Mind-mapping a tool for eliciting and representing knowledge held by diverse informants

Issue 52: Autumn 2007
social researchUpdate
Mind-mapping
a tool for eliciting and representing knowledge held by diverse informants
• Practical investigation of the use of mind-mapping at differ-
P. S. Meier
ent stages of the research process: eliciting, representing and
School of Health and Related
integrating knowledge
Research
• EPSRC-funded MAGNET project (developing theoretical
University of Sheffield
models of gun crime to inform stakeholder decision-making
p.meier@sheffield.ac.uk
about interventions)
• Mind-maps were particularly useful for communication within
on behalf of the MAGNET team:
our transdisciplinary team and brainstorming, interviews and
B. Holland, Psychology and Social
focus groups with a diverse range of stakeholders.
Change, Manchester Metropolitan
University; L. Guillaume, School
of Health and Related Research,
University of Sheffield; P. Squires,
Mind-mapping origins
go on randomly and in a nonlinear
School of Applied Social Science,
way.
While this Update has a more
University of Brighton; C. Lewis,
practical than theoretical orientation,
Since then, mapping has been
Criminal Justice Studies, University
we start with a brief overview of
used in a variety of contexts, and
of Portsmouth; J. Santhanam and
the origins of the mind-mapping
has developed into a tool used to
K.L.Morgan, Veterinary Clinical
technique. It was first described by
represent an individual’s or group’s
Sciences, University of Liverpool;
Tony Buzan, a psychologist and brain
knowledge and ideas about one
L. Hoggarth, Health and Life
scientist. The method builds on the
particular theme. More recently,
Sciences, De Montfort University;
idea that the two hemispheres of
mind-mapping software that
K. Fernandes and B. Belem, York
the human brain are responsible
integrates with common project
Management School, University
for different tasks. Mind-mapping
management programs is increasingly
of York; G. Oatley, Computing
was designed to use both sides
being used as a visual aid in
and Technology, University of
to increase memory retention and
discussing key components, tasks or
Sunderland
productivity (Buzan, 1976; Buzan,
risks of projects. A review of different
Acknowledgements: The
1993), although critics argue that
packages is beyond the scope of
MAGNET project is funded by the
there is insufficient evidence to
this article, but see Frey 2006 and
Engineering and Physical Sciences
support this. It was first developed
numerous web-reviews.
Research Council (EPSRC).
for note-taking and visually
Concept-maps, a variation on mind-
representing information in an
Petra Meier, PhD, is a Lecturer
maps (Novak and Govin, 1984;
interesting format without the limits
in Public Health at Sheffield
Novak, 1990), show the concepts
or formality of standard written text.
University, UK, and is the principal
connected to a given subject
One of the key advantages of mind-
investigator of the MAGNET
together with their interrelations.
mapping over standard note-taking
project, a transdisciplinary study on
Concept-maps are particularly useful
is that the open flowing format
modelling gun crime.
for representing the—sometimes
appears to support the natural
unconscious—knowledge of the
thinking process, which is thought to
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social research UPDATE
individual or group drawing the
Communication in a
youngsters involved in gang
map. Developed as a research tool,
transdisciplinary team
shootings and offenders. Our main
they have been widely used in
methods were individual interviews
We are conducting an EPSRC-
educational, psychology and health
and focus groups. Usually, qualitative
funded study on the applicability of
care settings where the key task
interviewing involves the use of
mathematical modelling to inform
was to visualise the “mental model”
thematic guides, mostly in the
decision making about interventions
of concepts that individuals use to
form of a more or less structured
for tackling gun crime. The first
interpret the world around them.
interview schedule. Even skilled
challenge of the project was for
Both mind-maps and concept-maps
interviewers can find it difficult to
us, a team with members from the
have a hierarchical structure and
use these to shape interviews in
fields of Criminology, Computing,
are produced following conventions
such a way that interviewees have a
Veterinary Sciences, Management,
(Novak and Govin 1984; Buzan 1993;
chance to contribute to each of the
Psychology, and Sociology, to
Novak 1990; Brinkmann 2003). For
main topics of interest (or at least
arrive at a shared understanding of
mind-mapping, these involve placing
those that the interviewer would
the topic. Initially, steering group
the topic in the centre of the page
like them to focus on!) without
meetings involved knowledge
or screen. Primary branches are
unduly restricting the flow of the
transfer from those with expertise
drawn for each major idea linked to
interviewee’s communication. In our
in gun crime and criminology
the topic. Keywords indicating the
experience, interviewees often move
(the “social scientists”) to the
major ideas are written directly onto
rapidly between topics. An anxious
modellers. Differences in paradigms
the links. From the primary branches
interviewer then tries to keep up
and terminology meant that
further sub-branches for secondary
with what has been answered and
communication was difficult, so at
ideas (subtopics) are drawn. The
mentally checks back for “skipped”
our second team meeting we started
principle is that ideas should move
question areas. This can detract
using a flipchart to draw what would
from the abstract to the concrete. In
from the quality of the interviewing
become the first mind-map of our
mind-mapping, each main branch
experience. Less skilled interviewers
shared understanding of gun crime.
