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Mind mapsAre they useful to you?This article describes these knowledge representing tools called mind maps and provides information to guide you in their evaluation and subsequent decision of investing on them. About mind mapsOne fact about information and knowledge - both referred to here just as 'knowledge' - is that they have to be in our minds so we can process them, that is, use them to think, evaluate, decide. Common risks of mental knowledge processing are:
A solution to prevent these and other risks is to use external support to thinking, in the form of texts, tables, spreadsheets, diagrams, frequently software-aided and having methods associated to them. In synthesis, we use structuring tools to support and expand our perception and thinking skills, much like regular tools expand physical skills. One such tool is mind maps. Mind maps are tree-structured diagrams, laid out in space and formatted with colored lines and borders. They are composed by topics and lines connecting topics. Topics can contain text and/or an image, the text ideally consists of one keyword but sometimes even sentences. There is a main topic which the others irradiate from. The picture below shows a simple example with just the main topic and one level of subtopics.
Mind maps are mainly a knowledge-representing tool, providing structure and more accessibility and stability of knowledge in the mind and thus resulting in better knowledge applicability. Good knowledge structuring facilitates perception, comprehension and creation, as well as expression. So mind maps can be classified as a thinking tool. Mind maps have a wide applicability, they are great for planning, learning and teaching, as a communication resource in presentations, and for organizing things, items and ideas. They can also be used to integrate team ideas, greatly increasing productivity. All these factors generally result in more knowledge control, quality and productivity in several levels. That is, your knowledge processing capacity is increased. Mind maps can be made by hand, with paper sheets and colored pens, or by software, either commercial or free ones (the following picture shows a hand-made mind map similar to the above). Which will be the best choice depends on audience, purpose, circumstances and available resources.
ExamplesSee in this section some examples of software and hand-made mind maps. The intention is to show to you the multiple possibilities for mind map editing, structuring and formatting. Click on a thumbnail to see the full size image.
ApplicabilityThe key factor for a decision on investing in mind maps is undoubtedly the uses one can make of them, at first in general and then personally. In the introduction and through the samples, you have already got some ideas of mind map applicability; please check the Mind Map Options site for more uses (see Uses left menu block). Roles and opportunitiesWhat you can be and do in the mind map universe: User You just use mind maps made by others. This depends on the availability of the mind maps you need. Some people share their mind maps freely, others sell them (search eBay, for example), others don't share them absolutely. In our experience, only a few people make mind maps thinking that they will be used by others. Mapper You make your own mind maps. You can also adapt others' mind maps. As a mind mapper you can also sell your products. One possible direction here is to conduct bigger projects, like to map the Constitution or some traditional books. Instructor You can teach how to make mind maps. Another direction here is to teach applications of mind maps, like creativity techniques and risk management. The only mind map instructor training program we know is Buzan's. You can be certificated as a BLI - Buzan Licensed Instructor. See for example www.buzan.com.au/training/accreditation.html. We don't know any distance teaching for that (maybe this is an opportunity!). Software reseller You can represent some software company, as a direct reseller or an affiliate. Programmer There are some open source mind map softwares, with which you can collaborate. For example, check FreeMind software (http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Development). MindManager software allows incorporation of external modules; you can develop and sell yours. Others Other possible roles and services we can imagine in the mind map universe are: - Magazine or book editor. - Consultancy. For example, to assess a company in implementing mind maps as regular tools or mapping its internal procedures. - Webmaster - To maintain a site of mind maps related to some theme. Law mind maps, for example, are frequently searched and rarely found. See the Mind Map Options site's Opportunities page for some more ideas. Critical perspectiveTools, methods and other products are often presented by their creators and sellers as panaceas, that is, that they would work for 'everything'. This occurs with mind maps. In fact, mind maps are widely applicable, but a realistic vision must include the restrictions on their use. For example, one such restriction is imposed by the tree structure: you can only represent knowledge which can be properly represented with a tree. If the underlying structure is systemic, for example, a mind map might not be the adequate tool. There are certain kinds of knowledge that, though they can be inserted into a mind map, they may be better represented with a spreadsheet. You choose the tools you are to use according to the task; this applies to mind maps as well. Another claim people make is that mind maps have to be made mainly by hand, not by software, because this stimulates creativity and the right side of the brain. We don't know if this has scientific support, but we think there are other factors to consider. For example, you use a mind map to represent and organize ideas, and many changes are made before its structure and content become stable. A software allows relayout in a second; hand-made mind maps have to be redrawn, which decreases productivity significantly. In a team, we think the main aspect is the integration allowed by mind maps, that is, the people involved can all work on a single product which acts as a unique focus of discussion. Next stepsIf you are interested in mind maps, the next step should be to experiment making them, and we see two main cheap paths for that. To learn how to make mind maps by hand, you should buy a book. To use a software, download one or more of the several softwares available. Since you must be sounding the matter for a decision, the shortest path is to try a software. There are dozens of commercial and free softwares. Maybe you should start with FreeMind, which is not the mind map software of our dreams but is evolving. You will hear a lot about the MindManager software (www.mindjet.com). In fact it is probably the most used mind map software and certainly it has great support and help materials, but in our experience its interface is not as productive as others'. For example, in MindMapper, you insert a new topic just by typing, while in MindManager you have to press the Insert key first. If you spend one or half a second more in things you do thousands of times, the resulting extra time becomes significant. Learn moreYou should access www.mindmapoptions.com, our site with selected links to mind map content on the Web. As you might soon discover, there are millions of pages with mind map content, but only a fraction of them has quality or is of interest to you. The purpose of the Mind Map Options site is to shorten the path to what we think is the best content on mind maps. In particular, look for methods that can be used with mind maps. Mind maps are just a structure, like a spreadsheet, and to insert content in that structure with quality you need some good directions and criteria. This site will have a section with articles on mind map quality. Final tip: when you search for mind map content, try "mind map" and "mindmap", "mindmapping" and "mind mapping". V. V. Vilela Site Editor
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