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Targeting using a Mind Map

When trying to find your target audience for your product or service, use a technique called mind-mapping. It will help you think outside the box.

For instance, it would be normal for a business like http://www.nationalgolfer.com to think its targeted audience online is anybody who plays golf and can use their products to improve their game. Although this would seem on the surface to be an absolutely correct assumption, let`s examine this assumption in further detail by mind-mapping or as I like to call it "thinking in a non-linear way."

Normally a piece of paper is used to set down things in outline form. This is great if you are writing a "structured" how-to manual but for finding who your target audience is, outlining tends to narrow your scope and doesn`t let your brain see the broader picture.

That`s why taking a blank piece of paper and putting in the middle of the sheet the words "target audience" tells the creative part of your brain, "OK, it`s your turn now to supply data."

From the words, "target audience," lines are drawn radiating out from it. Like a sunburst. One in each corner with lines in between or you can wait to draw the lines as you think of new things. On one line put male and another line would be female. Next, think about who your consumer is in further detail such as:

==> What is the age of male or female?

Put age on your new lines with the numbers 5 - 100. Since this too generic you need to further refine your thinking so your next question might be:

==> Who out of the age group is most likely to buy?

For our golfing example, this would probably be people from 20 to 85. While this statement is true, it is still too generic for targeted marketing unless you like the scatter-gun approach. So you take your thinking (mind mapping) a step farther and put another line branching out from the age line with the word "profile" on it.

==> Profile

From this profile line for men, you draw several more lines. And, put:

1.Men 20 to 85 who want to improve their golf game.

2.Have disposable income and play regularly.

But if you envision these men in more detail, you know they aren`t your best targeted audience because their shopping habits are:

Going to a golf store to be fitted and/or
A pro-shop at their local golf club to buy.

Occasionally, they might click on a golf site but it`s more to find out technical facts about different products than to buy.

Now, the lines for women might have the same profile as the men but with one exception and this is where you start thinking outside the box.

What about all the women who don`t play golf? Why would she be interested in your golf products? Maybe because she is living with a golf nut and has to buy something for this person on birthdays, Christmas and/or even Valentine`s day.

She is your best target audience because she has disposable income and will take the time to shop online. But only, if your site is geared towards her and her level of knowledge. Otherwise, you can kiss this huge consumer base goodbye. The products on your golf site should be items she can give as gifts and/or give her the opportunity to purchase gift certificates.

If you hadn`t done the mind mapping technique, you might not even have considered her as a potential customer.

As you can see, it is extremely important to mind map so you know who your target audience is before you start designing and marketing. And, if your sales aren`t what you think they should be, mind map each page of your web site based on your newly discovered target audience and see where you content needs improving.

Once you use this technique, you`ll agree "mind mapping" allows you to think outside the box and on the Internet, this isn`t a bad thing because nothing is ever static.

Mind map

A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks or other items linked to and arranged radially around a central key word or idea. It is used to generate, visualize, structure and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization, problem solving, and decision making.

It is an image-centered diagram that represents semantic or other connections between portions of information. By presenting these connections in a radial, non-linear graphical manner, it encourages a brainstorming approach to any given organizational task, eliminating the hurdle of initially establishing an intrinsically appropriate or relevant conceptual framework to work within.

A mind map is similar to a semantic network or cognitive map but there are no formal restrictions on the kinds of links used.

Most often the map involves images, words, and lines. The elements are arranged intuitively according to the importance of the concepts and they are organized into groupings, branches, or areas. The uniform graphic formulation of the semantic structure of information on the method of gathering knowledge, may aid recall of existing memories.

Origins

Mind maps (or similar concepts) have been used for centuries, for learning, brainstorming, memory, visual thinking, and problem solving by educators, engineers, psychologists and people in general. Some of the earliest examples of mind maps were developed by Porphyry of Tyros, a noted thinker of the 3rd century as he graphically visualised the concept categories of Aristotle. Ramon Llull also used these structures of the mind map form.

