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August 14, 2024

What is a Mind Map and Why is it Useful?

by Chris Griffiths posted in Featured, Tips & Facts.

Ayoa | What is a Mind Map and Why is it Useful?
A Mind Map is a visual diagram where thoughts, ideas or facts are laid out around a central theme so that you can clearly ‘see’ their flow across different levels. It makes use of lines, symbols, words, colour, space and images according to well-documented concepts about how the brain works.

A Mind Map has five essential characteristics:

  1. The main subject or ‘theme’ of the Mind Map is summarised as a central image.
  2. The major topics or ‘headings’ of the subject radiate out from the central image in all directions on thick curved lines known as branches. These branches represent the primary associations and levels of thought in the thinking process i.e. the Basic Ordering Ideas (BOIs).
  3. A key word or image is placed on each line / branch.
  4. From the main branches, secondary topics or levels of thought flow out on thinner lines like ‘twigs’ connected to branches of a tree. These are sub-branches. As new associated ideas come to mind or new facts are revealed during the Mind Mapping process, even further sub-branches can ‘grow’ outward from the map organically.
  5. The main branches and sub-branches form a natural, connected structure starting from the centre and extending outwards.

Using this simple process an exponential number of related ideas can be quickly produced with hardly any mental effort!

Key components of a mind map

A Mind Map becomes even more powerful when:

Mind Maps

Why are Mind Maps Useful?

Mind Maps have lots of advantages over linear methods of capturing notes and recording ideas (i.e. text based lists and outlines):

All this means that Mind Maps are handy for tackling just about anything – projects, meetings, studying, writing a book, planning, note-taking, problem-solving, presenting and lot’s more. Basically any task that requires you to think or manage information!

Chris Griffiths

Chris Griffiths, is a bestselling author with decades of experience in the areas of creativity, metacognition and innovation. His books have been published in over 20 languages and his previous title ‘The Creative Thinking Handbook’ was selected by Forbes as one of the best books to “get your creative juices flowing” and named the #1 business book for inspiring innovation by CEO Today. He is an advocate of using technology to improve thinking, and his latest app, Ayoa.com, is used by millions worldwide.


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