In many fields of life, there are terms that can be confusing. Sketchnoting is no exception. There are related ideas that emerged independently that seem to be talking about the same thing. Today we’ll look at two of those ideas. Sketchnotes vs Mindmaps.
Here’s a quick summary answer.
Some sketchnotes are also mindmaps, but not all mindmaps are sketchnotes. You can use ideas from both forms of note taking with each other.
What is a Sketchnote?
A sketchnote is a form of visual note-taking that embraces taking notes with visual elements in addition to text. These include using graphical layouts, icons and drawings, arrows, containers and fancy typefaces.
Here’s an example sketchnote.
Sketchnotes were coined by Mike Rohde in 2006 when he created a new note taking system to help him take better notes at conferences. These included certain restrictions including, using a pen not a pencil, using an a5 pocket notebook, and without writing everything down.
If you’d like to learn more about sketchnote, check out this comprehensive guide that covers the what, why and how of sketchnotes.
What is a Mind Map?
A Mind Map is a way to visual display information showing the relationship between points, connected to a central topic. Mind Maps can be hand made, or made using mind mapping software such as Mindnode and iThoughts.
Mind Maps have been around for much longer time than sketchnotes with Tony Buzar, a vocal advocate in the 1970s.
Can a sketchnote be a mindmap?
One of the common sketchnote layouts is the “radial” layout. This uses a central point with spokes coming off.
This is how mind maps are laid out and show a relationship to a central point. So, in this case, a sketchnote could be a mind map as well (while optionally using the additional elements sketchnotes are known for).
It is, however, possible to make a radial sketchnote layout that isn’t a mind map. A mind map should show relationships with lines and have some hierarchy with sub-points, a sketchnote could have single items coming off that are all grouped together.
Most importantly, there are many sketchnote layouts that are very different from the radial layout. These might have some elements in common with mind maps (like using lines, colours and pictures) but would be hard to mistake for a mind map.
If you’d like to learn more sketchnote layouts, check out this guide.
Does it matter?
Perhaps this distinction is straining the point.
While it can be useful to define terms, from a practical point of view it should affect what notes you take. You should do what works for you. If you like mind mapping with some elements of sketchnotes, that’s great. If you like sketchnoting in a mind map format, that’s cool too. If you just do one and not the other, then that’s fine as well.
As long as you find the note-taking and idea-generating system that works best for you.
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