Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping, something we talked about from time to time in class but by 2nd year I think most people fell into the habit of doing the first thing that came to mind just to have it done in time to be handed in for marks.

“You are your own worst client” is probably the most accurate statement I’ve heard in the past 3 years.

I have been working on my own personal site/branding now for months and every time I get half done I’m tired of looking at it and have a better idea started. But, nothing is making me happy, nothing seems ‘clever’ enough. I’ll stare at logos on LogoPond for an hour wondering “How do they come up with such great designs when mine all look bleh?“.

I started reading a few other blogs of designers, mostly branding experts, and more often than not the idea of Mind Mapping was mentioned.

What is Mind Mapping?

Well, Mind maps have been around for many years, as early as the 3rd century. Basically, it’s the linking of images, words and colours to the mind to help spark creativity. Tony Buzan (the ‘Speed Reading’ guy) further developed and researched the concept in the ’60s and ’70s coining the term Mind Mapping. He has a few sites out there that go into a lot more depth about the concept as well as books, and even software.

Although they have software programs available for Mind Mapping, seriously… we’re designers and creative individuals, do it by hand. Especially this day and age where everything is done sitting on a computer, get a pack of cheap markers/crayons and have fun doing it by hand. Especially since it’s encouraged to draw images when possible and doodle which frankly, having tried a few of the available programs out there… you can’t really be free and creative.

How to Mind Map…

First we need an idea, what are we Mind Mapping? For the example, let’s say we’re designing a logo for a Bakery.

1. Take a BIG Piece of Paper – The bigger the better. The paper allows you to move and rotate it about while you work a bit more easily than your iMac.
2. Start in Landscape – When we write, words take up more space horizontally than vertically. Unless writing a novel. So, initially start with the paper going landscape not portrait.
3. Start in the Centre by Drawing the Topic – Images are worth 1000 words, we also associate with imagery better. Try doing the image in at least 3 colours, around 2″ in size to allow room for the rest of the map. Colour sparks the creative portion of the brain and gets the creativity started, so make it fun, bright, interesting. If trying to develop a logo for a door company, draw a door… if trying to do an annual report design for a phone company, draw Batman’s big red phone… etc. In this case, a loaf of bread (label if needed).
4. Draw Lines Out from the Centre to Themes – The central image is the topic, or “Title”, next we want to draw lines out to “Chapters” or sub-topics that relate back to the main focus. Use different colours for each line, make them curved and flowing, starting thick at the central image, and getting thinner towards the sub-topics. The flow of lines causes a visual rhythm, the thickness helps show direction. Each line should connect to something related to the central image. In our case,  what is related to a Bakery? Well… what type of baked goods? Who are the target consumers? What goes into baked goods? What do you associate baked goods with?
5. Branch Out – Go to each sub-topic and list what comes to mind… it’s brainstorming so nothing is wrong or stupid, in fact what may seem wrong/stupid may be what sparks a unique new idea. Write out the list smaller than the size of the sub-topics. It’s also best to use printed letters rather than cursive since the mind (for some reason) works better with printed letters.
6. Go Over the Map – At this point you have a top, sub-topic, and multiple sub-sub-topics… now start letting the brain be more creative. Draw boxes around what stands out, doodle, draw images and arrows that point from one word to the next. At this point you should be starting to have ideas spring to mind as you look from one side of the map to the next making associations.

Sometimes the map works, sometimes, not so well… but hopefully this will give some people a new way of approaching their next design job rather than just randomly doodling and hoping an idea springs up.

Try a google image search on Mind Maps as well… some pretty creative ones, some, well… computer generated ones. Immediately I was more interested and inspired by the hand drawn ones versus the very stale looking computer ones.