MIND MAPPING

MIND MAPPING is a technique of note-taking developed by the British author Tony Buzan. Using a central image, symbols and key words, mind maps branch out from the center. This process enables you to record and group ideas where they fit on the map. The process of branching out, with one key word on a line, using color and pictures, encourages more creative, "big picture" thinking. 

MINDSCAPING, developed by Nancy Margulies, is a system that uses pictures, visual metaphors, symbols, color and the space on a page to create a graphic representation of ideas. Although they are similar to mind maps, Mindscapes are free flowing, allowing for use of phrases and sentences, beginning anywhere on the page, and focusing on the visual and symbolic representations of ideas. The outcome of both processes is that you can SEE your ideas and the relationships among them. When you view a Mindscape you are seeing a system.

The advantage of non-linear note-taking is that it engages both the logical, sequential processing style of the brain and the creative, holistic style as well. With these processes you can thing creatively, record ideas rapidly and present them to others in a compelling and engaging format.