MIND MAPPING

Purpose:

This technique, which draws on a variety of brain functions, encourages creative thinking and information recall by training the mind to add non-linear information processing abilities to the linear abilities many people have learned. For anyone involved in Continuous Improvement, mind mapping offers a tool that can be low-tech (for instance, a dry erase board and multi-colored markers) or high-tech (mindmapping software is available) and that lends itself both to producing new ideas and to analyzing familiar ones. One particularly interesting aspect of mind mapping is its flexibility. The structure of a mind map allows mappers

• to add new information without distorting the structure of the whole,
• to see relationships among areas with optimal flexibility, and
• to appreciate necessary hierarchies and recognize outdated ones

Process:

To create a mind map, a mapper should use capitalized key words, interconnected branching lines, inventive images, and varied colors to create structure while allowing the mind to range freely. By restricting terms to simple units, mappers create more opportunities for creative insight.

A reference in Chambers Library: Use Both Sides of Your Brain by Tony Buzan.

Sample below: