The Noun Project is a large collection of over 800 open-source icons that you can use with your mind mapping program – with a little bit of modification.

“The Noun Collection consists of the symbols we feel best communicate the objects or concepts they are representing, while at the same time exhibit a high level of design skill and execution,” says an explanation of what the mission of The Noun Collection is. In the open-source spirit, this large library of vector art contains icons created by contributors from around the world, and the site has been translated into 25 languages. This library enables you to view graphics by topical categories, featured collections and keyword search. Because it’s open source, The Noun Collection is constantly growing, as designers and illustrators from around the world contribute their best icons and symbols.

Designed for use by illustrators, these high-quality images are in a scalable vector graphic (SVG) form – perfect for incorporating into an illustration. As their name implies, SVG files can be made larger, without any loss in quality. The problem for mind mappers is that most visual mapping software can’t import this type of graphic file. So you will need to use a graphics program (my preference is Adobe Fireworks – but it can’t open SVG files, unfortunately) to convert it to a format that your program can handle, such as JPG, GIF or PNG. From there, you should be able to import them into your mind mapping program. Click here for a post in which I summarized which programs enable you to add to their icon and symbol collections, and which do not.

If you don’t have a commercial graphics editing program that can handle SVG graphics, you may want to consider a free or low-cost SVG editor such as Inkscape or the browser-based SVG-edit.

If you’re handy with graphics editing software, you may want to consider adding some of these icons to your favorite mind mapping program.

It’s been said that a picture is worth 1,000 words. A symbol or icon, attached to a topic within your mind map, can convey much more meaning and context, which can be quickly understood by your brain. Symbols and icons are also a powerful way to categorize the contents of your map, as explained by Tony Buzan in The Mind Mapping Book:

“Codes enable you to make instant communication between different parts of your mind map, however far apart they may be on the page… For instance, you could use a range of simple codes in all your notes to represent people, projects, elements or processes that frequently recur. Codes reinforce an enhanced categorization and hierarchy to the simple application of colors, symbols, shapes and images. They can also be used to link source material (such as biographical references) to your mind map.”

In many mind mapping programs, icons or symbols can be used to filter the contents of your map to display, for example, only those topics that are marked with a task icon. This makes them a powerful tool for managing the content of large mind maps.

Customizing your icons and symbols

I recommend that you invest some time in exploring the icon and symbol libraries of your mind mapping program. This will spur some ideas on how you can utilize them in future maps. Also, if your needs are specialized and extend beyond the standard set of icons and symbols that ships with your mind mapping program, you may have other options: Some programs enables you to import small images into new, custom icon libraries. For example, MindManager enables you to import icon files in 3 sizes: 16×16 pixels, 32×32 pixels and 128×128 pixels.

There are dozens of sites on the web where you can download free or low-cost collections of icons and symbols for use in your mind maps, including FamFamFam, Infragistics and IconArchive.

Or you can always “roll your own” symbols with an inexpensive icon editing program like IconCool, which provides people who are not design specialists with the ability to quickly and easily create professional-looking icons.

You should make it a practice to utilize icons or symbols in most, if not all, of your maps, to add color, meaning and clarity and to help you to filter their contents. Remember, color and imagery stimulate the brain. So icons and symbols can also make the contents of your map more memorable.