Mind Maps and Thinking Hats

Prof. Lakshman Madurasinghe, PhD

Consultant Psychologist; Attorney
 Mind Mapping

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 What is mind mapping?
 Developed in the 1960s by Tony Buzan to help
students make notes by using keywords and
images.

 Non-linear thinking and associative memory

 Visual brainstorming tool.

 Use connections between keywords to map

knowledge to help improve understanding and
recall.

 Aids high level and critical thinking.

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 What’s it used for?
 Organising thoughts and ideas

 Reading papers

 Lecture notes

 Writing

 Knowledge bases

 Problem solving

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 How to do a Mind Map
 Start with main idea at the centre of the page.

 Think quickly and non-linearly

 Use keywords

 Point out relationships between concepts with

lines.

 Colour-code related concepts.

 Use images

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 Foundations

 Brainstorming is the first step towards

Mind Mapping
 Brainstorming is a way of finding simple
associations between things.
 However, brainstorming exercises are
different from Mind Maps in that they are
often two-dimensional and monotone.

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 Foundations

 A central image should form the basis of

your Mind Map.
 Images are more evocative than words.
 They often trigger associations more
readily.
 This means they are better to enhancing
thinking and creativity.

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 Sample Maps: Lecture notes

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 Foundations

 I also shows that it is ludicrous that over

95% of note-taking/making is done
without the benefit of images.

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 Foundations

 What if I can’t draw or my drawing is

bad?
 Anyone can learn to draw!
 The key is to practise…

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 Foundations
 ‘The reason why so many people
assume they are incapable of of creating
images is that, instead of understanding
that the brain always succeeds
through continued experimentation,
they mistake initial failure for
fundamental incapacity and as its true
measure of their talent.’ (Buzan)

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 Brainstorming to Mind
Mapping
 From your central image you should
radiate Key Words
 Key Words should be PRINTED on
curved lines flowing from the central
image. These lines should be the same
length as the words.
 By printing them you naturally
EMPHASISE THEM.

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 Brainstorming to Mind
Mapping
 Key words should be basic ordering
ideas (or key concepts) and from these
concepts associated ideas should flow.
 Words radiate their own associations
 E.g. Dog, bone, cat…
 What did you think of next?
 Your next thought is an example of an
association

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 Brainstorming to Mind
Mapping
 If you find it difficult  What are the most
important seven
working out what categories in the area
your key ideas are under consideration?
then try answering  What are my basic
the following questions? ‘Why?’,
‘What?’,‘Where?’,’Who?,
questions: ‘How?’,‘Which?’,’When?’
often serve as major
branches in a Mind Map.

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 Brainstorming to Mind
Mapping
 If you find yourself having a ‘mental
block’ then try adding blank lines to the
key words Mind Map.
 ‘[The brain] will almost instantaneously
find associations, especially when given
the trigger of additional stimulus.’ (Buzan)

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 Sample Maps: Writing

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 Sample Maps: CV

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 BRAIN WRITING

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10/03/08 19
 Use of colour

Yellow- inspiration , power of

mind, bright ideas, joy,
laughter

Green- balance, harmony,

calmness , bridge between
emotions and higher reasons,
decision making, flowing with
life

Blue- Creativity, teaching

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 Use of colour

Violet- Wisdom

Pink- Warmth , tenderness, all

is well

Golden- Brilliance, higher

creativity

Red- Anger, fear, raw power,

strength to be well, fire
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 Creative thinking- Walt Disney w

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reative thinking- Walt Disney way

Master in his field but sometimes

appeared to be in a dream , at other
times pragmatic, suddenly critical….

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 Creative thinking- Walt
Disney way

The Four Character states

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reative thinking- Walt Disney way

The Dreamer

Able to fantasize, pure

creativity with no boundaries….
” what if………..”

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reative thinking- Walt Disney way

The Realist

Able to realistically implement

a plan

“ As if…….”

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eative thinking- Walt Disney way

The Critic

Able to constructively criticize a

plan, identifying any flaws that
would prevent it from working

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reative thinking- Walt Disney way

The Impartial

Able to stand back and take a

detached view of a situation

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 Creative thinking- Walt
Disney way

As a group select a work

related problem and use Walt
Disney method to find a
solution

15 mts
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 Creative thinking example- 10 mts

Three women each have two

daughters, and they all go into a
restaurant for a meal.There are only
seven vacant seats in the
restaurant, but each has a seat to
herself.

How did they manage it ?

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 Seven Thinking Hats 6+1

An aid to decision making and

problem solving.

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 The Red Hat
• What do you feel
about the suggestion?
• What are your gut
reactions?
• What intuitions do you
have?
• Don’t think too long
or too hard.

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 The White Hat
• The information
seeking hat.
• What are the facts?
• What information is
available? What is
relevant?
• When wearing the
white hat we are
neutral in our thinking.
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 The Yellow Hat
• The sunshine hat.
• It is positive and
constructive.
• It is about
effectiveness and
getting a job done.
• What are the benefits,
the advantages?

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 The Black Hat
• The caution hat.
• In black hat the
thinker points out
errors or pit-falls.
• What are the risks or
dangers involved?
• Identifies difficulties
and problems.

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 The Green Hat
• This is the creative
mode of thinking.
• Green represents
growth and movement.
• In green hat we look to
new ideas and
solutions.
• Lateral thinking wears
a green hat.
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 The Blue Hat
• The control hat,
organising thinking
itself.
• Sets the focus, calls
for the use of other
hats.
• Monitors and reflects
on the thinking
processes used.
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 7 th hat- GOLD

Use of 6 colour hats for decision making

Seeing from different angles-

I am proposing a new hat- GOLD

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 The GOLD Hat
• The Value hat,
filtering thoughts.
• Analyze each thought
against 8 point
yardstick.
• True, honest, just,
pure,lovely,good
report, virtue, praise.
• E-Consciousness
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 Seven Thinking Hats

Informative
Intuitive Constructive

Reflective Creative

Cautious Value-Centered
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E-Consciousness
 Blue Hat
Managing The Thinking
Setting The Focus
Making Summaries
Overviews • Conclusions
White Hat Action Plans Black Hat
Information & Data Why It May Not Work
Neutral & Objective Cautions • Dangers
Checked & Believed Facts Problems • Faults
Missing Information & Logical Reasons
Where To Source It Must Be Given

FOCUS

Yellow Hat Red Hat

Why It May Work Feelings & Intuition
Values & Benefits Emotions Or Hunches
(Both Known & Potential) “At This Point”
The Good In It No Reasons or Justification
Logical Reasons Keep It Short
Must Be Given Green Hat
Creative Thinking
Possibilities • Alternatives
New Ideas • New Concepts
Overcome Black Hat
Problems & Reinforce Yellow
Hat Values
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 GOLD
Blue Hat Overall quality
Managing The Thinking check against values
Setting The Focus
Making Summaries
Overviews • Conclusions
White Hat Action Plans Black Hat
Information & Data Why It May Not Work
Neutral & Objective Cautions • Dangers
Checked & Believed Facts Problems • Faults
Missing Information & Logical Reasons
Where To Source It Must Be Given

FOCUS

Yellow Hat Red Hat

Why It May Work Feelings & Intuition
Values & Benefits Emotions Or Hunches
(Both Known & Potential) “At This Point”
The Good In It No Reasons or Justification
Logical Reasons Keep It Short
Must Be Given Green Hat
Creative Thinking
Possibilities • Alternatives
New Ideas • New Concepts
Overcome Black Hat
Problems & Reinforce Yellow
Hat Values
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