Mind Mapping — A 2007 Goal

January 30th, 2007 · 5 Comments

I learned about mind mapping a few years ago, and have a great fascination for learning more about this tool. To that end, one of my goals for 2007 is to learn more about the process, the products, and the mind set to getting the most out of it. In the beginning, I want to learn usage principles, tips to open up the creative side, and a better understanding of the end result.

Taking a lesson from Mike Sansone, I have searched and subscribed to many resources for tips, news, and insights into the practice of the Art of Mind Mapping.

I currently use the open source software, Freemind, to mind map, but there are many different packages available, and I will point you in their direction in the course of looking myself. Freemind was my introduction into the basics of software mind mapping, having since discovered the analog portion, which began the process over fifty years ago.

I think it will be fun and interesting to dig in and learn more about this topic. The included photo is an early use of Freemind to brainstorm a process flow for a technical project. It quickly allowed me to see the overall picture and identify several gaps in the existing process.

What subject have you chosen for 2007? What fascinates or intrigues you to learn more.

I really want to know.

[tags]mind mapping, Freemind, Mike Sansone[/tags]

Tags: Information · Motivation

5 responses so far ↓

1 Kent Blumberg (4 comments.) // Jan 30, 2007 at 5:21 pm

Larry,

My subjects for 2007 are Arabic (the language) and the general area of leadership, where I continually find new things to learn.

I’ve done a lot of mindmapping over the last ten plus years. In fact, every blog I write begins as a mindmap scrawled on an 11 x 17 sheet of paper.

My first recommendation if you want to open up the creative side: do it on paper. Paper is where you will find your creative flow. Later you can move to the software, but just remember that the software ends up driving you to fairly linear, non-organic mindmaps.

As to tips and how tos, I would start with Joyce Wycoff’s book “Mindmapping” or Tony Buzan’s “How to Mindmap.”

Perhaps we should hook up next time I’m in your area and spend a couple of hours playing with mindmaps!

Kent
2 Larry Hendrick // Jan 30, 2007 at 5:28 pm

Thanks Kent.

I have been looking at examples of hand-done maps and believe you are correct about the creative side. The software is good for “diagrams” but leave the imagination dry.

I added both of those books to my wishlist at Amazon over the weekend. I am looking forward to getting into them.

Thanks again, and I look forward to “mind mapping” with you over a good hot cup of coffee.
3 Sarah (1 comments.) // Jan 31, 2007 at 4:08 pm

Hi Larry,

Something that may be of interest to you is a new beta web app that does some really pretty looking mind maps http://www.bubbl.us/ It’s the simplest one that I have found to date that looks fantastic.

Anyway, keep up the good work with the blogging and podcasts!

Sarah
4 Larry Hendrick // Jan 31, 2007 at 5:12 pm

Thanks Sarah.

I saw many links to their site over the weekend and took a quick look. It looks like a great tool for basic mapping and I plan on taking a closer look when time permits.
5 So You Want to be a Mind Mapper? // Apr 19, 2007 at 1:39 pm

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