary the size of the letters to emphasize the importance of the branch.
12. Delimit branches by drawing them into blocks, connecting them with arrows to show the relationship.

Services for mind maps

Psychologists believe that it is best to draw by hand, activating creative thinking as much as possible, then you will think and solve problems much more effectively. And the modern rhythm of life suggests using any service you like. Well, it's up to you. But mind maps are a really cool tool, I recommend them.

Mind maps(also called mind maps, mind maps, and mind maps) are a way to visualize ideas and show the connections between them using diagrams.

The technique of creating such a mind map emerged long before the online tools listed in this article appeared.

Now there are dozens of services that allow you to create mind maps that include not only text, but also other elements such as images, links and videos. You can also work on maps with other users, share maps on social networks, and embed them in websites.

How can a teacher use mind maps in his work?

• When explaining new material, to organize and visualize the material.
• For brainstorming - both when discussing new material and for solving organizational issues.

How can students use mind maps in their learning?

• To write a draft of a written paper to organize your ideas.
• When studying a complex topic to better understand the material.
• As an independent task, as an alternative to a presentation, poster or report.

This article lists 3 free and easy to use tools - Bubbl.us, Coggle and Popplet. If you have never created mind maps before, then it is advisable to start with them. If you need more advanced features, you should pay attention to paid programs such as Lucidchart, Mind42, MindMeister, SpiderScribe and Stormboard.

Bubbl.us

Bubbl.us is a very simple online tool. Well suited for those who need only text to create a memory card, and who do not need elements such as images or attached files (the paid version allows you to add images, the free version only allows text).

Coggle is a free service that allows you to create beautiful online maps. Here you can create any number of branches, bend them, change colors, and move elements.

To use Coggle you need a Gmail account. A good option for educational institutions where they are already actively using .

At first glance, Popplet seems like a very simple tool, but in fact it has a number of interesting features that allow you to create beautiful multimedia mind maps.

Popplet cards can consist of many elements containing text, uploaded images, drawings, or videos. Elements can be highlighted in different colors, changed their size and moved. You can zoom in on an element to see it in detail, or zoom out to see the entire map.

You can work on the map together with other users, who can either add comments to map elements or create their own elements. The finished map can be printed, shared on Facebook or Twitter, or exported in PDF or PNG format. The interface is in English. There is an online version and applications for iPhone and iPad. You can create up to 5 cards for free. For $3 per month you can create an unlimited number of cards. Group discounts are available for schools.

Discussion: 9 comments

Mind maps can be used in many different ways, depending on the experience with them and the creativity of the teacher and students. For example, my students drew the tense system of the French language. The most important thing is that mind maps are a good motivator for studying.

1. I also used similar tasks, only I did not have the French tense system, but ways of expressing the future tense in English and different meanings of modal verbs.

   On the Internet you can also find many ready-made mind maps dedicated to learning English, which is quite convenient for both students and teachers.

   I myself often build mind maps, but not for work, but, as they say, for myself, in order to structure my own ideas.

   1. But it seems to me that students can and should make these maps. When compiling, they reflect on new material.

      1. But teachers also sometimes need to make a mind map - not for students, but for themselves.

         1. This can be done by different people with different goals, I just shared my view on the place of cards in the learning process.

To create mind maps, I recommend mindmeister.net. In my opinion, this is the best software for mind mapping. There is everything you need - cloud storage, card sharing, mobile applications for Android and iOS, as well as many other features.

There is also mind42 com - I’ve been using it for a long time

Coggle looks nice, I like it. Tell me how convenient it is?

1. It's hard to say, convenience is a subjective thing :).

   I find Google to be a simple and intuitive tool. But if you need advanced features, then you should choose a different solution.

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 be easily 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 displayed 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 a 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

This amazing and fascinating instrument came into fashion and into mass use not so long ago. The author and inventor of mind maps is Tony Buzan, a well-known figure in the field of learning psychology and intelligence development.

What are they?

Mind map- this is a special type of recording of materials in the form radiant structure, that is, a structure emanating from the center to the edges, gradually branching into smaller parts. Mind maps can replace traditional text, tables, graphs and diagrams.

Why is writing in the form of a mind map more convenient and useful?

It's all about the peculiarities of our thinking. Our thinking is NOT organized like text, linearly. It has exactly this structure: branching, each concept in our head is connected to other concepts, these other concepts are connected to third ones, and so on ad infinitum.

This organization of material is called multidimensional, radiant. It is this structure that most organically reflects our real thinking.

