Mimi Yin wrote: > > Hi Seth, > > How often do you come back to your mindmaps? How often do yo update > them? Do you use them to track progress on tasks? Or is it more of an > idea-capture device?
I use mindmaps as my usual information store format. If I come across an important document, I convert it to text and break it down into a branch structure that matches the document's organization, because that lets me quickly go to it and open up the part that's relevant, look at it and/or copy it, move pieces to new branches so I can use information for other purposes. I have a To-Do mindmap that I maintain continuously, which branches into separate project mindmaps. It's not just idea-capture; it's idea manipulation facilitated by non-linearity and branch structure. I have mindmaps of various professional texts that I continuously open up and and copy branches out of, as I develop approaches to tasks. Helps me be complete and not overlook anything. I have a mindmap I just did, breaking down an extensive legal analysis of the fact-expression dichotomy in copyright law, which I did expressly because it had all the cases and a comprehensive structure for them all; I know that I can go into that mindmap and grab pieces and bring them together as I please. Opening up a collapsed mindmap is faster -- and more visually comprehensible -- than scrolling or searching a text file, and dragging branches to develop thoughts is much more easy than outlining. The other reason I mindmap is that the visual representation makes is easy to learn a body of information because I can see things and their relationships comprehensively. How often do I update them? When I'm working on a project, I open the core mindmap for the project and either update whatever branch represents what's underway, or I add a new branch for any new kind of detail I have and play around, perhaps exporting that branch to a hyperlinked mindmap of its own once I get a handle on it. All the time. I think in mindmaps. Seth > Mimi > > > I use mindmapping for nearly everything. I use it every time I > > have a large task the nature of which I am not fully sure. I > > create collections of mindmaps, hyperlinked to documents and > > other mindmaps. I simply really appreciate the ability to spit > > out thoughts without regard for linearity, then to group them as > > I please. I use mindmaps to manage project details of all sorts; > > I usually leave my clients with a large mindmap collection as a > > less-formal deliverable, and they always seem to love > > mindmapping. > > > > The radial arrangement of a mindmap is specifically designed to > > convey non-linearity -- it's great for group brainstorming > > sessions, as well as personal -- everybody can participate > > without feeling like somebody's idea comes "first." > > > > Sorry if this is just really general, but mindmapping is good for > > nearly everything, in my book. > > > > > > Seth > > > > > >> For example (these are just some random examples): > >> + When I'm brainstorming, coming up with unstructured ideas versus > >> tweaking a final plan. > >> + When I'm dealing with family projects versus work projects. > >> > >> etc. > >> > >> Thanks, > >> > >> Mimi > >> > >> On Jan 17, 2006, at 5:11 PM, M.Blackmore wrote: > >> > >>> Just a thought, but when I did a lot of writing before the kids were > >>> born (I early retired to be a middle aged housedad from academe, > >>> though > >>> had had a "varied" life before the ivory towers, hence the late > >>> family > >>> start) I found mind mapping worked wonders for my messy dyslexic > >>> thought > >>> processes. > >>> > >>> I'd have killed for an easy way to integrate the then burgeoning and > >>> fascinating new facility of email into that - we discussed a lot of > >>> the > >>> globalisation and new technology stuff (yes, it was that long ago) > >>> around "the world" via this new fangled email, and a lot of the > >>> ideas > >>> now current were hacked out in these formless written conversations. > >>> > >>> Emails, discussions, drafts, quotes typed in (not much on the web > >>> then, > >>> even predating web) revisions bandied around, reviews - all became a > >>> tangled mess of files. Then in the late 90s I discovered Mind > >>> Manager > >>> under Windows (I think that was the name) ... revelation. Not had > >>> any > >>> call to use anything like that for the last 6 years, but all the > >>> same... > >>> > >>> If some way had been possible to organise this mass of data into > >>> flows > >>> and maps it would have been great. > >>> > >>> As I said, just a thought, but one that can be of possible > >>> benefit to > >>> writers and informationally dense (err...) workers dealing with > >>> disparate threads. > >>> > >>> A mind mapping facility wouldn't go amiss if it could /integrate/ > >>> other > >>> information flows in the program/package/suite whatever you call it! > >>> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > >>> > >>> Open Source Applications Foundation "Design" mailing list > >>> http://lists.osafoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/design > >> > >> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > >> > >> Open Source Applications Foundation "Design" mailing list > >> http://lists.osafoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/design > > > > -- > > > > RIAA is the RISK! Our NET is P2P! > > http://www.nyfairuse.org/action/ftc > > > > DRM is Theft! We are the Stakeholders! > > > > New Yorkers for Fair Use > > http://www.nyfairuse.org > > > > [CC] Counter-copyright: http://realmeasures.dyndns.org/cc > > > > I reserve no rights restricting copying, modification or > > distribution of this incidentally recorded communication. > > Original authorship should be attributed reasonably, but only so > > far as such an expectation might hold for usual practice in > > ordinary social discourse to which one holds no claim of > > exclusive rights. > > > > _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > > > > Open Source Applications Foundation "Design" mailing list > > http://lists.osafoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/design > > _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > > Open Source Applications Foundation "Design" mailing list > http://lists.osafoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/design -- RIAA is the RISK! Our NET is P2P! http://www.nyfairuse.org/action/ftc DRM is Theft! We are the Stakeholders! New Yorkers for Fair Use http://www.nyfairuse.org [CC] Counter-copyright: http://realmeasures.dyndns.org/cc I reserve no rights restricting copying, modification or distribution of this incidentally recorded communication. Original authorship should be attributed reasonably, but only so far as such an expectation might hold for usual practice in ordinary social discourse to which one holds no claim of exclusive rights. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Open Source Applications Foundation "Design" mailing list http://lists.osafoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/design
