Design Thinking Tool- Mind Mapping    A mind map is an easy way to brainstorm thoughts organically  without worrying about order and structure. It allows you to  visually structure your ideas to help with analysis and recall. It   is a diagram for representing tasks, words, concepts, or items  linked to and arranged around a central concept or subject using  a non-linear graphical layout that allows the user to build an  intuitive framework around a central concept. It can turn a long  list of monotonous information into a colourful, memorable and  highly organized diagram that works in line with your brain's  natural way of doing things. It allows you to store all your data  in a centralized location to stay organized.

Importance of mind mapping

1. It Enables Meaningful Learning i.e used to describe when students have  acquired new knowledge and have connected that new knowledge to  knowledge they already had.

2. It Helps with Memorization and Retention

3. It Makes Complex Issues Easier to Understand

Challenges

1. “I can’t draw.”  While some people are surely more talented than others, saying that you  can’t draw is – in most cases – simply not true. If you can hold a pen and  use it to write, you can also use it to draw. Your drawings might not look as  good as you’d like them to, but the point of drawing in a mind map  is not to create an art piece for a gallery opening. The point is  to personalize your map with images and recognizable symbols and thus  make it easier for your brain to remember the map’s content.

2. “This is kids’ stuff.” / “Mind maps are unprofessional.”  The statement “This is kids’ stuff” is partially true, seeing as mind maps are  indeed a technique even pre-schoolers can use. But to conclude that they  are not suitable for grown-ups or that they are unprofessional would be a

mistake. Mind maps are being used by a steadily growing number of  businesses and entrepreneurs who appreciate the value of this  powerful presentation, collaboration and project planning tool. Digital  and online mind mapping solutions usually offer a user interface perfectly  suitable for businesses and their maps look as professional as it gets.

3. “Mind maps can hold very little information.”  A lot of people think that, because there is drawing involved in a mind map,  they take more time to create than your standard linear notes. The truth is,  you can spend hours perfecting your mind map to turn it into a piece of art,  if that’s what you want to do. But in most cases, note taking with mind  maps will actually help you save time. Instead of writing whole sentences  and filling page after page in your notebook, a mind map forces you to  consciously decide which information is important enough to become its  own topic. Sticking to keywords and images eliminates all the unnecessary  fluff and thus saves you valuable time, especially when you review your  notes later on.

Approaches to use mind mapping?

This is identified as one of the efficient tools to think and analyse ideas and  their related topics. Therefore, the mind maps can be used in various  situations –especially during the ideation & brainstorming stage. Mind  mapping can be used to achieve the following:

1.) Taking note during individual or group meetings. It can be used to

summarize discussions or create a to do list.

2.) Brainstorming ideas and find innovative solution during meetings.  3.) Break down complex problems and idea into simpler and easy to follow

fractals.

4.) Analyse and process information collected during the research

process.

5.) Present information in a creative and easy to follow format.

I am a design student – a lifestyle accessory designer. I haven’t stepped in an  industry yet but still being a design student I understand the process of design  thinking and how important it is to apply in our work. It has been 3 years I am  using design thinking & it’s tools in my almost every project because I HV  seen the difference with working with this tool & without it. In my first year,  when I started with design, in my projects I made many different things like

lamp, worked with craft- block printing, redesigned a game- it was successful  as a product but today when I look back to those products and what I created  afterwards, there is a huge difference. That time I didn’t applied design  thinking tools in it. I haven’t thought about it in that way. But trust me this  makes a impact in design, in the way we work. Earlier just reading a brief and  then doing a bit of research what’s needed what’s not and then just ideating,  this is not design. Today when I see a brief infront of me I start with the initial  stage where I have all tools of design thinking and by using them I don’t miss  out anything, I can cover each aspect and then ideating something gives a  difference to my design, to my understanding. These give a clear  understanding about the work to be done.

Now if talking about Mind mapping only, it reduces my time, it has increased  my thinking capacity, for me it’s a good brain exercise! It is just an easy way  to jott down everything in the same place which can give you a number of  ideas, different areas to work upon. For me it is a single page when I started  my project or when there was a problem given to me and then I sorted it out in  the same page itself. Like in one of my project I was given a craft- tarkashi  that is inlay in wood. So, through mind mapping, I had a clear understanding  of the craft and brainstorming it has given me different problems ,solutions,  different aspects of craft to work upon in the same page itself. That mind  mapping has given a base to my idea. It was also a bit challenging using it in  beginning as it has everything in one and a very little information is there so  sometimes I felt it makes it very messy but everything which is new comes  with challenges.

It was really useful to me as mind mapping has changed my style of work.  Now I use to prepare my notes summarize the contents in a creative manner  which is easy to understand and it also shows me different areas to work  upon. For me it’s my brain exercise and also it’s my problem solving tool.