Neurons in our brain are connected at the physical level in exactly the same way: each neuron entangles a network of dendrites of other neurons, and from one neuron we can move through chains of connections to another neuron.

On the contrary, one has to wonder how a person can work and think linearly? After all, our brain is not designed for this at all.

Mind maps- most adequately reflects our real multidimensional radiant thinking. That is why it is more convenient to use compared to plain text. Mind maps allow you to better display the structure of the material, semantic and hierarchical connections, and show what relationships exist between the component parts.

Thanks to their structure, mind maps allow you to reveal your intellectual potential. And this is achieved through proper organization and through the work of both hemispheres of the brain. Indeed, in such a branching structure, both the right and left hemispheres of the brain work.

Mind maps have one more wonderful effect. Due to its extensibility and adaptability to radiant thinking, the creation of mind maps contributes to the development flow of associations, thoughts, ideas.

As a rule, those who switch to using mind maps begin to notice how many ideas are formed in the course of their depiction; often there is not even enough space initially allocated for all the ideas.

That is why in our information age the use of mind maps in various areas of life becomes so relevant.

How can you use mind maps?

They can be used almost everywhere, in different areas of life. Namely:

Mind maps at work

• create a common vision for the project
• create work plans
• plan events, budget
• prepare a plan for a speech or presentation
• decisions
• brainstorm
• generate ideas
• create motivation
• write goals
• prepare a negotiation plan
• organize thoughts and ideas

Mind maps in educational activities

• Record study notes from books and by ear
• create plans for writing articles, books, abstracts, diplomas
• pass exams
• structure any material, which allows you to understand the essence, the author’s thought, and sort difficult material into shelves
• remember the meaning of the material. Mind maps are remembered many times easier than any text material
• write a series of interrelated hypotheses

Mind maps in everyday life

• use in structuring everyday tasks, household chores
• describe the advantages and disadvantages of planned purchases and acquisitions
• create your personal family tree
• describe the structure of a holiday or other event
• plan a vacation

Mind map from T. Buzan’s book “Super Thinking”

Creation: how to create a mind map?

Unfortunately, not everyone understands how to make a mind map correctly. After all, it is often precisely because of errors in its preparation and lack of understanding of the principles of its construction that we make only a rough sketch. But it turns out that the admitted inaccuracies affect the perception of this mind map so much that it seems ineffective and meaningless to us.

Therefore, let's look at the basic rules.

Algorithm for creating a mind map:

1. Take an unlined sheet of paper and place it landscape, that is, horizontally. It is this arrangement that is most convenient for depicting the radiant structure when compiling mind maps.
2. Take several colored pencils, markers, at least three or four colors. Using colors allows you to divide information into blocks or rank it by importance. All this facilitates the perception of information, improves the quality of memorization by preserving the visual image and actively connecting the right hemisphere.
3. Write large and voluminous in the very center of the main topic. It is advisable to use large letters, and also to depict the main idea of ​​the map schematically or with a drawing. Drawings and graphics further connect the resources of the right hemisphere, which promotes quick memorization of the compiled mind map.
4. From the center make several branches, designate each of them with a keyword. The branches located around the central theme will be the largest, then as they branch, the branches will become smaller. This division will visually indicate the hierarchy and relationships in the mind map.
5. Continue branching large ideas into smaller ones as long as you need to. Each concept has associative connections with other concepts. Include the process of associative thinking. Then your card will begin to grow quickly.

What are the basic rules for creating mind maps?

• use radiant structure(from center to periphery), reflecting the hierarchy of concepts. It is this organization of information that gives the most important effect of mind maps - associativity and multidimensionality
• use flowers to highlight the main and minor points. Color is also important for meaning. You can use color to differentiate between important and unimportant, larger and smaller ideas, use different colors for different areas, or use colors in other ways
• write only keywords instead of phrases and sentences. The more capacious your keyword is, the easier it will be for you to remember the entire mind map and the easier it will be to compile mind maps.
• as often as possible draw instead of words(graphic shapes, pictograms, small drawings, arrows). All this improves the quality of perception and memorization of the mind map
• combine generalized blocks of information either a color, a stroke, or a light background for better perception
• be creative and develop your own design style. Based on the rules, you can create your own special style of mind maps, which will be the most comfortable for you

Try making some simple mind maps for practice. You will feel how much better any material is absorbed. 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.

Good luck with your application!

Write in the comments what you use mind maps for?