We can make sense of ideas with mental models that have a spatial element to the way we organise them. These models are often captured visually by the way we represent them on a page or screen. Word diagrams can make lots of forms — simple lists, tables, hierarchies, flow charts or timelines. They can help us as we learn, helping to get ideas organised and to help us remember things. The more organised our ideas are, the easier it is to build on later.