Mind Mapping and Artificial Intelligence

By Jose Maria Guerrero

In the near future, we will see an increase in the development and use of all sorts of AI applications. Some of the more promising areas will be Finance, Healthcare, IoT, Manufacturing, Journalism, and Cybersecurity. Many of these applications generate a great amount of complex information. Natural Language Understanding is one of the most clear examples. Traditional ways of visualizing complex information, namely linear text, web pages and hyperlink-based applications, have serious productivity problems. Users need a lot of time to visualize the information and have problems seeing the whole picture of the results. Mind mapping is probably the only way of reducing the problems inherent in these traditional ways of visualizing complex information. Most people have no clear idea about the advantages of mind mapping or the problems created by the traditional ways of visualizing complex information. The goal of Mind Mapping and Artificial Intelligence is to provide readers with an introduction to mind mapping and artificial intelligence, to the problems of using traditional ways of visualizing complex information and as an introduction to mind mapping automation and its integration into Artificial Intelligence applications such as NLU and others. As more applications of Artificial Intelligence are developed in the near future, the need for the improvement of the visualization of the information generated will increase exponentially. Information overload will soon also happen in AI applications. This will diminish the advantages of using AI. Author José Maria Guerrero is a long-time expert in mind mapping and visualization techniques. In this book he also introduces readers to MindManager mind mapping software, which can considerably reduce the problems associated with the interpretation of complex information generated by Artificial Intelligence software.

• Provides coverage of the fundamentals of mind mapping and visualization applied to Artificial Intelligence applications
• Includes coverage of the scientific bases for mind mapping for the visualization of complex information
• Introduces MindManager software for mind mapping
• Introduces the author's MindManager toolkit for the readers to use in development of new mind mapping applications
• Includes case studies and real-world applications of MindManager for AI applications, including examples using IBM Watson NLU

• Language: English
• Publisher: Academic Press
• Release date: Oct 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9780128202425

Jose Maria Guerrero

José María Guerrero is a consultant in software development and mind mapping. He holds a Degree in Chemical Engineering from Instituto Químico de Sarriá, Barcelona, Spain and a BSc in Mathematics from the Open University, U.K. He was CEO of Infoseg S.A. Through his career he has been a lecturer, IT consultant, programmer, and developer of a variety of commercial software applications in fields like Quantum Chemistry, Artificial Intelligence in Medical Diagnosis, Logistics Control, Management of Hospital Admissions, Animal Health Control, Insurance, Actuarial, Banking, Pharma eCTD, among many others. He has been a pioneer in the development of mind mapping automation, and in the use of the mind mapping technique for the development of Artificial Intelligence applications. He is the author of the book Introduction to the Applications of Mind Mapping in Medicine, iMedPub, 2015; the book Introducción a la Técnica de Mapas Mentales con MindManager, UOC, 2016; a chapter on Data Visualization in Federal Data Science: Transforming Government and Agricultural Policy Using Artificial Intelligence, edited by Batarseh and Chang, Academic Press, 2017; and of a chapter in Data Democracy, edited by Batarseh and Chang, Academic Press, 2020. José has been working in software development since 1974, AI since 1980, mind mapping since 1987, and mind mapping automation since 2005.

Book preview

Prologue

This book is dedicated to the scientific analysis of the mind mapping technique and its applications to the field of artificial intelligence. In the near future, mind mapping, and almost anything else, will be related to AI in a way or another. This book is meant to aid mind mapping and artificial intelligence practitioners and researchers at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

It explains how the mind mapping technique can be applied to artificial intelligence and of how artificial intelligence can be applied to the creation and optimization of mind maps.

It is an introduction to the field and not a complete work on how things can be done at all levels.

It can be used to design applications in the fields of Healthcare, Insurance, Banking, Engineering, Management, Architecture, and any other in which complex information has to be used and visualized.

The use of mind mapping is becoming related to automation. That is, the creation of mind maps using complex information contained in databases, text files, or generated by artificial intelligence APIs or models. In this work, a new mind mapping automation framework is introduced that facilitates the creation of mind maps that is scalable and easier to use for developers.

The book is divided into eight chapters and related appendices.

