Mindmapping everywhere

Maps for rethinking over and over

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:59:00 +0000

Lately I have an important event from my company within the region I am responsible for. I am collaborating meeting the multinational strategies to the points in which this region can take advantage of.
That suppose rethink over and over in different time schedules and with different people, also contrasting these ideas every day in the last month in order the get something consistent enough.
This format is helping me with, cause the map is not really fully overloaded with information.

Two Mindmapping styles

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:18:00 +0000

After a comment made by Robin Carper, I take the opportunity to explain in detail the two mindmap styles I used to work with.
Style no 1 is the one in the previous post, whenever I have a central idea and I must think over and over getting more ideas and relationships, that is the result from such a process. Examples of use: preparing meetings, speeches,...
Style no 2 is whenever I must attend a meeting, a conference,... where every detail counts on. In such a case, my mindmaps designs gather quite a lot information, and mostly I have no time to make drawings, but on the other hand I have the instrument to get details in the future. In the following picture you can get a live mindmap created within a meeting. I always try to transform the style no 2 in the style no 1 making a simpler map the next day.

Criticizing my mindmaps

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:14:00 +0000

As it is pretty clear within this blog´s contents, I use mindmapping everyday (in both ways, software one and handmade).
Here it is located the last one, I have made (excuse because it is in spanish), it determines the two Siemens in Asturias (the spanish region I am responsible for) positioning keys (the business and the social one).
Key issues to improve: colors and drawings.

Mindmapping video

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:08:00 +0000

I have found in Philippe Boukobza´s blog a video talking about mindmapping concepts, which are extremely useful to get deeper on it.
Currently it is in Spanish and French.

Mindmapping for facing crisis times

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:55:00 +0000

Some weeks ago, I was questioned by Chuck Frey about the possibilities to use Mindmapping as a mean to face, in a better position, crisis times. Chuck gathered that information coming from different sources and join it up formatted.
Getting deeper in this blog, we talked about using Mindmapping to reduce cost even in a supermarket, also to consider different alternatives in order to get a low-cost decission and lately we have been talking about the relationship between Mindmapping and Productivity.
In my personal case using Mindmapping helps me to make tasks in less time, also I rank the task in different priority levels, so I am always focused on what is important to be solved, to be decided. Always I have a complex problem, I detailed the whole problem in a Mindmapping reaching lower details, thinking over that details and the relationships among them, it turns out much easier to link them in order to get the best solution, considering the priorities you have defined to take your decission.
These ones among others (many people is using mindmapping in a better way than me) makes you getting into productivity and also be a valuable worker facing crisis times.

Mindmapping vs Unemployment

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:38:00 +0000

A friend of mine has been fired (following a cost reduction policy in his company), some people also call it in a polite way "the company makes your position redudant" ephemistically.
He is an enthusiastic about mindmapping but he has never got time to learn about.
Last weekedn we were talking about different ways to face the situation and looking for a new job. Talk derives and bonds into mindmapping world.
Mindmapping techniques are an extraordinary way to make your productivity reach further, because by using it you require less time to make more things, otherwise you can make more things with the same time.
Also all we know that the different companies (large multinational and the litlle chinese restaurant) are based on employee´s productivity, so by using it you are on the way to make your job position profitable for the company.
The next thing to do it is the marketing one, to publish it out, so the companies will know.
Even if you are not in that situation and you´re extremely safe in your job, using techniques to reach further in productivity will make you one of these two things: not be an overworked person or be a restructurationproof guy.

Fresh ideas coming from XMind

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Wed, 28 May 2008 08:59:00 +0000

I have had the opportunity to interview Stephen Zhu from XMind Ltd.
From his answers important questions arise.

A.M.: What are the fresh concepts/ideas/features that XMind brings into the Mindmapping software world?
S.Z.: In fact, XMIND has boruhgt many new ideas. First important is that XMIND is a real cross-platform software, which means you will have the same user experience among Window, Mac and Linux. Second, xmind design the brand-new 'drilldown&drillup', filter, presentation, 2D-chart and so on. In fact, XMIND has considered more to let users feel comfortable.

A.M.: In your opinion, comparing XMind with the different software tools nowadays on the market, which are the strongest features and the weakest ones?
S.Z.: The strongest feature is that XMIND is easy to use. This is also the most important rule for us. Then, our presentation and drilldown has great competitive strength. The weakest point may be the note. XMIND's note is not more powerful than others'.

A.M.: In your opinion, where the MindMapping software tools are evolving to.
S.Z.: Mind Mapping will be one tool for users to plan work, clarify the information. In fact, fishbone chart and 2D-chart are using frequently too.

A.M.: In your personal use, which are the main usages you made with mindmapping software applications?
S.Z.: Clarify our thinking. Then I will use XMIND to analyze the questions.(2D-chart), and do the meet note by using Audio Notes.

A.M.: How do you envision mindmapping software tools can help increasing productivity?
S.Z.: Increasing productivity means that we can use less time to do one thing or more things. XMIND, I can use it to achieve this target. It can let me think one thing more quickly and clearly.

