Mind mapping, introduced by Tony Buzan in the 1970s, has evolved from a personal note-taking aid into a versatile research and teaching methodology that supports visual thinking across educational and professional domains. This article analyses the cognitive mechanisms that make mind maps efficient tools for the externalisation, structuring and retrieval of complex knowledge, and it evaluates their empirical impact on learning outcomes, problem-solving performance and creative ideation. Using a mixed-methods design that combined an experimental study with 214 university students, eye-tracking data from a sub-sample of 32 participants, and semi-structured interviews with 18 instructional designers, we demonstrate that mind-mapping practice significantly improves conceptual recall, depth of understanding and originality of solutions when compared with linear note-taking. Eye-movement metrics reveal patterns of holistic scanning that correlate with higher retention scores, while qualitative evidence highlights the perceived advantages of radial layouts for monitoring cognitive load. The findings substantiate claims from dual-coding and cognitive load theories, extend them with visual-behavioural evidence, and propose an instructional framework for integrating mind maps into teaching and knowledge-management processes.

Mind mapping, visual thinking, cognitive load

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