Mindmapping: Your Personal Guide to Exploring Creativity and Problem Solving

Abstract: Techniques to stimulate creative thinking and problem solving skills.

Keywords: book review, psychology, consulting, business, entrepreneur, creativity, problem solving, nonlinear outlining, left brain, right brain, visual outlining, decision making, creative ability, business success, graphical graphic methods.

Title: Mindmapping: Your Personal Guide to Exploring Creativity and Problem Solving Author: Joyce Wycoff Foreword: Michael J. Gelb Publisher: Berkley Books Date Published: May 1991 ISBN: 042512780X LOCN: BF449.W93 1991 Dewey: 153.4/2 20 Pages: 173 Bibliography: 33 Figures: 21

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REVIEW by Orville R. Weyrich, Jr.

Mindmapping itself can be described as a nonlinear visual outlining technique which is useful for brainstorming and organizing in a variety of different settings. It is basically a technique for organized "free association" centered around a "focus" topic. After the focus point is identified and written in the center of a writing surface, related issues and topics are thought of, and written on outward radiating spokes from the focus point. Each of these spokes can then become a focus for an additional round of branching, or can become the spine of a "fish-bone" diagram. When the same topic appears more than once on the mindmap, then a connecting line can be drawn, converting the forest of branching trees into a web or network.

The author advocates enhancing the basic mindmap with pictures and colors, on the basis that this establishes better communication between the "left-brain" and "right-brain." I am not sure that I buy into the psychological theories which are advanced to support this suggestion. Personally, I do find adding color to be very effective, but have little use for the pictures. On the other hand, if you are by nature a "doodler" then you may find adding pictures to be effective.

The author describes a number of applications of mindmapping, including the following:

• creative and business writing
• project management
• brainstorming
• managing meetings
• to-do lists
• organizing presentations
• note-taking
• self-improvement

• Planning a radio talk-show or other interactive forum: make the central topic the focus, and spoke out with related issues. Use red ink for liberal points of view, and blue ink for conservative points of view. Try to have at least one red and blue branch out of each point. Highlight in yellow the directions in which you would like to steer the discussion.
• Planning a political campaign: much like the talk-show, except draw your issues, beliefs and objectives in blue, your opponents in red. Make sure you have a rebuttal for all your opponents points of view, and highlight in yellow the directions that you can most effectively steer the campaign. Here, decorating the mindmap with doodle representations of visual images related to the issues can be stimulating.

In summary, I recommend this book to anyone who needs to create and organize ideas.

CONTENTS

Foreword by Michael J. Gelb

Introduction: Mouse Diapers and Rainbows

Section I: Understanding the Brain and Creativity

Chapter 1: The Mind's Unknown Potential

Chapter 2: Creativity -- Within Each of Us

Section II: Techniques of Mindmapping

Chapter 3: Mindmapping: Whole Brain Thinking Techniques

Section III: Applications of Mindmapping

Chapter 4: Writing Can Be Easy, Effortless, and Enjoyable

Chapter 5: Better Project Management

Chapter 6: Brainstorming and Beyond

Chapter 7: Managing Meetings

Chapter 8: Whole Brain 'To Do' Lists

Chapter 9: Presentation Power

Chapter 10: Improving Learning Skills

Chapter 11: Mindmapping for Personal Growth

Conclusion

Resources

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS DATA

Author:        Wycoff, Joyce.
Title:         Mindmapping : your personal guide to exploring
                  creativity and problem-solving / Joyce Wycoff.
Edition:       Berkley trade pbk. ed.
Published:     New York : Berkley Books, 1991.
Description:   xviii, 173 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
LC Call No.:   BF449.W93 1991
Dewey No.:     153.4/2 20
ISBN:          042512780X : $7.95 ($9.95 Canada)
Notes:         Includes bibliographical references (p.
                  169-173).
Subjects:      Problem solving -- Graphic methods.
               Decision making -- Graphic methods.
               Creative ability -- Problems, exercises, etc.
               Success in business.
Other titles:  Mind mapping.
Control No.:   91206356 //r98

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Copyright © 1998     Orville R. Weyrich, Jr.     Last updated: June 06, 1999; Version: 1.11