It happens that a person spends all his strength every day on useful deeds, important work and significant tasks, but in the end it seems as if nothing works out. No matter how you plan your days, there’s still not enough time, no matter how much you invest, nothing really comes of it. Mind Map is one of the solutions to this problem. In our language, it is called intelligence cards.
What it is?
Many fans of TV shows know how the Mind Map looks, because heroes, especially detectives, faced with a difficult task, hang up information blocks in front of them, connect them with colorful ties and analyze possible non-obvious dependencies. This is a Mind Map. True, the technology is applicable much wider than just as part of a movie to demonstrate the mind of the protagonist.
The human brain is characterized by non-linear thinking. Traditionally, it is easiest for a person to perceive images, and to remember - through associations. For this reason, it is difficult to analyze and put into the head the information recorded by lists. By building smart cards, you can work with data more efficiently, more efficiently, with a better outcome.
Specifics of the approach
Mind Map is a method of presenting information as briefly as possible, displaying data in the form of pictures and images, structuring them so that all elements are associated with each other. The information recorded in this way is much easier to put in your head. Moreover, it turns out to use it more efficiently. It is known that in everyday life, such an approach is often resorted to by bloggers who are forced to work in a stream of endless information on a virtual web.
What does it look like?
Mind Map is literally a map. It is designed to reflect human thoughts. When building it, you need to determine the central theme. The basis is a certain key word. It is the start of all connecting lines. You can take a sheet, draw a circle in the center - it is from it that the intellect map begins to grow.
Having determined the center, go to the first level. It includes words that reflect key categories. Such blocks, topics deserve more attention than all the others. Carrying out a brainstorming, a person quickly orientates himself, what is the mental hierarchy. You just need to think more closely about the problem. Each of the words identified in the course of such reflections should receive its own association.
Suppose you want to build a list of classes. In this case, the categories will be education, work, hobbies, purchases, sports and household chores.
Deepening
Mind mapping of the second level involves the development of each previously selected category. You can specify the topic, you can ask additional questions, you can identify supporting data on the problem. In a word, everything that can contribute to some extent to solving the current problem is entered into the map of the intellect. For example, if you plan to set aside a day for shopping, when drawing up an intelligence card for it, it is determined which places to visit and which brands to pay attention to, which items you need to buy.
Mind mapping can have as many levels as a specific person needs. In many ways, the deepening of the issue is determined by the imagination of man. Experts believe that the optimal depth is from three to four levels, but no more. If you make the card still widespread, it will become less convenient for work. To make mapping as useful as possible, write notes on the margins, include photos, supplement the system with drawings that make it more visual and understandable. The maximum of nuances and specifics is the basic rule of mind mapping. In the general case, a card is a place where everything that comes to mind is written down if it seems to be at least somehow useful.
Basic tools and rules
The English Mind Map is compiled to be useful to its author. If you like it so much, you can record all the data in English. You can use the Russian language or any other - at the discretion of the compiler.
Do not neglect the colors. For each category determine their color. This allows you to immediately determine the required class of tasks, just glancing briefly at the finished hierarchy of cases.
Brevity is one of the key rules for mapping. To describe the category, it is recommended to use no more than a couple of words. There is no place for heavy phrases in such a hierarchy. The main working idea is maximum associations. It is necessary to draw up a card so that the author, meeting the word inscribed in it in life, immediately remembers the deeds that must be done.
You should not limit yourself when choosing the information entered into the smart card. You can write notes, indicate quotes, mark how blocks and elements are related.
Is it worth it?
Is it wise to spend time creating a Mind Map? If you believe the people experienced in this matter, it will fully justify itself. The method is applicable in planning daily tasks. They resort to it to structure and organize thoughts. It is useful if you need to learn lectures presented in the form of abstracts. You can’t do without it, starting acquaintance with a foreign language or some new subject, topic.
An intelligence map will help determine the positive and negative sides of a certain undertaking and simplify the creation of a fundamentally new project. You can use such hierarchies of thoughts, analyzing complicated tasks, solving current problems, planning events or some materials. The technique has an unlimited variety of applications. You can focus on specific aspects of the task - to concentrate on budget planning or additional issues on the topic.
Use in work
Using the ideas of Mind Map House, you can effectively plan work processes. Modern programs often support multi-user access to a compiled document. So each participant can make their changes to the card. Collectively establish which tasks are most important. It is easier for a responsible person to control the execution of important tasks.
Using smart cards, it’s convenient to organize meetings and prepare for them. They simplify the formation of the scheme, the definition of the main aspects of speech. Using such cards, it is easier to make the narrative consistent and logical.
