Heuristic Chart

A Heuristic chart ( mind map in English), also called chart of the ideas or conceptual chart is a Diagramme which represents the Connection S Sémantique S between different Idée S, the hierarchical bonds between different Concept S intellectuals. At the base, it is about a mainly arborescent representation of the Donnée S.

It is for example an intuitive means to describe the data-processing Architecture general of a PC:

A heuristic chart implements various components improving its exploitation: use of forms, colors and graphics (illustrations, symbols) which allow an easy comprehension by an optimal and joint operation of the cerebral Hémisphères.

Origin

The hierarchical system of representation would have been invented by Aristote.

The concept of the heuristic charts was formalized by a Psychologue English, Tony Buzan. The idea came to him whereas he wrote a Encyclopédie brain and from its use ( An Encyclopedia off the Brain and Its Use ) in 1971. It also used this system without him to give name in its courses on the chain BBC.

Work of Tony Buzan showed that we tend to privilege the activities of the left hemisphere of the brain (Logique, thought rational, classification, Langage) compared to those of the right hemisphere (Créativité, thought Holistique, capacity of Synthèse).

Other studies in linguistics showed that only some Mots-clés called words of recall bring added-value. These words account for only approximately 10% of the words employed in a text.

Implementation

Traditional

A heuristic chart can be drawn by simply using a sheet of paper and felts or colored pencils: the charts go back to good before the vulgarizing of the computers.

With a software

It is possible to draw a heuristic chart on computer with:

of the Software S of drawing, vectorial or not (implemented long and reduced flexibility);
of the software dedicated. Some are free and free, but there exists also an offer of software paying, more sophisticated often (a list is included below).

The remote ancestors named themselves, of the time of the mode text, Guide (1982, first system personal hypertext), Think tank or The Idea Generator (1985). An important progress was made with the adaptation of Guide to Windows.

It is now possible to create diagrams which resemble heuristic charts in a collaborative way (with Lotus Notes for example).

Applications

The heuristic chart has many potential applications in personal, educational and professional fields. Its possibilities include:

the Taken notes;
the back in shape of these notes;
preparation of an exposed ;
the Brainstorming (brain-storming);
assistance with the summary;
the structuring of a Project;
the revision and Clarification of ideas;
identification of key words;
the visualization of organization complexes ideas;
assistance with the Mnemotechnical training ;
the organization of the access (by bonds) to a whole of files and electronic files, which will be for example easily available for a talk…
the preparation of speech

The heuristic chart is used in the teaching and the medium of the businesses, and its idea is exposed in certain courses of Management.

Considerations of principle

Limitations

Although having rendered very great services since its invention, apparently by Aristote, the hierarchical system of representation is not indicated to answer all the types of problems. Indeed, the same things will have sometimes different hierarchical representations according to choices arbitrary, and not always coherent, of the user. Consequently, one does not find there inevitably what one seeks at the place where one would have the idea to seek it (the contents of the Hard drive in are an good example).

The relational model is shown more adapted to manage many elements when those do not have a single relation which would be of hierarchical type, but on the contrary various relations between them, various characteristics.

That does not remove anything with the utility hierarchical organization, trees of knowledge or heuristic charts for adapted projects:

when the number of elements to treat relatively reduced remainder;
or when the result to obtain imposes a format arranged hierarchically (case of the development of a document).

Extensions

Many trees make it possible to have other trees like elements, those being able themselves sometimes to include the initial tree. This mechanism thus frees the heuristic charts from the constraint of a purely hierarchical representation.

Developments in hand also seek to integrate the principle of relational bonds, or edition Wiki.

Besides one finds the same behavior in the Arborescence S of files in data processing, where a file can contain a bond (concept of Raccourci or Lien symbolic system) towards any other file, authorizing consequently that one of its under-files contains this same short cut. For example, the Bureau of Windows contains Work station which contains an icon of hard drive under which one will find the file Bureau . The short cuts thus soften the hierarchical constraint.

One of the extensions suggested by the various software allows a help the drafting of very structured documents. They allow an export towards a document of the type text treatment with a structured page layout: it is a real facility of working in the edition of documents even very elaborate.

See too

External bonds

useful
Course of design and councils to establish the conceptual charts
Semi-sparkling, French-speaking site which gathers many resources around the heuristic charts
'' What a conceptual chart? '' and '' Création of a conceptual chart ''
heuristic charts, a tool to learn how to learn
Which is what Mind Mapping? site of teaching in Mathematics presented in the form of Mind Map. Teaching applications and practices. Many examples of mental charts made by the pupils or for the pupils. Charts drawn or carried out using the software freemind.
For the companies '' MapManagement '' a new manner of working, of sharing knowledge, of organizing, of saving time

Software

References

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