Idea Mapping

These Idea Mapping examples are from Dr. Tim Schweizer’s Principles of Management students. I have been blogging about Tim’s work with his students since October 2009 — shortly after he attended one of my Idea Mapping Workshops. Search this blog on “Luther College” for more examples. I will share more in the days that follow.

Tim has developed a solid process to successfully teach Idea Mapping to his students. Each semester Tim takes the first two class periods to teach this tool to his students. Their first assignment is to create a map with “Who Am I?” as the topic. You can see many of those examples on this blog. Their second assignment is a take home assignment to create an idea map on their topic of choice – something personally relevant. More of these here. Sometimes there is a  third assignment asking them to overview a business book and then capture their thoughts and reactions in an idea map. More of these here.

The first idea map in this posting is from Ben Harney about a cycling trip through Panama. Next idea map is from Elisabeth Athas. She used this tool to develop her character as a nurse in the show “A Thread in the Dark.” Next is a map from Claudia Calderon about Bolivia.  The last idea map is about training for a triathlon by Dan Anderson.

Sure wish I’d learned Idea Mapping when I was in college. Thank you Ben, Elisabeth, Dan and Claudia for sharing your maps!