builds up a unit with its sub-
often try to force the interview back
The process highlighted diverse views
branches. For the sake of simplicity,
to the linear format of the interview
even amongst the social scientists,
connections between sub-branches
schedule, asking questions that the
for example, the lack of a common
of different main branches are not
interviewee thought they had already
definition of gun crime, diverse
drawn (Brinkman 2003). Most maps
explored or that have nothing to do
views on causative and contributing
involve the use of colours, images,
with their current train of thought.
factors, open questions of whether
sketches, and symbols.
Such a process appears to limit the
and how it is related to gang
development of novel ideas and
In concept-maps, the topic is
culture, drug markets, youth crime
associations, and consequently,
positioned at the top. Other
or organised crime, and the range
can lead to a loss of important
concepts are arranged underneath
and effectiveness of preventative and
information. We felt that using
it on several levels, again placing
intervention approaches. Later we
mapping instead of a conventional
the more universal and abstract
started using mind-mapping software
interview schedule would allow us
concepts higher, the more explicit,
to organise agendas, meeting notes
to explore and note down the fluid
concrete concepts lower. Concepts
and circulated documents and
pathways of information as the
are arranged so that related ideas are
despite the fact that none of us
conversation or discussion evolves.
directly underneath each other. Lines
were familiar with mind-mapping
are drawn from higher concepts to
When deciding between mind-
at the start of the project, mind-
the lower concepts to which they are
mapping and concept-mapping,
maps became an important tool for
related; and between concepts on
we weighed up the value of
facilitating internal communication.
the same level. The key differences
added information on the nature
Eliciting and representing
between mind-maps and concept-
of the linkage between branches
stakeholder knowledge
maps are that concept-maps allow
and subbranches (concept maps)
the creator to draw links between
The second phase of the project
and of an open structure which
lower-order constructs on different
was to access and represent the
permits easier integration of new
branches and to label connecting
explicit and implicit knowledge of
considerations without redrawing
lines to explain the relationships
a variety of stakeholders, including
the map (mind-maps). Our project
between concepts (for example,
police officers, drug action teams,
was initially interested in identifying
such links might be “causes”, “may
youth offending teams, academics,
the key concepts to include in
influence”, “is different from”).
community groups, parents of
our models, rather than the links
between them. Hence we adopted
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social research UPDATE
the flexible structure of the mind-
focus groups and police officer
map, where each contribution could
questionnaires. Having employed
be added to existing knowledge
mind-maps in two different contexts
and further developed by all other
already, we wanted to see whether
stakeholders, while already drawn
they could add anything to the
connections and hierarchies could be
analysis process. We found that
challenged.
mind-maps afford flexibility when
Nine interviews were held with
thematically analysing qualitative
key stakeholders (all with direct
data, as they are rapidly drawn and
or indirect connection with gun
revised—particularly useful for the
crime). The police clearly had a
iterative processes of qualitative
key role in understanding the
analysis. The recursive nature of
phenomenon and combating it from
qualitative analysis involves cycling
a law enforcement perspective.
between the “holistic” view and an
Similarly, community groups also
in-depth look at each part, which
have a stake in understanding
is reflected in the adding of new
why youngsters in their midst find
branches for major themes and then
themselves carrying or using guns.
the focus on sub-branches. In most
And somewhere in between, there
mind-mapping software, it is possible
are those stakeholders—either in a
to add file attachments to branches,
statutory or voluntary capacity—who
which may contain selected quotes
are attempting to engage with
from transcripts, pictures or literature
those caught up in gun crime. At
sources.
Fig 1. Example of a hand-drawn mind-map
the start of each interview, the
Our application of mind-mapping
interviewer only had a basic mind-
was that after the focus groups, all
as an analysis aide was mainly as a
map with headings reflecting
stakeholders and the project team
way of organising text fragments,
key issues highlighted in the gun
would have arrived at a shared and
and as such it worked well. However,
crime literature. Together with the
agreed understanding of the central
there are examples of much more
stakeholders the interviewer explored
issues related to gun crime. The
sophisticated approaches. Jackson
these and added new themes,
focus group facilitators brought a
& Trochim (2002) describe in detail
branches and sub-branches as the
large sheet of paper with a hand-
the application of a more formalised
interview progressed. Open-ended
drawn mind-map based on what the
version of concept-mapping as an
questions asked the respondent to
team had learnt from the literature,
unconventional alternative to existing
define the terms gun crime and gang
team member’s expertise and the
analysis techniques for open-ended
crime and say whether these were
interviews. This was used as a
survey questions, especially for
different, comment on the existence
discussion guide, and the mind-maps
research questions that are tentative
and nature of a gun culture, the
further evolved as the discussion
in nature, aimed at developing
driving forces behind gun crime and
progressed. Our experience was
theory, and/or developing conceptual
gang crime, speculate on the key
that the mind-map worked well as a
coding schemes. Their paper also
factors that might prompt young
focus for discussions and was equally
includes a useful discussion about
people to get involved in gun crime
accessible to participants from
solutions to validity and reliability
and describe possible preventative
diverse backgrounds. Participants
concerns.
