Mind Mapping

Organised thinking: ways to think analytically

Mind mapping is a term given to 'branching' diagrams. You start with a topic in the middle and add sub-topics or relevant details as they occur to you. The diagram below shows some of the purposes of mind maps.

The arrows used in models and mind maps have particular meanings. They all show some form of connection:

• Some arrows mean: 'For example'.
• Some arrows mean: 'A causes B'.
• Others mean: 'This is important because of that'.

You can put these meanings into sentences for reports or essays. If you were writing about hazard identification and control, for example, you could explain a flow diagram by using a sentence pattern like the one shown below.

This technique can help you think about the meaning of the arrows. For example:

• Arrows for sequence mean: 'This is followed by .'
• Arrows for cause-and-effect mean: 'A leads to B because .'
• Arrows for hierarchy mean: 'This is a key feature of that .'