The map simplifies strategy formation. Some people think that mind map is the best method for determining the optimal strategy of action, as it simplifies the movement from the general to the details. No less useful tool when conducting a brainstorming. Some modern applications have special functionality for this.
What to use?
Free Mind Map is a phrase used by developers of many intelligence mapping applications. The choice is great. Among others, according to experienced people, the MindMeister application, which has its own website, is especially attractive. It has a calm, modest design decision, so nothing prevents you from working. To start compiling a map, you will have to register or create an account using an existing profile on the social network. You can synchronize the card using the Meistertask interface created for working with several projects. The application has several dozens of standard templates, you can supplement them with your own images. You can easily share the finished map with other people. You can selectively give them the functions of editors. Without problems, the card integrates with a variety of popular tools, including those provided by Google, Twitter, Evernote and Dropbox.
Such a one developed for Mind Map Software is available for everyone absolutely free, however, only in the form of a basic package that has the ability to create three maps. Finished products are exported in text form. If you invite friends, for each you can get another card. Having paid only six dollars, you can connect a personal package that has an unlimited number of mind maps built in, you can print several pages, you can export maps as images or PDF files. Such users receive priority technical support.
And if you need more?
Convenient for Mind mapping, the program offers two more expensive, but convenient options for tariff plans. For ten dollars, the user gets the opportunity to access specialized Google tools, obtain a license for several users and export the finished project as a presentation file or text. The team has the ability to create their own themes for the design of the map, you can issue reports and quickly receive statistical reports on the project.
The most expensive option will cost users $ 15. It gives access to all the features of the resource. Inside the group you can create programs, you can make your own domain, export, make backups. Users in 24/7 format have access to the technical service in priority mode.
What else to try?
A good implementation of the Mind Map method in the Mindmup application. There is no need to specifically register, just press the start button and start drawing. The application has all the features that allow you to create a full map. The interface is easy to use, you can export to PDF at no extra charge. You can synchronize cards through devices that use the same profile. Pictures can be imported both from disk and from cloud storage. Just make a couple of clicks with the mouse.
Mindmup application developed for Mind Map is available to everyone in a free mode, which makes it possible to create maps open to others, stored for up to six months. Card size - 100 Kb. For three dollars you can buy an individual gold tariff, which allows you to store documents on Google Drive, compile an unlimited number of projects, the volume of each of which is up to 100 MB. Internal mail is provided. Memory - five messages. For a hundred dollars, you can buy a corporate rate through which cards unite an unlimited number of people.
Reliable and convenient
You can create a Mind Map Book using the Mind42 application. Starting to work with it, you need to immediately determine the name, which by default is converted to a key block. The functionality here is extremely simple and clear, there is nothing superfluous. You can add icons and write notes, create nodes. Maps created through this application look concise, while you can publish your time in a group and watch projects created by others, or you can divide work on a map into several users. You can export the map in different versions. There is functionality to determine which tasks in the block are the most important. You can easily see the priority, just move the mouse cursor over a special character.
According to many users of the program, when starting Mind42, you feel as if too much has already been installed in advance, without taking into account the opinion of the participant. The choice of fonts, blocks is limited, the order of the location of the branches is predetermined. Many do not like it. But the ability to set priority by users is evaluated positively, as it makes working with the product more efficient and effective.
Ixmind
As some users say, even in the most basic version of free functionality, this application is one of the obvious dominant information products on the market. Many templates are available for users, standard blanks are provided for an analytical map and drawing up a business plan, conducting a brainstorming session. Product design is bright, strong. You can set the background for each block individually, make one for the entire card. There is a wide variety of fonts and styles that make each card individual, special. Using this product, it’s convenient to brainstorm. Many use it if you need to make a presentation.
The simplest and most basic rate is free. It includes the ability to synchronize with the cloud, giving access to a wide variety of diagrams. For $ 79, you can buy an extended version with the ability to export a finished card in various forms. For $ 99, the user receives a professional account, including more than 60 thousand icons, presentation modes and various charts.
Mindjet
This product is characterized by a variety of templates, each of which is tied to a specific category. There are separate blocks for meetings, events, suitable templates for management cards and specialized for strategy and planning. Separate forms are provided for solving problems, increasing the productivity of a specific user. The design is much like the Word. The user customizes the font, hue, shape. You can do lists with bullets. It is possible to determine the priority of various actions. There are opportunities for brainstorming. There is a special account for storing cards in the cloud storage.
For approximately 12.5 thousand rubles, you can get unlimited access for macbook users; for the Windows OS, the product will cost about 24 thousand. Updating is half the price.