Summary: Idea Mapping - Jamie Nast

This work offers a summary of the book “IDEA MAPPING: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More and Achieve Success in Business” by Jamie Nast
The human brain, Jamie Nast suggests, is better at processing information when it is presented visually. Despite this, however, most communication is linear rather than visual. By converting the information that is received into an idea map, you create relationships which will help clarify the information contained.
Studies have demonstrated that people remember 80% of what they see and do. In a business context, idea mapping enables you to plan more effectively, allow others to understand you better, and permits more connections between logical ideas and creativity.
Nast shows the reader the best ways to establish idea mapping, such as defining your purpose in advance, but understanding that it’s best to have ideas first, and create order later. Start with less, rather than more – a word can be a better springboard than a phrase. Look at others’ idea maps on the same subject, to create synergy, then do a team map together. Nast suggests persuasively that regular idea mapping will integrate teams better, and produce better results. He gives sample idea maps to demonstrate his points, and shows how one key word can generate a host of good ideas.