Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business (Kindle Edition)

by Jamie Nast (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Praise for Idea Mapping


"Nast's work in Idea Mapping enables those with creative minds to clearly lay out their thinking process and those who are more process-minded to become creative. If your organization is looking for a pragmatic, step-by-step guide to idea mapping, this is it."
--Chris Brown, Executive Vice President, DTE Energy Resources

"I have used idea maps for thirty years and have taught MBA students, employees, and my children how to harness their power. I strongly recommend this book and believe you will feel it to be one of the best investments you have ever made in your own growth."
--Stephen C. Lundin, coauthor, FISH!

"This is a book that everyone should read. It's an interactive, thought-provoking book about the brain and learning that will expand your mind. Nast, an accomplished and well-respected instructor, has guided me into a new realm of learning experiences and possibilities. I'm sure you will feel the same upon reading her insightful work."
--Simon Tai, CEO, Buzan Centre Taiwan and S&J Media Intergration Co. Ltd., Host of News Discovery on NEWS 98 Taiwan

"Nast shows you a revolutionary method to capture your thinking processes. Don't underestimate the simplicity of idea mapping because therein lies its genius."
--Scott Hagwood, four-time USA Memory Champion, author, Memory Power

"The ability to visually capture and organize thoughts and ideas has enabled millions of people around the world to do their work with greater creativity and productivity, run their businesses more strategically, and manage complex projects more efficiently--even map out a sales process or new product roll-out. Nast's very practical, readable book will get you quickly up to speed on one of the simplest but most powerful ways to organize your ideas, your work, and yourself."
--Mike Jetter, cofounder and CTO, Mindjet Corporation, coauthor, The Cancer Code

"The principles Nast writes about in Idea Mapping have become a staple for me over the past fourteen years. I was turned onto the concept of idea mapping in 1992 and have been a student and practitioner ever since. This has absolutely transformed the way I learn, design learning, and prepare for public speaking. I have never been more confident in my recall, knowing the content is nicely tucked away in my brain as it was designed to be. Get ready for a life-changing experience for yourself and those you influence."
--Will Flora, Senior Manager, Chick-Fil-A University, Atlanta, GA

From the Inside Flap
In this busy world, we're constantly asked to do more in less time. But how do you cope with the pressure? Idea mapping is the answer. It's an effective and revolutionary tool that enables you to meet the demands of life and work by improving your ability to plan, think, and learn.

Designed to help you use more of your brainpower with less effort, an idea map is a colorful visual representation of a particular issue, problem, or idea—among other applications—on a single piece of paper. Our brains are much better at absorbing, processing, and remembering information presented in the form of an idea map as opposed to information presented in a multi-linear document. Because idea maps represent facts and issues visually—engaging both hemispheres of the brain—they foster more efficient learning, enable you to approach problems more creatively, and help you think more systematically.

Author Jamie Nast has trained thousands of people at dozens of high-profile organizations on using idea maps. In Idea Mapping, she explains how you can apply the power of idea maps to your professional life—helping you and your teams plan better, increase productivity, organize complex information, save time, and develop new ideas and solutions.

To guide your way, this book includes actual idea maps created and used by twenty-one businesspeople from around the globe—as well as other handy resources you'll find on the CD-ROM. Nast explains the rules and logic of idea mapping and leads you through every step of the idea mapping process. She begins with simple idea maps and moves onto the more complex maps, while showing you how to understand and utilize idea maps to get the most benefit from them. In order to maximize the effectiveness of your maps, as well as your thinking, Nast guides you in overcoming potential obstacles when learning this valuable skill. More than just the theory of idea mapping, she provides a multitude of specific examples from which readers can gather ideas to begin practicing their own idea mapping skills.

The idea map is the ultimate tool for achieving more in business and in life. Whether you're an overwhelmed businessperson, an overworked entrepreneur, or someone who just wants to solve problems better and faster, Idea Mapping is a perfect tool for anyone who wants to work more efficiently—and succeed more spectacularly.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (September 22, 2006)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• ASIN: B0014ERSJM
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #39,608 in Kindle Store (See Bestsellers in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The author, regrettably with all her good intentions, did not focus on the true power & value of 'idea-mapping' in this book!, February 3, 2007

By	Lee Say Keng "KNOWLEDGE ADVENTURER/TECHNOLOGY... (Singapore) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business (Hardcover)

Frankly, I regret to point out that this book is just another 'how-to' mind-mapping book. Essentially, it's no different from what Tony Buzan or Vanda North or Joyce Wycoff had written earlier.

Except for one: The author has now fully incorporated the use of MindManager software to go with it. Undoubtedly, MindManager can expedite the mind-mapping process. [With all the available third-party add-ons, MindManager is really a godsend!]. In some way, you can say reading this book is like reading any of Tony Buzan's mind-mapping books, syntopically with the 'MindManager for Dummies' book! In reality, this book is not ground-breaking & does not offer any new insights into idea generation.

I must add, however, for a beginner into techno-savvy mind-mapping, this book is still great stuff. I also want to compliment the author for listing out a series of 28 mind-mapping applications & suggested practice activities in the Idea Mapping Menu at the end pages!. For beginners, this is obviously a very good place to start.

