Mind mapping is all about a visual way of note-taking or jotting down points to make connections and explore an idea. In simple words, creative professionals, writers, students, entrepreneurs, and law coursework help providers write and visualize their topics or ideas. These ideas can be as complex as setting up a new company or as simple as time management for students. But they all need some sort of powerful tool to note down their research or thoughts in a convenient way.
Before moving on to the popular types of mindmaps, let us understand what they actually are.
What Is a Mind Map?
Mind mapping is a non-linear, spread-out diagram or web consisting of notes, words, and numbers that are interconnected with each other. They do not have any proper structure or order. You can draw it to revise any concept, explore new ideas, or note down random pieces of information related to one central idea.
Mindmap is visually just like the human mind. It can be messy and unorganized but well-thought-out and full of new ideas. In contrast, many people also use mindmaps to organize and manage their information or data. So, it entirely depends on the user how he alters and optimizes it to gain his desired outcome.
Useful Types of MindMap You Must Know
Following are some interesting types of mindmaps you can use to enhance your proficiency, skills, and productivity as a student.
Circular Mind Map
As the name suggests, circle maps or circular mindmaps are designed to gather related ideas of one core idea. The aim is to explore the different aspects and sections of the topic and connect them in a logical way.
Through these mindmaps, you can easily understand the topic and its related information in just a glimpse and understand the underlying message it is giving. Students generally include small diagrams, numbers, and symbols to make it more engaging and understandable.
Uses: It is created to group similar information or ideas in project planning, brainstorming, study aids, idea generation, etc.
Bubble Mind Map
Bubble mindmaps are created to describe the qualities, specifications, or characteristics of one thing. Mainly, the one bubble is connected with other smaller bubbles that are branching from it. And these branched bubbles are even spread out into more smaller bubbles. In this way, you can go to any extent to explore the qualities or specifics of a topic.
All of these bubbles are according to just the central theme. You can branch out as many bubbles as you want, depending on the complexity of the topic.
Uses: Note-taking, exploring a new concept, event planning, managing teams, outlining books.
Flow Mind Map
Flow mindmaps are drawn to explain the process in a specific sequence. Any process with a linear pattern or structure can be designed into a flow chart or flow mindmap. You can explain any complex process in the step-by-step guide by creating visually appealing maps having certain starting and ending points.
What makes it different from the traditional mindmap is the linear pattern that it follows. It can help you to explain any process that progresses in a linear way.
Uses: Designing workflows, procedures, instructions, guides, campaigns, etc.
Tree Maps
As the name suggests, this map is designed in a way that represents a hierarchy of data, just like branches of trees. It is beneficial to organize and show a large amount of data related to one core sub-topic or related idea of the main topic. File systems, organizational structures, levels of processes, or financial data are often shown as the tree map.
Uses: Statistical data, product categories, website navigation, book writing, systems, etc.
Bridge Map
It is widely used to categorize two or more concepts and show a relation or connection between them. Different analogies and factors are shown in the bridge maps to describe concepts and their relation with each other.
Complex terms and metaphors are usually explained by this method. Visually, it is like a bridge that tells the same and different factors or attributes of the concepts.
Uses: Education (explanation of different science concepts)
Brace Maps
Visually, it is like breaking up a large concept or idea into sub-topics that are branched into several other ideas. It gives you the freedom to choose any part of the concept and elaborate it as much as you want before diving into the other section. Generally, it is started from the left side and spread out to the right side. A curly bracket is used in brace maps to split up the topics.
You can show categories and parts of some products to explain them in an organized manner. The main purpose is to go as specific as you want to.
Uses: Layers and sub-parts of any concept, financial projections, target market, etc.
Spider Diagram
Spider maps are used to explore different themes or aspects of the one main idea. It is drawn just like a spider in which 4-5 “legs” are branching out from the main concept. Each branch can also have some smaller branches connected to describe even more details about that sub-topic.
It is widely used for educational purposes and business communication. It is easy to comprehend and remember. Therefore, many organizations use it to organize and collect ideas when working on a new project.
Uses: Outlining essays and papers, creative writing projects, marketing campaigns, business strategies, etc.
Tunnel Timeline MindMap
It is specifically designed to explain a pathway to the success of any plan, project, or aim. You start by writing the main goal at the top and then branch out to different sections or plans to explain what would be done to achieve that goal. It does a great help in problem-solving and planning large-scale projects.
Uses: Marketing strategy, teaching, analysis of sequential events of history, etc.
Multiflow Map
Multiflow maps, as the name suggests, are designed to describe how multiple events are connected. It is particularly beneficial for educationists and teachers to explain complex and intertwined topics effectively. Along with that, it can also help to lay out the entire situation with all of the causes, effects, and implications to make more informed decisions related to business or organization.
It is a useful tool to visualize the pros and cons, causes, and effects of the main theme or topic. You have to write reasons and consequences of the topic on the right and left sides and connect them to draw conclusions.
Uses: Exploring scientific concepts and evidence, planning vacation trips, etc.
System Map
As the name represents, it shows the internal workings and intricate details of the system. It can be widespread and complex since it describes phenomena and their relation with each other and the main topic.
It closely resembles the spider map, but it is not systematically branched out in that manner. Instead, it is more interconnected with several points.
Uses: Communication, process improvement, assessments, planning, etc.
Bonus Types of Mindmaps You Can Try
There are some more types of mindmaps that can help you explore or communicate your message.
Central or Redial Mindmap
Many branches are spreading out from the central theme or topic. It helps explore the depth of the content and organize data or information in an understandable way.
Hybrid Mindmap
They are highly tailored mindmaps that do not follow any pattern or rule. You can design them in any way you want. Add elements from other types of mindmaps and customize your own style of mapping to lay out your ideas.
3D Mindmap
They are visually appealing and incredible types of maps that trigger the creative side of the brain and perfectly explain the topic. They utilize artistic abilities and can be customized in any way, such as adding images and videos. By incorporating a third dimension, they enhance creativity and spatial organization, providing a dynamic way to represent ideas.
Conceptual Mindmap
They consist of many clusters of ideas and concepts that are branched out to describe in a more convenient way. These concepts might be abstract or organized, depending on the niche and depth of the theme. They do not follow any specific style of mind mapping.
Fishbone Mindmap
They describe the causes and effects of any topic or concept. By utilizing a branching structure resembling a fish skeleton, they identify root causes and relationships, aiding in problem-solving and a comprehensive understanding of complex issues.
Time-Based Mindmaps
They are used to display the time period, historical event, or schedule. By incorporating chronological elements, such as deadlines or milestones, these mind maps help users organize and comprehend time-dependent information.
Conclusion:
Mindmaps are a great tool to explore, plan, analyze, explain, and organize any concept, data, or information. You can draw them in any way you want. But the most useful ways are the tree-style, bubble-style, or spider-style mindmaps that give you a simple template to follow. There are tons of other ways to design mindmaps, and they are used in every sector, from education to organizations and corporate companies.