Design Thinking Tool- Mind Mapping A mind map is an easy way to brainstorm thoughts organically without worrying about order and structure . It allows you to visually structure your ideas to help with analysis and recall . It is a diagram for representing tasks , words , concepts , or items linked to and arranged around a central concept or subject using a non - linear graphical layout that allows the user to build an intuitive framework around a central concept . It can turn a long list of monotonous information into a colourful , memorable and highly organized diagram that works in line with your brain 's natural way of doing things . It allows you to store all your data in a centralized location to stay organized . Importance of mind mapping 1 . It Enables Meaningful Learning i.e used to describe when students have acquired new knowledge and have connected that new knowledge to knowledge they already had . 2 . It Helps with Memorization and Retention 3 . It Makes Complex Issues Easier to Understand Challenges 1 . “ I ca n’t draw . ” While some people are surely more talented than others , saying that you ca n’t draw is – in most cases – simply not true . If you can hold a pen and use it to write , you can also use it to draw . Your drawings might not look as good as you ’d like them to , but the point of drawing in a mind map is not to create an art piece for a gallery opening . The point is to personalize your map with images and recognizable symbols and thus make it easier for your brain to remember the map ’s content . 2 . “ This is kids ’ stuff . ” / “ Mind maps are unprofessional . ” The statement “ This is kids ’ stuff ” is partially true , seeing as mind maps are indeed a technique even pre - schoolers can use . But to conclude that they are not suitable for grown - ups or that they are unprofessional would be a mistake . Mind maps are being used by a steadily growing number of businesses and entrepreneurs who appreciate the value of this powerful presentation , collaboration and project planning tool . Digital and online mind mapping solutions usually offer a user interface perfectly suitable for businesses and their maps look as professional as it gets . 3 . “ Mind maps can hold very little information . ” A lot of people think that , because there is drawing involved in a mind map , they take more time to create than your standard linear notes . The truth is , you can spend hours perfecting your mind map to turn it into a piece of art , if that ’s what you want to do . But in most cases , note taking with mind maps will actually help you save time . Instead of writing whole sentences and filling page after page in your notebook , a mind map forces you to consciously decide which information is important enough to become its own topic . Sticking to keywords and images eliminates all the unnecessary fluff and thus saves you valuable time , especially when you review your notes later on . Approaches to use mind mapping ? This is identified as one of the efficient tools to think and analyse ideas and their related topics . Therefore , the mind maps can be used in various situations – especially during the ideation & brainstorming stage . Mind mapping can be used to achieve the following : 1 . ) Taking note during individual or group meetings . It can be used to summarize discussions or create a to do list . 2 . ) Brainstorming ideas and find innovative solution during meetings . 3 . ) Break down complex problems and idea into simpler and easy to follow fractals . 4 . ) Analyse and process information collected during the research process . 5 . ) Present information in a creative and easy to follow format . I am a design student – a lifestyle accessory designer . I have n’t stepped in an industry yet but still being a design student I understand the process of design thinking and how important it is to apply in our work . It has been 3 years I am using design thinking & it ’s tools in my almost every project because I HV seen the difference with working with this tool & without it . In my first year , when I started with design , in my projects I made many different things like lamp , worked with craft- block printing , redesigned a game- it was successful as a product but today when I look back to those products and what I created afterwards , there is a huge difference . That time I did n’t applied design thinking tools in it . I have n’t thought about it in that way . But trust me this makes a impact in design , in the way we work . Earlier just reading a brief and then doing a bit of research what ’s needed what ’s not and then just ideating , this is not design . Today when I see a brief infront of me I start with the initial stage where I have all tools of design thinking and by using them I do n’t miss out anything , I can cover each aspect and then ideating something gives a difference to my design , to my understanding . These give a clear understanding about the work to be done . Now if talking about Mind mapping only , it reduces my time , it has increased my thinking capacity , for me it ’s a good brain exercise ! It is just an easy way to jott down everything in the same place which can give you a number of ideas , different areas to work upon . For me it is a single page when I started my project or when there was a problem given to me and then I sorted it out in the same page itself . Like in one of my project I was given a craft- tarkashi that is inlay in wood . So , through mind mapping , I had a clear understanding of the craft and brainstorming it has given me different problems , solutions , different aspects of craft to work upon in the same page itself . That mind mapping has given a base to my idea . It was also a bit challenging using it in beginning as it has everything in one and a very little information is there so sometimes I felt it makes it very messy but everything which is new comes with challenges . It was really useful to me as mind mapping has changed my style of work . Now I use to prepare my notes summarize the contents in a creative manner which is easy to understand and it also shows me different areas to work upon . For me it ’s my brain exercise and also it ’s my problem solving tool .