People have been using image-centered radial graphic organization techniques referred to variably as mental or generic mind maps for centuries in areas such as engineering, psychology, and education, although the claim to the origin of the mind map has been made by a British popular psychology author, Tony Buzan. He claimed the idea was inspired by Alfred Korzybski`s general semantics as popularized in science fiction novels, such as those of Robert A. Heinlein and A. E. van Vogt. He argues that `traditional` outlines rely on the reader to scan left to right and top to bottom, whilst what actually happens is that the brain will scan the entire page in a non-linear fashion. He also uses popular assumptions about the cerebral hemispheres in order to promote the exclusive use of mind mapping over other forms of note making.

More recently the semantic network was developed as a theory to understand human learning, and developed into mind maps by the renaissance man Dr Allan Collins , and the noted researcher M. Ross Quillian during the early 1960s. As such, due to his commitment and published research, and his work with learning, creativity, and graphical thinking, Dr Allan Collins can be considered the father of the modern mind map.

The mind map continues to be used in various forms, and for various applications including learning and education (where it is often taught as `Webs` or `Webbing`), planning and in engineering diagramming.

When compared with the earlier original concept map (which was developed by learning experts in the 1960s) the structure of a mind map is a similar, but simplified, radial by having one central key word.

Uses of mind maps

Rough mindmap notes taken during a course session

Mind maps have many applications in personal, family, educational, and business situations, including notetaking, brainstorming (wherein ideas are inserted into the map radially around the center node, without the implicit prioritization that comes from hierarchy or sequential arrangements, and wherein grouping and organizing is reserved for later stages), summarizing, revising and general clarifying of thoughts. For example, one could listen to a lecture and take down notes using mind maps for the most important points or keywords. One can also use mind maps as a mnemonic technique or to sort out a complicated idea. Mind maps are also promoted as a way to collaborate in colour pen creativity sessions.

Some of the literature around mind-mapping has made claims that one can find the perfect lover, combat bullying, persuade clients, develop intuitive powers, create global harmony, and tap the deeper levels of consciousness by using mind map techniques.

Software and technique research have concluded that managers and students find the techniques of mind mapping to be useful, being better able to retain information and ideas than by using traditional `linear` note taking methods.

Mindmaps can be drawn by hand, either as `rough notes`, for example, during a lecture or meeting, or can be more sophisticated in quality. Examples of both are illustrated. There are also a number of software packages available for producing mind maps (see below).

Mind map guidelines

Mind map of mind map guidelines

These are the foundation structures of a Mind Map, although these are open to free interpretation by the individual:

Start in the centre with an image of the topic, using at least 3 colours.
Use images, symbols, codes and dimensions throughout your Mind Map.
Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters.
Each word/image must be alone and sitting on its own line.
The lines must be connected, starting from the central image. The central lines are thicker, organic and flowing, becoming thinner as they radiate out from the centre.
Make the lines the same length as the word/image.
Use colours ? your own code ? throughout the Mind Map.
Develop your own personal style of Mind Mapping.
Use emphasis and show associations in your Mind Map.
Keep the Mind Map clear by using radial hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace your branches.

(See: BUZAN, Tony. The Mind Map Book. Chapter "Mind Mapping Guidelines").

Scholarly research on mind maps

Buzan (1991), in non-scholarly writings, claims that the mind map is a vastly superior note taking method because it does not lead to the alleged "semi-hypnotic trance" state induced by the other note forms. Buzan also claims that the mind map utilizes the full range of left and right human cortical skills, balances the brain, taps into the alleged 99% of your unused mental potential, and taps into the intuition (which he calls "superlogic"). There has been research conducted on the technique which suggests that such claims may actually be marketing hype based on misconceptions about the brain and the cerebral hemispheres. Hemispheric specialization theory has been identified as pseudoscientific when applied to mind mapping (Williams (2000)).

