6 Thinking Hats and Mind Maps

There is continuing interest in Edward DeBono's Six Thinking Hats approach to helping groups develop, review and agree on options and solutions.

Last week Jamie Nast posted two idea or mind maps on the subject - one map summarising the technique and the other being a simple MindManager template to use in a meeting.  The material also appeared in the MindJet user newsletter.

The second map is available to download as a MindManager template - click here.

Andrew Wilcox has also used the technique with mind maps and has written about it here.  He also offers a template for downloading - click here.

 

 

I found this hand drawn map at the Illumine Training web site devoted to mind mapping

 

If you have a take on this subject or any maps or templates to share, do send them on.

DeBono's book is still available.

Technorati Tags: 6 Thinking Hats, idea mapping, mind mapping, MindManager, Jamie Nast, Andrew Wilcox, Edward de Bono

Easing Executive Stress

Aimed at business people who need something different to help manage information and make decisions more easily, Chuck Frey's latest e-book on mind mapping software neatly pulls together the applications and the software tools available.

The Mind Mapping Manifesto will reveal to you:

• The true cost of information overload and multi-tasking (it will open your eyes to a looming crisis)
• What research proves about the benefits of mind mapping software in business (the productivity impact is substantial!)
• Perspectives from 10 mind mappers on the impact this type of software has made on the way they think, plan and work.
• A list of over 20 business applications where mind mapping software can be used to increase your efficiency
• Ten tips on how to select the right mind mapping program for your needs
• A checklist to help you identify your needs
• Reviews of 5 top mind mapping programs that I personally recommend
• Chuck's "best of" list of the programs that offer the greatest performance in 8 key areas.
• A collection of over 50 resources where you can discover the best tools, resources and advice about mind mapping software

Yet again Chuck Frey displays his uncanny knack of distilling all that's relevant to mind mapping software and presenting it in a single, accessible publication.  Mind Mapping Manifesto is aimed at the general business user and accurately describes the benefits and  opportunities for more creative and efficient working.

To find out more and to order visit the Mind Mapping Manifesto page.

Technorati Tags: mind mapping software, Chuck Frey, Mind Mapping Manifesto

Mapping Thoughts

I want to start a new short series on the uses of hand-drawn maps in support of a range of activities.  These applications include:

• embellishing notes
• taking real time notes
• capturing and developing inspiration (or passing thoughts)
• roughing out designs for other maps.

This first example is a mind map 'sketch' that helped me understand how I might develop a more complete and formal map to capture a non-linear business process (see posting: Non-Linear Process?).

This sketch took about 10-15 seconds and helped me capture a moment of intuition that I did not want to lose.

Technorati Tags: mind map, mind mapping

Idea Mapping Course for the UK

Jamie Nast will be giving an Idea Mapping Course in the UK later this year. Jamie was certified as a mind mapping instructor in 1992, and was the only Senior Master Trainer for the Buzan Centres. In January 2006, she became one of the partners of The Learning Consortium based out of the UK. On Sept 22, 2006 her first book titled "Idea Mapping" was published by John Wiley & Sons.

To date she has taught this skill to over 16,000 professionals around the globe and has licensed over 100 certified instructors from 24 countries. Her clients include Ford Motor Company, Mayo Clinic, BP, ACH, L.L.Bean, Dow Chemical, ConocoPhillips, DTE Energy, Franklin Templeton, MTSU, BMC Software, and more.

See Jamie's course schedule on her web site for further details.

Technorati Tags: idea mapping, Jamie Nast, mind mapping

Business Article or Business Mind Map?

Marcus Alexander of confidence plus asks, "Are the mixed messages from business in 2008 down to attitude?".  In a time of uncertainty, Marcus suggests that the simplest and most effective action plan is one of "choosing the right attitude". He goes on to recommend four tips to help retain focus:

• Identify and thoroughly understand your real competition
• Understand your company's economy
• Train yourself and your team
• Seek advice about business matters and regulation.

See a mind map of his article or click here for the article in full.  You can compare the two styles of presentation - map or text.

If you are a MindManager user click here to download the map.  You can also compare this with a text summary generated automatically using Copernic Summariser.

