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How to Draw a Mind Map?

Mind Mapping Diagram is a simple, yet powerful diagram to help organize concepts and ideas through a visual note-taking approach. By presenting ideas in a networked form, user can develop precise ideas much easier.

Compatible edition(s): Enterprise, Professional, Standard

  • February 23, 2016
  • Views: 48,122
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Updated mind mapping diagram

There is no restriction on the usage of Mind Mapping Diagram. It can be used for making business decisions, preparing meeting agenda, story planning or any aspects of our lives that require effective thinking. In this tutorial you will learn to draw a Mind Mapping Diagram in Visual Paradigm. We will also cover some of the typical shortcut keys that you can use in drawing a mind map faster and easier.

Creating a mind mapping diagram

  1. Create a new project with Visual Paradigm. Select Project > New from the application toolbar.
  2. In the New Project window, enter Tutorial as project name. Click the Create Blank Project button.
    New project
  3. Select Diagram > New from the application toolbar.
  4. Select Mind Mapping Diagram and click Next.
    New mind mapping diagram
  5. Enter Software Upgrade Planning as diagram name and click OK to confirm. This creates a mind mapping diagram with a key idea node presented. Let's say you want to record the date to perform the software upgrade. Let's create a branch from the central idea node.
    Naming diagram
  6. Move your mouse pointer over the central idea node.
    Mouse over central idea node
  7. Press on the resource icon Branch -> Node and drag it out.
    Create mind map node
  8. Release the mouse button and enter Date: Feb 20 as the node content.
    Node created
  9. Let's say you want to record the responsibilities of team members. Create a node Responsibilities from the central idea node first.
    Responsibilities node created
  10. We can create sub-nodes under the Responsibilities node. Let's create three nodes Backup: David, Performer: Derek and Testing: Daisy from the central idea node.
    Mind map nodes created
  11. Apply the same technique to complete the mind map. Make it look like the one below:
    Updated mind mapping diagram

Relating nodes

Nodes that are related can be connected with a Link connector. Let's try to connect the node Integration Testing and Testing: Daisy.
  1. Move your mouse pointer over the node Integration Testing.
    Mouse over mind map node
  2. Press on the resource To Link -> Node and drag to the node Testing: Daisy.
    To link mind map nodes
  3. Release the mouse button and adjust the curve to make the diagram looks tidier.
    Adjusting link curve

Using icons

A set of built-in icon images is provided for you to add into mind map nodes to make the diagram more expressive. Let's try.
  1. Move your mouse pointer over the node Responsibilities.
    Mouse over mind map node
  2. Click on the resource icon Format and then select Icons... from the popup menu.
    To set icon
  3. In the Select Icons window, choose Businessman and click >. Click OK.
    Icon selected
    The icon is added to the mind map node.
    Icon selected

Using shortcuts

Besides creating nodes through the resource-centric interface, you may also create through shortcuts (hotkeys). This way of creating nodes will make it smoother when drawing the mind map by only using one input device, the keyboard. Here are some of the shortcuts that you can use in a mind mapping diagram:
Shortcut Key Description
Insert Create a sub-node.
Shift-Insert Create a parent node.
Enter Create a sibling node below the selected node.
Shift-Enter Create a sibling node above the selected node.


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