A.M.: Would you mind providing me with some additional information about the company and what made the initiators getting into this mindmapping software world?
S.Z.: XMIND LTD is a company registered at HongKong, which has put all its energy and everything to create the tools to help human increase the productivity. You know, we, human, have the limited time in the world. So we need the tools like this to assist we do more good things for this world.

I do recommend testing it and determine if it fits your expectatives, I do really think so.

Mindmapping as a tool to create social networks maps

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Reading Philippe Boukobza´s blog, one can get really interesting applications out there for mindmapping.
Lately he is working about relationships between mindmapping and your digital identity and I think he is doing a very good job there.
The tool is called Visualizar and it is located within Facebook.
Shows visually the relationship among the different contacts I got in Facebook.

IQ Visual Mapping Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:37:00 +0000

On October 3rd, 2008 will be held the IQ Visual Mapping Conference in New Jersey (campus of the College of St. Elizabeth, Morristown, NJ ).
This conference will be hosted by Brian S. Friedlander, which, apart from being a friend, is one of most prepared experts in Assistive technologies and specially in Mindmapping techniques.
You can get more detailed information from the conference in his blogblog.
Also Adam Clayman, Stephanie Diamond, Chuck Frey, Arjen Ter Hoeve, Kyle McFarlin and Wallace Tait, which are preeminent visual mappers, will be honourable speakers.
I do recommend attending the conference.
I will do my best getting some conclussions from Brian in order to get you updated.

Recovering concepts watching Mindmaps

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:24:00 +0000

Reading a post within Kyle McFarlin blog, I reminded an issue that was basic to me from the first steps.
What are you making maps for?
a) Just for drawing
b) For making something that can be showed to others
c) For getting knowledges that can be work down with both main hemyspheres
In cases a. or b. you can show your ability as an Art creation or your ability to make your knowledge available to others.
In case c. the most importan point, to me, is making brain-friendly designs, specially for your brain, so utilize the format, colors, markers, drawings.. in which you feel really comfortable. Otherwise you can go deeper in the map, but it would turn out extremelly difficult getting back to the whole matter (you were working on) in a few minutes some months later, which is one of my personal goals making mindmapping, the ability to get back and recovering knowledges fastly.

Web-based Mind Mapping Applications Compelling Chart

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:14:00 +0000

I have just received a very interesting and comfortable tool to sail through the Mind Mapping software tools waters, without losing perspective.
Chuck Frey, who is a relevant "guru" within MindMapping issues, has made an extraordinary work compilling all relevant aspects coming from the different software tools.
Thanks for your contribution, Chuck.
You can get this compilling chart by clickin within Chuck Frey Web page in the following link.

Learning to draw

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:16:00 +0000

I must confess I have something to improve a lot. I have to learn how to draw.
I am stuck in the phase where my mathematical mind imposed over the logical one and attempts to take care of the whole brain. Nevertheless I am defending the logical one to get the wheel anew.
I have found a link that could be interesting enough to the people having the same problem.
Learning to draw
I hope you enjoy it.

Common Faces

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:33:00 +0000

There are pretty clear points in common amount mindmapping, martial arts, meditation and so forth. Amount these common points, it would be the ability to link floating concepts, to generate new-coming ideas, free concept associations, concepts and images associations...
Where does this common root resides on?
In my opinion by using the right part of the brain.
As demonstrated, this part of the brain works much better when the arterial tension goes down. Martial arts and also meditation techniques do use the breath to control mental states.
By using these techniques one person can take down the arterial tension and as, a consecuence, induces activity from the right part.
Obviously, in these techniques the whens and the hows are very differents.

Mindmapping and intelligence development

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:17:00 +0000

To my opinion, intelligence is not the capacity to store large amount of different knowledges, but it is the ability to create many multiple links amount the different knowledges you have.
At that point, mindmapping arises as a powerful tool to stimulate the creation of different knowledge links.
Summing up seems to be a clear link between mindmapping techniques and the intelligence stimulation. At least, in my personal/professional life it is a pretty clear statement.

The MindMapping Manifesto (II)

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:34:00 +0000

The MindMapping Manifesto (I)

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:15:00 +0000

Reading what is currently hot about mindmapping, there is a thing that can´t be infravalorated. This is the work done by Chuck Frey "The MindMapping Manifesto".
This is, to me, a very awesome tool to get deeper about mindmapping software and it is, also, a way to write down, black on white, the key elements about mindmapping software, from many different perspectives and with new and very interesting notes to have under consideration, if you want to enter these techniques, that will change your life.
During the following posts I will try to focus on the main concepts within the Manifesto, that is a gift to Chuck for keeping himself up for this work.
Congratulations, Chuck.

What maintains me away from mindmapping, push me forwards

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:05:00 +0000

Excuse me for the incoveniences by not posting so frequently, I will attempt to overcompensate.
Thanks to all the folks that questioned me about the absence.

