There's a tendency with modern software tools to put information in lists, and tables. Humans exist in a 3D dimensional world, and we're wired to learn things in a spatial way.
By thinking in a visual way, we can tap into this extra power in our brains. With concept maps, we can lay information out in a very visual way. We can add photos, and group ideas together meaninfully on the canvas. This helps us remember information, and make sense of ideas.