ITAP; week 1, Principle 3 - Develop Visual Language

Principle 3; Develop Visual Language

The idea of the development of visual language is to be a complex amount of ideas that associates comprehensible understandings, creating a far more effective manner to understand material without the necessity of a textual description.

   Tony Buzan, is a psychology author who particularly stylises his work in the format of developing visual language, this is to strengthen the function of memory, and enhance problem solving abilities, all in which are displayed in a simplistic mannerism.

   Through the use of imagination and association, he creates Mind Maps to help remember select information in this format. Buzan has created an innovative way to help expand the idea of memorising, problem solving and revision through a simplistic technique. What makes his style so memorable and visually exciting is due to the minimalism of text, this helps create a visual way of thinking and memorising important information. His practises encourage a more intimate connection between each area of work, either to pieces he is referencing to, or when he is generally reflecting upon his ideas. The minimalism of text upon Buzan's work ensures that it is more easily digestible, and makes it more fluent to read through helping trigger a memory, or simulate a thought process through key words apposed to sentences.

   Buzan's work is extremely influential, and many readers have adopted his techniques and stylisation of formatting their work in this way because of its creative nature. It encourages the idea that you can use word association with and image to remember key elements through imaginative sources creating that more intimate connection. This technique also uses both halves of the brain, both the right cortex and the left, combing the organised knowledge to be remembered through a more creative practise. Many of his techniques used create a visual vocabulary, which encourage creating a deeper meaning and connection because it relates to each person in a different way, making it more individual to the creator of the mind map, yet still clearly understandable to a viewer because of the creative tools used.

A clear demonstration of the effectiveness, the organisation and the visual impact these artistic styles have upon an audience. The clear colour co ordination keeps the structure in balance, giving clear guidance and division from each individual section. Within the 2 particular pieces the small diagrams make the imaginative link with the associated word, creating clarity and intimate detail when trying to reference, revise or remember a select piece of information. However the Mind Map using post-it notes, is yet another affective approach as it can be alternated to create further possible links, the only disadvantage with this piece in particular is the limited use of colour showing no clear connection.

Personal reflection from the lecture;

For personal development I could potentially use the method of Mind Mapping, this would encourage my creative thought process to extract key ideas to expand on their potential. Also I wish to use this method to create clarity when planning, summarising ideas and decision making, refining only the important details, extracting select pieces which would be useful for help within my practices and planning.