Mind Mapping - Still Can't Get It!

Learning to Use Mindmapping
Henrik Burton, Management Consultant, Sweden, Member
Would you like to elaborate a bit around your expectations and what it is you feel you can't get? /henrik.

Learning to Use Mindmapping
Moonesh Shibdoyal, Student (MBA), Singapore, Member
Hi Henrik, I find it difficult to expand from the main idea. For example, if I start with the word "book", there are so many possible associations for book that I feel like am swimming in a ocean, without the right tool to navigate in the right direction. It's just too vast.
As for the association (represented by the arrows), do we have to write the association type? I often find it hard to find the appropriate action word to describe the mind map, maybe this is not an issue with the mind mapping itself, but what can I do to improve this shortcoming?

Learning to Use Mindmapping
Henrik Burton, Management Consultant, Sweden, Member
Hi! Yes, one method could be to first write all the associations down and as a second step organize them into categories. The categories will then be the 1st level branches or association type.

Mindmapping - Problem Solving
Wulf-Dieter Krueger, Teacher, Thailand, Member
It seems to me that, particularly in Asia, Mind Mapping (MM) is often done for MM' sake and not as a tool for solving issues.
I've introduced my Thai students to it for project work - with the prime target to make them speak about and discuss an issue in English - the opener being the initial brain storming. The results are mixed as to the English outcome, however, as far as critical thinking is concerned, it is quite promising.
The problems the students are to tackle are either major subject related or another problem tangible to them.
It is quite interesting that whatever other faculty at my university, that is doing MM to enter MM competitions to win prices have never contacted me since apparently their academic exercise approach does not match my down to earth practical tool-approach.
I strongly believe that MM deployed in the classroom as a tool to foster learning could boost students' potential.
Could be, however, that there are teachers who are just afraid of that.

Re: MM I Still Can't Get It
Tebboub Abdelamelk, Professor, Algeria, Member
Hi Shibdoyal, be sure that there is nothing wrong with you, but remember a MM is a visual representation. It could be you can't work with it, because you are auditive - your perception style to learn is by using your ears. I give you a few examples as a test and you will get the right answer:
- When you are studying, do you prefer to learn all the lessons in classroom?
- Do you enjoy music more than beautiful nature pictures?
- Can't you read with noise around you?
If you have 3 x yes, you have to develop your visual style
I hope that this helped a little...

Difficulties with Applying Mind Mapping
Wulf-Dieter Krueger, Teacher, Thailand, Member
@Tebboub Abdelamelk : Indeed MM is primarly a visual (seeing) tool, but it can for be used for audio (hearing) and kinesthetic (doing) learners too.
If you do it single handed the audio component is weak. You could bypass this drawback, by reading everything out loud, that you put into a MMm.
A MM may help to structure a report, argumentative essay and the like since visualising you ideas it will help you put all your thoughts into the right logical slot.
Start with a simple MM titled like 'how to cook a fried egg' and put every single step into a logical sequence. Best, do it with a software, because this makes it easier to move ideas around, once you realise they are in the wrong place. Freemind is a free of charge one.
You also may use it for note taking, e.g. if you have to read an article to report on.
But never use MM just for mm's sake. MM is useful for tangible issues only.

Mind Mapping: I Also Still Can't Get It!
smith
I'm glad to hear someone else finds the same problems, I have done many mind maps which I think takes longer than normal planning, and I still don't remember things any better...
What is wrong with me or what am I doing wrong?

Mind Mapping does not Work well for Sensors (MBTI)
VIAIRON, Project Manager, France, Member
Hello, Mind Mapping is just not compliant with "type S" people (Editor: Sensors - practical, detail-oriented people trusting and focusing on tangible, concrete, measurable facts and procedures) of the MBTI.
Or perhaps it could be with more work and the understanding that you need to change completely your way of thinking...
So just take time to see if it's really suitable with you, not everybody can use it easily.
Find your own way to manage your mind :-).