Visual mapping

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Visual mapping is a module in visual thinking school, a course designed to help you learn how to think and communicate better using the visual part of your brain.

Visual mapping is a way to think through complex issues or solve problems that has several benefits. Visual mapping makes it easier to work creatively and collaboratively with a group. It's non-linear, so you can work out complex hierarchies and relationships. It allows you to see a whole issue, problem or plan, in its entirety and at a glance. It helps you see patterns, relationships and dependencies that might otherwise remain hidden.

The napkin sketch 

Napkin sketches happen when you are trying to communicate something and words fail.

A napkin sketch is a way to think about what you want to achieve and the general approach you will take to get there. Because it's on a napkin there's not a lot of room for deatil -- and that's the way you want it.

You don't even need a napkin! A napkin-level sketch can be drawn with whatever is handy: a stick in the sand or chalk on the side of a building.

What better way to begin any mapping endeavor?

Napkin Sketch of Timoyer by jonny goldstein

Napkin Sketch of Tim...

Napkin sketch from Dan Roam's event at AP by pepperlime

Napkin sketch from D...

Napkin sketch from Dan Roam's event at AP by pepperlime

Napkin sketch from D...

Demo by Alex Cheek

Demo

Mind maps 

Mind maps and concept maps are a way to think visually and creatively about an issue or problem. Just put down the main focus of the map in the center of a large sheet of paper, and let ideas flow out like a web or tree. You can use lines, shapes and drawings as well as words to capture your thoughts.

Here are some examples that might inspire you:

Invest in Content by Search Engine People Blog

Invest in Content

Evolving ecology of the book mindmap (panoramic!) by artefatica

Evolving ecology of...

impacts by robynejay

impacts

impacts by robynejay

impacts

226 of 365: Me and one of my mindmap meeting notes by dumbledad

226 of 365: Me and o...

Day 14 of 100 Days Envizualized: Words of Wisdom by jonny goldstein

Day 14 of 100 Days E...

100 Days Envizualized: Day 13: Roy Blumenthal, Dean Meyers, Jonny Goldstein Visual Jam by jonny goldstein

100 Days Envizualize...

100 Days Envizualized: Day 13: Roy Blumenthal, Dean Meyers, Jonny Goldstein Visual Jam by jonny goldstein

100 Days Envizualize...

100 Days Envizualized: Day 13: Roy Blumenthal, Dean Meyers, Jonny Goldstein Visual Jam by jonny goldstein

100 Days Envizualize...

Concept maps 

Concept maps are similar to mind maps, but they can be more free-form in structure and may not have a center like a mind map does. This is useful when you aren't sure exactly what the issue is but feel a need to look at it.

Ch 5 Concept Map by Phil and Jo Schiffbauer

Ch 5 Concept Map

Visual Thinking in Physics by jonny goldstein

Visual Thinking in P...

Planning Total Utter World Domination From the DMV by jonny goldstein

Planning Total Utter...

Kick-Ass Visual Thinking Workshop Taking Shape by jonny goldstein

Kick-Ass Visual Thin...

Relationships and Results by jonny goldstein

Relationships and Re...

How to draw a cartoon character by jonny goldstein

How to draw a cartoo...

Shopping list by jonny goldstein

Shopping list

Creating cartoon characters using simple shapes by jonny goldstein

Creating cartoon cha...

If you don't know if you should do something, try this flowchart by jonny goldstein

If you don't know if...

Flow charts 

Flow charts are a way to simply describe a process or flow. There are standard conventions for how to visualize documents, flows, hubs and start/end points.

You can learn the basics of flow charting in an hour or less, so it's easy to get started very quickly.

Your sex is on fire. by sjsharktank

Your sex is on fire.

Flow chart by Thomas Guest

Flow chart

DECplate Flow Chart Template by mrbill

DECplate Flow Chart...

Blog posting flow chart by MastaBaba

Blog posting flow ch...

Flow chart by Phillie Casablanca

Flow chart

flow chart for hapiness by achichi

flow chart for hapin...

3-27-08 Plan by Artbandito

3-27-08 Plan

the only flow-chart you will ever need by j3rmz

the only flow-chart...

Determining a Clickability Score for Yahoo Search Marketing by bragadocchio

Determining a Clicka...

Rapid paper prototyping 

Paper is still the best tool for visual thinking and mapping. Even the most high-tech industries rely on paper for some of their most creative and inventive work.

Popular in the software industry, rapid paper prototyping is a way to quickly mock up a software interface or user experience without spending a lot of time and money.

Interface designers sketch paper "screens" and test their effectiveness by asking users to think out loud and interact with the paper as if it were an actual computer interface.

User-testing of Paper Prototype by rcourtie

User-testing of Pape...

Paper Prototype Testing by rcourtie

Paper Prototype Test...

Paper Prototype Testing by rcourtie

Paper Prototype Test...

Paper Prototype Testing by rcourtie

Paper Prototype Test...

Paper Prototype Testing by rcourtie

Paper Prototype Test...

Paper Prototype Testing by rcourtie

Paper Prototype Test...

Laika XDS Testing v0.0.1 Wire Frames by mccready

Laika XDS Testing v0...

Conveyor Homepage Idea by Yandle

Conveyor Homepage Id...

Eye and Mouse Motion Visualization by rcourtie

Eye and Mouse Motion...

UML 

UML stands for "Universal Markup Langage." It's a visual language used by software designers to define classes, hierarchies and user scenarios. It's quite flexible and can be used to visually map all kinds of things. However it's also complex and not easily mastered.

OS104M23W.jpg by nevolution

OS104M23W.jpg

1230 DEEP.jpg by nevolution

1230 DEEP.jpg

SW0600.jpg by nevolution

SW0600.jpg

v.jpg by nevolution

v.jpg

Rubble.jpg by nevolution

Rubble.jpg

T.jpg by nevolution

T.jpg

E040.jpg by nevolution

E040.jpg

METER.jpg by nevolution

METER.jpg

59.jpg by nevolution

59.jpg

The blueprint 

We began this exploration of visual mapping with the napkin sketch, so it's fitting to end with the other end of the spectrum -- the blueprint.

Blueprints are usually the outcome of a planning process; they communicate the specifics of the plan. They must be highly detailed, because they will generally be handed to another person or team for execution.

For this reason blueprints generally use specific graphic conventions that can be written and read by all parties.

MM00025290 by Florida Keys--Public Libraries

MM00025290

MM00025297 by Florida Keys--Public Libraries

MM00025297

MM00025292 by Florida Keys--Public Libraries

MM00025292

MM00025283 by Florida Keys--Public Libraries

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MM00025298 by Florida Keys--Public Libraries

MM00025298

MM00025286 by Florida Keys--Public Libraries

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MM00025276 by Florida Keys--Public Libraries

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MM00025275 by Florida Keys--Public Libraries

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MM00025274 by Florida Keys--Public Libraries

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Books to improve your visual mapping 

The Elements of UML™ Style (Sigs Reference Library)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009) Buy Now

The Mind Map Book: How to Use Radiant Thinking to Maximize Your Brain's Untapped Potential

Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 07/13/2009) Buy Now

Flowcharts: Plain & Simple: Learning & Application Guide

Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/13/2009) Buy Now

Mapping Inner Space: Learning and Teaching Visual Mapping

Amazon Price: $27.85 (as of 07/13/2009) Buy Now

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by dgray

Dave Gray is the founder and CEO of XPLANE, the visual thinking company. The company's vision was formed and continues to be driven by Dave's passion...

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