There are benefits to be gained by applying a wide range of graphic organizers, and it follows that the mind map, specifically, is not equally suited to all learning tasks.

Scholarly research by Farrand , Hussain, and Hennessy ( 2002) found that the mind map technique had a limited but significant impact on recall only, in undergraduate students (a 10% increase over baseline for a 600-word text only) as compared to preferred study methods (a ?6% increase over baseline). This improvement was only robust after a week for those in the mind map group, and there was a significant decrease in motivation compared to the subjects` preferred methods of note taking. They suggested that learners preferred to use other methods because using a mind map was an unfamiliar technique, and its status as a "memory enhancing" technique engendered reluctance to apply it. Pressley, VanEtten, Yokoi, Freebern, and VanMeter ( 1998) found that learners tended to learn far better by focusing on the content of learning material rather than worrying over any one particular form of note taking.

Tools

These tools can be used effectively to organise large amounts of information, combining spatial organisation, dynamic hierarchical structuring and node folding.

List of Mind Mapping software
A very complete list of mind mapping software: http://www.mind-mapping.org/

Mind mapping in contrast with concept mapping

The mind map can be contrasted with the similar idea of concept mapping. The former is based on radial hierarchies and tree structures, whereas concept maps are based on connections between concepts. Concept maps also encourage one to label the connections one makes between nodes, while mind maps are based on separated focused topics; both of them have been found to enhance meaningful learning while enabling the potential as a true cognitive, intuitive, spatial and metaphorical mapping.

Trademarks

The use of the term "Mind Maps" is trade-marked by The Buzan Organisation, Ltd. in the UK and the USA , though the trade-mark does not appear in the records of the Canadian Intellectual Property Office .

References

Buzan, T. (1991). The Mind Map Book . New York: Penguin.
Farrand P, Hussain F, Hennessy E. Med Educ. (2002) "The efficacy of the `mind map` study technique". May;36(5):426-31. EBSCOHost. Retrieved May 5th, 2005.
Novak, J. D. (1993). How do we learn our lesson? : Taking students through the process. The Science Teacher, 60(3), 50-55.
Pressley, M., VanEtten, S., Yokoi, L., Freebern, G., & VanMeter, P. (1998). "The metacognition of college studentship: A grounded theory approach". In: D. J. Hacker, J. Dunlosky, & A. C. Graesser (Eds.), Metacognition in Theory and Practice (pp. 347-367). Mahwah NJ: Erlbaum.
Novak A ,Hermann W., Bovo V (2005) Mapas Mentais: Enriquecendo Inteligncias- Manual de Aprendizagem e Desenvolvimento de Inteligncias"; ( p XI 27, 331). Ed IDPH
Nast, J. (2006). Idea Mapping. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons
Williams (2000) The encyclopedia of pseudoscience. Facts on file.

External links

Basic introduction to mindmapping
FreeMindMaps ? A web portal for exchanging mindmaps and knowledge
"How to make a mind map in 8 steps"
ConceptDraw MINDMAP - Mind Mapping, Brainstorming and Project Planning
Mind map overview and advocacy
Directory of mind maps
"Mind Mapping Laws" by Vanda North, drawn with HeadCase
Jamie Nast`s Idea-Mapping blog
In the Mind of a Mind Mapper - Mind Map software developer`s public blog
World Wide Brain Club - group for discussion of Mind Mapping and mnemonics

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer) Edit this Wikipedia entry --> Donate to Wikimedia --> Donate to Wikimedia User Contributions Directory > Reference > User Contributions Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping is a process for maximizing creative thinking and knowledge management. Developed from extensive research into how people receive and process information; Based on the principles of `The Mind Map Book`, by Tony Buzan, the world`s leading authority on brain research. Mind Mapping is used worldwide to achieve high performance at individual, team, and organizational levels.

Submitted by: A.J. Vasaris

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