A KAWA about Heartfelt Congratulations from Birgit Welz

It suits every occasion. That's a different kind of greeting.

What does KAWA actually mean?

KAWA, according to Vera F. Birkenbihl, is an acronym and stands for: Kreative Ausbeute von Wort-Assoziationen (Creative Exploitation of Word Associations). But KAWA is easier to remember. You can make KAWAs about any topic that interests you.

How about your own KAWA and why does this technique work?

First, you write the topic in large letters in the middle. I always use the paper horizontally for this and draw the letters so that they can be colored later. In our Mindmap Template Ringblock, KAWAs are drawn on the left white page. Now you let your thoughts wander and consider what comes to mind about the term and what would be important enough to write down. The rule of the game is: what you write down must begin with one of the letters in the middle. The smaller the term, the fewer letters you have available, and the more you have to think. The scarcity of letters forces you to think through a topic more intensely. By the way, it is not mandatory to use every letter. And: there is no right or wrong with KAWA. An example: Suppose you want to create a KAWA about your best friend Eva, then you only have three letters available. But you can use them multiple times. Perhaps E stands for elegant, successful, eloquent, for V you find her trustworthy, crazy, and in love, and for A you have associated silly and single. If your best friend had been named Hannelore, you would, of course, have had more letters available.

KAWA becomes KAGA

If you also dress the whole thing in many pictures, your KAWA becomes a KAGA, and the G then stands for Grafik Gestaltung (Graphic Design). I often take notes in KAWA form during meetings. It keeps me alert, no matter how unimportant or boring a meeting is. And I catch everything. Here's an example on the topic: Have fun, Jens Voigt