1. What is mind mapping?

2. How to create mind maps with software

3. Fundamentals of Neuroscience for mind mapping

4. Why mind mapping is a vital tool for the modern worker

5. History of modern Artificial Intelligence

6. Narrow Artificial Intelligence

7. General Artificial Intelligence

8. Example of applications of mind mapping to artificial intelligence and vice versa

9. Appendices

Chapter 1 is a brief introduction to the mind mapping technique and its history.

Chapter 2 is an introduction to the creation of mind maps using the software ecosystem MindManager. This software is considered the market benchmark at the time of writing this book.

Chapter 3 is a brief introduction to Neuroscience for mind mapping. It can be used to facilitate the reading of scientific articles and books about the mind mapping technique. It can be skipped by readers not interested in a deep understanding of mind mapping.

Chapter 4 explains the reasons why mind mapping software should be considered a vital tool for modern workers.

Chapter 5 presents a summary of the history of modern Artificial Intelligence since 1940.

Chapter 6 describes the concept of Narrow Artificial Intelligence (NAI), its main uses, and limitations. It also includes some applications of mind mapping in NAI.

Chapter 7 describes the concept of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). It includes a short history on the origins of the ideas about AGI, its foundations, the path to build an AGI, the concept of Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), the concept of ASI Singularity, the risks of AGI and ASI, and a short summary of the possible future applications of mind mapping to AGI and ASI.

Chapter 8 includes several examples of how the mind mapping technique can be applied to artificial intelligence (NAI and AGI) and how artificial intelligence can be applied to the creation of mind maps. Some of the examples include a link to the HTML5 version of the full mind maps.

The Appendices include ancillary material for researchers interested in Surveys, the Scientific Method, Experiments, Case Studies, Literature Reviews, some advice on How to do Better Mind Mapping Experiments, and a short summary of Human Brain Imaging.

Chapter 1: What is mind mapping

Abstract

This chapter attempts to summarize the answer to the question: What is mind mapping and what are mind maps? It includes several definitions related to the subject, a description of the main applications, a brief history of mind mapping, and some scientific evidence about why this technique keeps being so useful to students, academics, and professionals. Included are a selection of surveys, literature reviews, theses, use cases, and experiments. Finally, a list of recommendations on how to design better mind mapping experiments is given. The recommendations are based on my experience as a mind mapping practitioner since 1987 in the design and creation of mind maps using pen and paper, digitally, and through automation.

Keywords

Automation; Digital; Experiments; History; Literature reviews; Mind map; Mind mapping; Pen and paper; Surveys; Theses; Use cases

1.1. Introduction to the mind mapping technique

This chapter is intended for both readers who lack experience in the use of the mind mapping technique and also for experienced users looking for a more scientific explanation of the benefits of mind mapping than that can be found in other books about the subject. The fundamentals of the mind mapping technique will be explained, as well as what professional and academic users think of its advantages.

In chapter 2, I will introduce the basic elements of a mind mapping software system. In chapter 4, I will introduce the neurological and technical reasons of why this technique is so useful and why it should be used regularly when working with complex information.

The lack of a complete understanding of the way the brain works makes it impossible to offer a full scientific explanation of the subtle details of the benefits of mind mapping. However, the information contained in this book will clarify most of the mysteries of the inner working of the mind mapping technique.

In order to offer more detailed information, I will introduce the readers to the structure of the brain and especially to those elements related to vision, memory, and attention in chapter 3. Without this information, it would be very difficult to understand why mind mapping has been in use for almost 2000 years.

The reading of the articles referenced in this book requires a basic knowledge on how to read research documents. This list of videos will facilitate the acquisition of such knowledge [1–5].

1.2. Some definitions

Mind mapping is a graphical technique for visually displaying and organizing several items of information. Each item is written down and then linked by lines to the other item, thus, creating a tree of relationships. The items of information are always organized around a single central idea or item of information.

Mind maps contain personal views of a person on a subject; therefore, they cannot be incorrect in an objective sense.

Usually, mind maps are two-dimensional. There are also 3-D mind maps, but there is a consensus between practitioners that they are not as useful as 2-D mind maps because rather than simplifying complexity 3-D tends to increase it when working in a 2-D space (piece of paper, white-board, computer screen, etc.).

