Confused Classification

I’ve always been confused by David Hyerle’s visual tools for categorizing. Or if you like, classification.
David Hyerle is the foremost proponent of visual tools in the States. He makes the distinction between a Tree Map and a Brace Map, arguing that the Tree Map is “classification” or “category headings” while the Brace Map is about “part–whole relationships”.

It seems to me that distinction is almost worthless. Look below and you’ll see that a Brace Map is, after all, no more than a Tree Map horizontally laid out.

Well, there is one difference but that one just adds to the confusion as I see it. The Tree Map, which is the traditional visual representation of a categorised hierarchy, is abandoned to a mere collection of lists. Reading from the top you’ll see that the main title is divided into two sections which contain their separate lists.

Whereas the Brace Map, is a fully–functioning traditional Tree Diagram on its side. Here you’ll see the main title is broken down into three sections. Two of these are further broken down as usual with such a graphic organiser.

In another part of his book Visual Tools for Creating Knowledge, Hyerle shows another flaky distinction. Below you can see a tool for creating Theme and a tool for creating Classification. Look closely at the one for Theme and you’ll see that it is identical in type to the one for Classification. The only difference is that it radiates from the centre whereas the one for Classification is a traditional top–down format. Both have content divided hierarchically which is the main point.

This is just one of the many confusions in the world of visual tools. There’s more to come.