My only adverse comment about mind-mapping as envisioned by Tony Buzan & his staunch followers is that every topical idea must seemingly take a radial approach & commence from the centre. This book doggedly follows the same approach.

Nancy Margulies, in her debut book, Mapping Innerspace, during the early eighties, took a radical departure from the Buzan routine. She created 'mind-scaping' - your topical idea can start from anywhere you like - which I thought is really great!.

To some extent, 'Idea-mapping' as the book title is quite a misnomer. It is obvious to me that the author has a somewhat narrow perspective, arising from her only chosen exposure to Buzan's mindmapping routines & the MindManager software.

A truly 'idea-mapping' book should provide readers with a smorgasbord of options to go beyond traditional mind-mapping & just MindManager alone. To illustrate a quick point, 'mind-scaping' routines appear exceptionally wonderful with SmartDraw Pro (with its abundant templates & cliparts) or even Microsoft Visio.

'Concept mapping' routines, with the topical idea starting from the super-ordinate hierarchy as postulated by Joseph Novak, & 'causal loop diagramming' routines (from the field of systems thinking) are pieces of cake with 'Inspiration' software. 'Fish-bone diagramming' & 'flow-charting' (which are other forms of idea-mapping) with either 'Inspiration' or 'SmartDraw' softwares are some good examples, too. There are too numerous other software examples to cover in this review. [For readers who are visual thinkers with a high propensity towards conceptual modeling, I would even suggest the AXON Idea Processor. It has an impressive 3-D modeling capability, with a 500-level depth migration. Incidentally, it's also a Singaporean thoroughbred!]

In the course of my work, I have come across a lot of followers who are simply indoctrinated by the mindsets of mind-mapping as envisioned by Tony Buzan.

I would like to share with readers the true power & value of idea-mapping:

An idea-map is just a visual tool to jot down & organise ideas & then use it to generate insights, irrespective of whether they are from reading a book or just stretching your brain for a change. This is the initial response. Once, this map is drawn up - with or without software -, it's just an exploded-view (map) of what you have just captured. Period! Most kids at primary school level can do it very well.

After the idea- map is done, you step back, take an helicopter view & reflect on it, by seeing the bigger & broader picture as well as from the systemic relationships between what has been written or drawn on the map. You can then add to or may even subtract from the map. A lot of thinking (& reflection) on your part goes into this stage. Tactically, you also cross-pollinate from what you have read elsewhere as well as from your own &/or other peoples' experiences in connection with your reflections (or memory jogs!) from the idea map. This is what I call the reflective response.

Lastly, comes the final response, with which you readily integrate (or internalise) what you have done in the initial & reflective responses, into what you are thinking &/or planning to do. The resultant outcome is your assimilative response. Using another lingo, this is your strategic model. This is where the actual value of an idea map is primarily located! Not in the beautiful map - with or without software - you have drawn in the first place! (I also note that a lot of Buzan followers simply love to spend time & effort in beautifying their mind-maps! This is really crazy!)

I love to call this end-point process the 'water logic' of idea generation, to borrow a phrase from Edward de bono.

The true value or ROI of an idea-map is WHERE IT LEADS YOU TO.

Of course, having a beautifully drawn or crafted idea-map is good for the ego - looking good, but going nowhere!

Just as I have said earlier, this book has really great stuff for the beginner into techno-savvy mind-mapping. But, please don't just stop here because life as well as business issues are never centralised. So, keep exploring! The world is full of possibilities!

To summarise my review, the author, regrettably with all her good intentions, did not focus on the true power & value of idea-mapping in this book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Helpful Book, February 14, 2007

By	R. Mitchell "Joyfarm6" (Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business (Hardcover)

I love this book. It has helped me with my to do lists, teaching classes, taking notes on lectures and with helping my children to study. In my teaching; it has allowed me to keep my notes on one page and then to see the transitions more clearly. When questions are asked I can quickly find my place and give precise answers without flipping through pages of notes. My oldest daughter was struggling with science, but with idea mapping techniques she is able to use her creativeness to map out her study notes and has had more success with her testing. When taking notes on a lecture, I find that I can remember the speaker's points much better than the traditional outline method because it's mapped out in pictures and words.
I really enjoyed the book because the author has the reader participate in each chapter, so by the end of the book you are able to make good idea maps and rarely have to review the book.
What I have learned is a life enhancing skill that I use at work (fleshing out new projects or by doing my performance reviews)and my personal life (helping my children study, teaching, studying my Bible or by mapping "to do" lists).
The book is great; if you participate you will learn. I use idea mapping every day and I believe I am even more creative because of it.
Although I do not use the software suggested in the book, one day I may give it a try when drawing my own idea maps becomes a little tiring or less useful. But that may be well into the future because for now I'm having the best time drawing them out myself.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, I wish I had read it 12 Years ago !, January 5, 2007

By	Don L (South Lyon, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business (Hardcover)

The author has done an excellent job of laying out the Idea (Mind) Mapping logic and concepts. It is obvious that the book was written by someone who actually uses this process on a day to day basis. The book also includes a ton of examples from others that use that use it in a variety of situations.

I have used this process regularly for about 15 years. It is really a fantastic tool and has helped me through some tough projects. It is now my "default" starting point. Jamie makes it simple to understand and do.