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The most difficult part of being creative if the idea generation or brainstorming. As designers we spent countless hours generating ideas to please our clients needs, and sometimes it can be a painful process. But if I tell you that there was a way to organize and generate ideas in a more semantic and easy way, would you believe me?

A long time ago I was surfing the web in search for a way to improve my creativity. One of those searches led me to a concept call Mind Map, and at first I was a little bit confuse ’cause, I couldn’t comprehend how this will help me become a more creative designer. Well I give it a try and the result was that I couldn’t separate my design process from the mind map. Now I want to teach you what I have learned and what Mind Map is for those of you who’ve never hear about it.

What is Mind Map?

Mind map is an elaborate net or web of thoughts, ideas, names, words and images that all come from one central idea in form of a diagram. This diagram is used to represent our idea or ideas and link it to all the relevant keywords. We can use mind maps to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and is an aid in study, problem solving, decision making, writing and of course designing.

The structure of the net:

The structure of the Mind Map needs the following elements:

• Leading topic or leading idea: this will be the center of our mind map.
  • Key topic: key elements that define the leading idea.
    • Subtopics: details and/or characteristics of the key topics.
  • Uncategorized topics: additional information about the topic, use for uncategorized ideas.
• Connections Arrows: link related topics.
• Colors: to separate different topics.
• Symbols and Images: helps identify ideas/ topics.

(Maybe we can add more elements to the structure of the Mind Map, but these are the ones I use in my brainstorming process.)

How Mind Map works?

Simple, the leading topic goes in the center then the additional concepts and/or ideas (topics) are added in form of branches. Really simple. Lets see an example:

Designer’s brainstorming the easy way

So, now that we know the basics of mind mapping. How can we use it in the brainstorming process?

Imagine we received a client brief, his company is call Green and it is an environment oriented one with the goal of trees conservation and he need a logo. In the briefing he specify that he wants the color green for the logo and this must have a nature element. Our goal is to create a unique and outstanding logo.

This time instead of doing a list of ideas we will use the mind mapping process to organize our brainstorming. Lets see an example: (we will keep it simple for the sake of the article) =)

Now that we have the Mind Map of our brainstorming lets find the ones who will helps us make our logo (based on the example). We can use trees and leaves who are also related to life. Lets use this three elements to make a simple logo.

And the result can be something like this:

We can have an infinite amount of possibilities, but it’s only an example to demonstrate the essence of Mind Map in our brainstorming process. But how far can go it’s up to you.

At last…

Ideas needs association and if they don’t have association there will be no connection and we need the connection of ideas. That’s why we need to organize our thoughts. If we have a clear diagram of our ideas or what the clients wants the idea generating process or brainstorming will be much easier and Mind maps is the key which helps us organize that flow of ideas.

Mind Map are useful for:

• Generate ideas.

• Organize the brainstorming.

• Summaries concepts.

• Help the association process of image and words.

• Outline framework design (Web Design Layouts)

• Condense material in a concise format.

• Enhance your creativity.

• Open paths to unique creativity.

• And much more…

Mind map helps us in the brainstorming or idea generating and is only one step of a much more involved design process and is a recommendable practice to adopt at any design level.

Mind map plus brainstorming equal to unique creativity will be true only if you believe it and give mind map a try. I really encourage you to try it, and you will be stunned with the results and how your creativity will improve. Creativity is a indispensable element in our journey as designers and if we can improve it, we can be better designers.

In conclusion, Mind map your road to a creative carrier as a designer and have fun, you will enjoy it.

{Photo by: kurtxio} {Edited by: José Morales}

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