and enforcement approaches.
made statements such as “but I
believe that we still are missing a
In consultation with project team
Our focus groups were composed
crucial point on branch x” or “I think
members who have particular
of participants representing very
that x should really be listed under y”
expertise in gun crime research we
diverse backgrounds, bringing
and at the end of the focus groups
used focus group and interview
together, for example, community
everyone appeared confident that
maps, and information from
organisations, police officers and
the main issues had been raised and
traditional qualitative data analysis
academics. The role of the focus
included. Figure 1 shows an example
to create a single computer-based
groups was to verify the structure of
of a developing mind-map.
map (the corresponding mind-map is
the mind-maps, to make sure that
shown in Figure 2).
no important concepts had been
Synthesising evidence
ignored and that irrelevant ones
We also undertook a traditional
had not been included. The aim
analysis of transcripts of interviews,
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social research UPDATE
Organising and sharing
about the circumstances in which
Teachers, 16, 39-48.
literature
peers could be acting as a causative
Buzan, T. (1976). Use Both Sides of Your
factor for gun crime, a contributing
We also developed a separate mind-
Brain, E. P. Dutton & Co., New York.
factor or in some instances, even a
map, which categorises current
Buzan, T. (1993). The Mind Map Book.
protective factor, and it would have
literature in the field. This was a
London, BBC Books
been helpful to be able to reflect this
useful shared resource for the whole
in the maps.
Frey, C. (2006). Mind Mapping Software:
team and formed the basis of a
How to Select the Perfect Program
literature review. We have obtained
We preferred hand-drawn maps for
for Your Needs. E-book available from
permission from publishers to make
participatory work, as they convey
http://www.mindmap-ebook.com/
this mind-map, including relevant
the ideas of flexibility and creativity.
Goodyear, R.K., Tracey, T.J.G.; Claiborn,
reports and papers, available to
However, for wider sharing and
C.D., Lichtenberg, J.W., Wampold, B.E.
stakeholders who have commented
web-publishing, computer programs
(2005). Ideographic Concept-mapping
positively on the usefulness of this
are helpful (examples and reviews of
in Counseling Psychology Research:
resource.
different packages can be found on
Conceptual Overview, Methodology,
Conclusions
http://mindmapping.typepad.com/
and an Illustration. Journal of
the_mind_mapping_software/ ).
Counseling Psychology. Special Issue:
Mind-maps are most valuable when
Overall, we found mind-mapping to
Knowledge in Context: Qualitative
the key objective is to develop a
be a useful tool for sharing ideas and
Methods in Counseling Psychology
comprehensive understanding of all
documents, representing combined
Research. 52, 236-242
the key concepts involved in a subject stakeholder knowledge in an easily
area, whereas concept-mapping is
Jackson, K.M., Trochim, W.M.K. (2002).
accessible format, and organising
the more appropriate method for
Concept-mapping as an alternative
and planning literature reviews.
studies focusing on the nature of
approach for the analysis of open-
the relationship between concepts.
References
ended survey responses. Organisational
Whilst it was the right choice to
Research Methods, 5, 307-336
Brinkmann, A. (2003). ‘Graphical
use mind-maps, the social scientists
Novak, J.D. and Govin, D.B. (1984).
Knowledge Display – Mind-mapping
amongst us still felt quite restricted
Learning how to learn, Cambridge
and Concept-mapping as Efficient Tools
by the lack of capacity for the
University Press.
in Mathematics Education’, in: P. Perks
representation of suspected linkages
and S. Prestage (eds.), Mathematics
Novak, J. (1990). ‘Concept-mapping:
between constructs. For example
Education Review, The Journal of
A Useful Tool for Science Education’,
stakeholders had different views
Association of Mathematics Education
Journal of Research in Science
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Fig 2. Mind-map representing stakeholder perceptions of Manchester Gun Crime, created in
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social research UPDATE (ISSN: 1360-7898) is published by the Department of Sociology, University of Surrey
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Edited by Nigel Gilbert (n.gilbert@surrey.ac.uk)
Autumn 2007 © University of Surrey

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