COURSE DESCRIPTION
Today’s work environment demands that we all save time, improve efficiency and are more creative in our thinking. As a result, more and more people are turning to Mind Mapping as an essential business tool.
Created by Tony Buzan, Mind Mapping is one of the world’s best thinking tools. This course is designed to teach the mind mapping technique and show you how to use mind maps within the work environment. Specifically, you will learn how to use mind maps to brainstorm, make decisions, plan and prioritize, solve problems, make notes, take notes and prepare presentations.
The second day of the program is designed to challenge you to think through common and less common problems using a structured problem-solving process in order to generate new and original solutions. The course will provide you with the knowledge, tools and techniques to be better at solving problems effectively and efficiently.
What Will Be Covered:
- How to produce your own mind maps
- Brainstorm new ideas using mind maps
- Organize your thoughts using thinking and planning maps
- Take better notes in meetings
- Make notes from books and other printed material using mind maps
- Present information using mind maps as a communication tool
- Understand the Problem Solving Process
Intended Audience:
- Individuals who would like to learn a practical tool to help them to be more effective and efficient at work
- Anyone who is interested in unleashing (or simply finding) their creativity.
- Anyone who is currently facing a business problem and/or who wants to know how to solve problems in a structured and well-thought through way
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Present information in an organized and easy to follow format
- Enhance creativity through the promotion of free thinking
- Aids problem solving by bringing all of the information together from differing sources to one page
- Maximize the thinking potential of the brain by utilizing a visual structure
- Consolidate and access information
- Be able to read and produce mind maps
- Know how to use mind maps to brainstorm, plan and prioritize, take and make notes, and present information
- Implement an efficient structure – Mind Maps are a good way to plan and structure projects, presentations, writing and other business tasks
- Present information using mind maps as a communication tool
- Discover how the problem solving process works and how to use it to solve a range of everyday business challenges
- Learn and apply practical creative problem solving techniques in order to generate new and original solutions
PROGRAM OUTLINE
THE HUMAN BRAIN
- The Left and Right Brain Hemispheres
- Understanding Our Creative Minds
- How to achieve a higher level of creativity
- Your brain – discover how the structure and functions of the brain is mirrored by the design of a Mind Map
- Word Association
- Creative Activity: Making Associations
MIND MAP- THE THINKING TOOL
- What is a Mind Map?
- The Benefits of Mind Mapping
- Mind Mapping Uses
- How to Read Mind Maps
- Mind Map examples
- The Laws of Mind Mapping
- Opportunities to practice Mind Mapping: Personal & business challenges
MIND MAP APPLICATIONS AND PRACTICE
- Note taking in meetings and workshops
- Practice your Mind Mapping Skills – with a range of note-making, note-taking and learning applications.
- Preparing Presentations
- Designing the structure
- Using mind mapping to sequence and structure your materials
- Practice
- Group Mind Mapping: Putting it all together Groups will create and present a mind map on a specific chosen topic using the various creativity techniques practiced so far. Discussions and debrief establish what works and what can be improved.
BOOSTING CREATIVE POWER -Complement other brainstorming tools with mind mapping
- Comparing & contrasting
- Sequences & Patterns
- Express complex arguments and abstract concepts as diagrams
- Concept Frame – Mind Map Exercise
STRENGTHENING YOUR PROBLEM SOLVING AND ANALYTICAL THINKING SKILLS
- Defining problem solving
- Using Maps For Precision Thinking & Solving
- Break down broad questions into specific bite sized The Five Whys
- Collecting the Facts
- Conducting the Analysis
- Create models to guide analysis, communications and implementation
IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
- Generating solutions using mind maps
Action Planning – a chance to think through how you are going to use Mind Maps in your work environment and how to benefit from the skills learned on the course.