Technorati Tags: mind map, mind mapping software, MindManager, Confidence Plus, Marcus Alexander, Copernic Summariser

Discover Manga

The next step big step in business and print communications?

Roger C Parker, of Guerilla Marketing fame, sent out a mail shot recently inviting people to a call with Will Reed from Tokyo.  Will offers a unique combination of East and West competencies and philosophies.  A skilled martial artist, Will was an early advocate of mind mapping.

Now, Will Reed is focusing attention on Manga, the art of picture storytelling. Although Manga has long been popular in Japan, picture storytelling, is growing in popularity in the United States and the United Kingdom. "Manga," according to Will Reed, is destined to play a major role in business-to-business and business-to-consumer communications because it communicates at a glance."

I find Manga or comic book storytelling enjoyable, accessible and a great aid to memory.  It merits serious study for its applications in business and community work, for instance.

I recommend you visit his website, http://agili.jp/, and view his Manga story, communicated in a series of Manga panels.  If this sparks your interest why not join Roger C Parker's call on March 19th?

 

Technorati Tags: Manga, comic book, visual mapping, mind mapping software, Roger C Parker, Will Reed

MindManager PDFs - PDF-XChange 4.0

Prompted by Andrew Wilcox's post on creating documents with MindManager and using PDFs (see: Andrew Wilcox's Blog), I was reminded of a problem that has now gone away.  I have always used PDF-XChange with MindManager (it came bundled with the software) and have had some frustration at not being able to control where the file was output to and not being able to append additional pages to the PDF file (such as when printing a large map topic by topic).

However I recently upgraded to PDF-XChange 4.0 and I now have control. It's not free but it is a cost effective and powerful tool. 

What's your preferred PDF generator?

Technorati Tags: mind mapping software, PDF-XChange, PDF, MindManager

Andrew Wilcox's Blog

Andrew Wilcox is widely known for his interest in mind mapping in general and MindManager in particular. 

He recently started a blog - Applications of MindManager.

His most recent post shows how MindManager can be used to create a quote from a MindManager template, export it to Word and deliver to the client by email as a PDF.

 

Technorati Tags: mind map, mind mapping software, MindManager, Andrew Wilcox, MS Word, PDF

The Mind Mapping Manifesto is Now Available

Chuck Frey has just launched his new e-book, The Mind Mapping Manifesto.  It aims to help business people understand what a powerful business tool mind mapping software is, and how it can help them. 

Among the topics covered are:

The true cost of information overload and multi-tasking (it will open your eyes to a looming crisis)

What research proves about the benefits of mind mapping software in business (the productivity impact is substantial!)

Perspectives from 10 mind mappers on the impact this type of software has made on the way they think, plan and work.

 

Technorati Tags: mind map, mind mapping software, Chuck Frey

Non-Linear Process?

I have been trying to capture the approach followed by an expert in my client's process.  The process involves a lot of intuition and the key to success is to follow one's hunches.  Rather than follow steps in sequence as with a typical process map, I wanted to capture the relationships between different approaches and to encourage people to see multiple directions that could be followed.

 

Concept mapping provide the inspiration and this MindManager map was the result.   The concepts are floating topics and the relationships are, well, relationships.  (The quality of the image is necessarily poor to maintain commercial confidentiality.)

Technorati Tags: mind map, mind mapping, mind mapping software, MindManager, process mapping, concept map, visual mapping

Business Process Map from Yahoo Groups

There has been a MindManager Users group on Yahoo! for years.  While reviewing the files recently I found this example of a process map made using the organisation chart topic format.  This is the same approach used in my Business Process Swim Lane map.

You can join the Yahoo! MindManager Users group here.

Technorati Tags: MindManager, mind map, mind mapping, mind mapping software, process mapping, process map, visual mapping

Business Process Map

Continuing the business process mapping theme, I came across this example on the MindJet website.  It's available for download from the map library - click this link here.

It charts a sales process from 'Campaign to Customer' and includes a number of concepts.

Technorati Tags: MindJet, MindManager, mind map, mind mapping software, process mapping