Knowledge Net

Nowadays ability to learn is rather necessity than luxury. While learning itself is an interesting and enjoyable process, sometimes circumstances (time deadlines, project importance,...) make us looking for more effective way of learning.
Assessment on new subject to be finished by the next week, or project in new interesting field to be done in one month - all these depend significantly on the first stage. This is a learning stage.
Our brain usually does good work for us - it activates proper links between proper neurons, and this is a way how information is remembered and becomes base for knowledge.
What if it's possible to build knowledge net directly by figuring out key notions and relations between them? Would it be faster? Would it be simpler? More enjoyable?