A mind map is a diagram created by using the mind mapping technique. Fig. 1.1 shows a simple mind map that will help to explain some of the elements of mind maps.

Figure 1.1  Sample mind map created with the software MindManagertm.

This is a mind map generated by an application to document databases [6]. Only some elements of the mind map have been displayed.

Mind maps are not simple outlines. They have many more types of components like images, markers, hyperlinks, attached files, tasks, properties, and notes. They also have many more types of uses. An outline is simply one of the many possible uses of mind maps.

Mind maps are complex information tree diagrams, which have been flattened to adapt better to the digital world in which we live [7]. This flattening of the complex information makes it manageable and controllable for its readers. Diagrams are hybrids between images and words.

Diagrams have always been used by logicians [8], and it has been clear the relationship between visualization and the mechanisms of human reasoning [9].

1.2.1. Main components of a mind map

In most mind maps, the principal components are topics, connecting lines, boundaries, markers, notes, hyperlinks, and attachments.

The different types of topics are central topic, main topics, subtopics, callout topic, and floating topic. There is only one central topic per mind map. It contains the key idea, theme, or title of the mind map. Main topics contain the main ideas that define the central topic. Main topics usually contain several levels of subtopics forming a branch. Subtopics contain the details about the main topics. Callout topics contain supplemental information about main topics, subtopics, or floating topics but not about the central topic. Floating topics contain general ideas about the mind map. They are not connected to other topics. Sometimes, they are there waiting to be converted into main topics or subtopics. This is what happens when using mind maps for brainstorming applications.

Lines are used to connect related nonfloating topics. They usually have a style like straight, arc, curve, elbow, and others.

Boundaries are shapes that highlight whole branches. They are optional. Sometimes, they are used to clarify information in complex mind maps.

Markers are Icon (and text) tags that allow you to code the topics of the mind map. They can also be used in find and search operations in the mind map to simplify the process.

Notes are used to store additional details about any of the topics, including floating and callout.

Hyperlinks are used to link to a local file or folder, a website, to another topic in the mind map, or to include an email address.

Attachments are used to attach local files to a topic. They are copied to the mind map. This means that the size of a mind map can increase substantially if you attach many files to it. The advantage is that all the attached content will be included in a single file, and it will be more useful for communicating information. In general, the software that uses attachments allows for the display of the content of the attachment using both a built in a browser and other external browsers.

In Fig. 1.1, the elements displayed are: central topic, main topics, subtopics, texts, and icons.

1.3. How to read a mind map

There are a few simple rules to understand how to read a mind map. Fig. 1.2 is a simple mind map that can be used as an example on how to read any mind map. The majority of mind maps tend to follow a clockwise construction, but they may also follow counterclockwise, tree-logic, matrix, and other constructions.

Figure 1.2  How to read a clockwise constructed mind map.

The first step is to read the central topic. The next step is to start at the 12 o'clock position (top center) and moving clockwise. In the example of Fig. 1.2, the order in which the topics have to be viewed is the following:

1. Central topic

2. Main topic A

3. Subtopic A.1

4. Subtopic A.1.1

5. Subtopic A.1.2

6. Subtopic A.1.3

7. Subtopic A.2

8. Subtopic A.2.1

9. Subtopic A.2.2

10. Subtopic A.2.3

11. Subtopic A.3

12. Subtopic A.3.1

13. Subtopic A.3.2

14. Subtopic A.3.3

15. Main topic C

1.4. Why do we need mind mapping?

Between the main reasons to need mind mapping are to solve simple problems like idea generation and organization charting but also more complex problems created by information overload, attention deficit, excess of linear text, and the complexity of the information we need in our professional or academic activity.

There are many uses of the mind mapping technique. Some of the more important ones are organization of ideas and information, simplification and visualization of ideas and information; knowledge management; problem solving; memorizing; content creation; sharing information; brainstorming and ideation; creativity; learning; teaching; note taking; presentations; diagnosis; exploration; gathering requirements; creation of overviews and summaries; task and project management; process design and documentation; productivity increase; product development; planning; decision-making; collaboration; meeting management; analysis of qualitative data; and note taking.

In the next sections, I will review different types of documents that provide evidence in favor of the use of mind mapping. These types of documents are: surveys, case studies, literature reviews, theses, and experiments.

The first ideas about mind mapping appear during the third century AD. The creator of the idea was Porphyry of Tyros [10], who mentioned it in his work Isagoge, an introduction to logic and philosophy to simplify the study of Aristotle Categories, and the ideas of Plato and Plotinus related to them. From Plato, he was probably interested in his hierarchical theory of ideas. The Isagoge was the standard introduction to philosophy for more than 1000 years. It deals with five sorts of items: genera, species, differences, properties, and accidents.

Porphyry constructs a sequence of substantial predicates:

Substance–Body–Living body–Animal–Rational animal–Man––Socrates and Plato and the rest.

More than like a tree, it looks more like a chain or line. Nothing in Porphyry's Isagoge insinuates a tree diagram. Nevertheless, it was finally known as the Porphyrian Tree.

Later, Boethius [11] creates the first representation of a tree diagram in his translation of the Isagoge from Greek into Latin (Fig. 1.3).

The Porphyrian tree is made of three columns of words, where the central column contains a series of divisions between genus and species, which derive from the supreme genus, Substance.

A more complete history of mind mapping can be found in Refs. [13,14]

In modern times, Buzan [15] coins the term mind map and popularizes its use. At first, it was only pen and paper mind mapping. It was not until 1994 that the first mind mapping software, Mind Man [16], which would become the present MindManager 21 [17], was published.

I will use MindManager 21 to create examples, demos, and figures in this book.

Theoretically, pen and paper mind mapping is still an option, but its use is very limited because of the enormous advantages of digital mind mapping.

The advantages of digital mind mapping will be explained in detail in chapters 2 and 4.

In the next section, I will present a series of surveys, articles about experiments, case studies, and literature reviews showing the evidence for the need of the use of the mind mapping technique. Those interested the theoretical bases of surveys; experiments and the scientific method; case studies; literature reviews; and my ideas on how to design the best possible mind mapping experiment can find complementary information in the Appendices.

Figure 1.3  The porphyrian tree [12].

1.5. Surveys. What do users of mind mapping think about this technique?

I will start by showing readers what users of the mind mapping technique think and what advantages they find in using it. Surveys are a simple way of finding out.

Probably the most interesting surveys about mind mapping are the Mind Mapping Trends Surveys published periodically by the Mind Mapping Software Blog [18]. These surveys focus in the way in which business executives use mind mapping software in their work.

I am going to describe some of the most interesting facts that appear in the 2019 survey.

How many hours per week does the use of mind mapping software save you, compared to conventional methods of planning and brainstorming? ( Fig. 1.4 ).

Figure 1.4  Savings in time due to the use of mind mapping software.

What is the single biggest benefit you have experienced from using mind mapping software? ( Fig. 1.5 )

Figure 1.5  Single biggest benefit from using mind mapping software.

In what business applications do you currently use mind mapping software? ( Fig. 1.6 )

Figure 1.6  Business applications.

How much of a PRODUCTIVITY increase have you experienced from using mind mapping software? ( Fig. 1.7 )

Figure 1.7  Productivity increase.

How much of a CREATIVITY increase have you experienced from using mind mapping software? ( Fig. 1.8 )

Figure 1.8  Creativity increase.

To what extent does your mind mapping software help you to distill information and reach CLARITY faster? ( Fig. 1.9 )

Figure 1.9  Distill information and reach clarity faster.

Share ideas with more clarity and impact? ( Fig. 1.10 )

Figure 1.10  Share ideas with more clarity and impact.

Manage projects more efficiently? ( Fig. 1.11 )

Figure 1.11  Manage projects more efficiently.

Improved decision-making? ( Fig. 1.12 )

Figure 1.12  Improved decision-making.

Collaborate more efficiently with others? ( Fig. 1.13 )

Figure 1.13  Collaborate more efficiently with others.

Generate and capture ideas more efficiently? ( Fig. 1.14 )

Figure 1.14  Generate and capture ideas more efficiently.

Give users a competitive edge in their careers? ( Fig. 1.15 )

Figure 1.15  Give users a competitive edge in their careers.

Identify the root causes of business problems? ( Fig. 1.16 )

Figure 1.16  Identify the root causes of business problems.

Think more creatively? ( Fig. 1.17 )