Goals setting and splitting

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:27:00 +0000

Many times in business life, one is located in the middle of the chain.
One receives goals from his/her boss and must set up goals to the different collaborators. Obviously it is a rather good method, by using a good splitting, to have all the differente company levels working towards the same with coherence.
What´s inside this post, it is a method to split down goals to different collaborators and different positions, by using filter techniques within software-made maps (specifically MindManager).
You write down your goals in a map and using the Resources within Text Markers to define every one of your collaborators, which must be alligned with that goal.
After completing the secuence you can determine the different goals, which one of your collaborators have, by filtering the whole map.
Obviously the example is just for clarification, consider the case of having 35 goals to get and 30 collaborators and find a way to match them accordingly.

Getting a way forward

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:02:00 +0000

Yesterday afternoon I was having a nice talk with Philippe Boukobza via Google Talk. We were talking about the two brain hemispheres and the sensations one could have by using the righty.
Also I was thinking about how to identify when you´re using it and the many multiple activities, in which you work primary with it.
In the map, I relate activities I use to practise, which I think they are getting a way forward to use that part of my brain.
Many multiple different activities seem to hace a common goal.
Getting the sensation like if you were driven by the muses.

Mindmapped house

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:56:00 +0000

Finally I got the house, after many multiple mindmaps to optimize the costs.
Also I got a very cute mortgage from my banker.

Passwords cache

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 07:45:00 +0000

Firstly I am so sorry for not posting so regularly, specially in these two weeks period, I have been involved in many different professional issues, including frequent trips.
During that time, I´ve been thinking about new possibilities for mindmapping in a real world and how I take advantage of this.
Another functionality I use mindmapping for is helping me to remind the different users and passwords from the different webpages/blogs I am used to work with.
Perhaps a silly question but practical enough for me.

Comments on posts

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 08:58:00 +0000

Almost two weeks ago I got a post, which because of its interest I think it would be good enough to make it more public.
The discussion was opened by Everdream and followed by Tuna (I would like to hyperlink him/her but I don´t get the address).
I transcribe the discussion with updated comments.

After I saw your mindmap above, I got a few questions in my mind.
- Can this map give you explict messages even few months later?
Sure, that is one of the key issues for me. To make "nice"/cute map designs (I name it brain adapted designs) helps your brain to get back quite fast to the map topics after long time. That came from the visual message reception. It is similar (in some cases) when you see a picture and you remember questions linked to that image you see some time ago.
- Do you really think if readers can understand your message better through the map than through written statements?
Most cases I would say, yes. Cause your brain gets a whole picture of the maps and attempts to get fast to the different points. I would say, after looking at the map, two months later, your brain would remind better, issues from the maps, than from statements.
- How long did you take to fill wide ranges of lines oriented from main topic with your fine pen? Do you think the time is worth?
To be sincere, it does not take long for me, I am quite used to take notes. Nevertheless, this time is not badly wasted, in that time your brain is thinking in the concept, in the branches, in the relationships among concepts,...
- Why did you use pens and paper for the map? I think, you have a good software for mindmap. Why didn't use it for the map? Any reasons to use such an old tools?
Sure. I see two different ways to work: handmade maps and software maps. To me the main differences are in the freedom, making a map. In this way, it is similar to a brainstorming process, the crazier idea you have, the something valuable you get. So, I think you can get more creative concepts by using the handmade ones, you don´t have any restriction at all. In cases of using software, you must adapt your map to the software restrictions. I also must say the software are evolving to a more freedom atmosphere to not restrinct into a constraint environment.
Sorry for the questions that can be took rude. But I am really qurious

Mindmapping reflection

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 11:55:00 +0000

I must firstly apologize for not posting so frequently this week, I´ve been involved in many different tasks and responsibilities in different locations for my company, so I could get the time.
I have taken some moments to read on several of the different mindmapping blogs from friends and known people and I must say that every blog you vist, you discover something new and interesting to have into account, I learn from them.
Although I´ve been very busy I´ve been working so hard with mindmapping, cause it´s part of my personal and professional life.
During this week I´ve used mindmapping for: notetaking, preparing meetings, thinking deeper on different issues and so on.
I must also say the mindmapping in my life has got more reflexion, more deeper analysis, more capicity to link knowledgements.

Meeting Mindmapping friends

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:06:00 +0000

One of the funny things about surfing the web, it is finding outstandard blogs where, for sure, one can get knowledge and knowing how the world is moving regarding several issues. That´s the case of Philippe Boukobza, he is a very interesting guy, able to make a blog in three different languages (spanish, french and english). I do recommend visiting his blog and meeting him in order to be informed, among other issues, about mindmapping.
I have tried to know more from Philippe and I have decided to interview him, he kindly accepted.

Alberto.- Philippe talk us a little bit about you.
Philippe.- I'm a managerial skills consultant (in Madrid) since 2 years. Before I worked as a French Language Teacher. I was investigating since various years about learning, psychology and creativity. I learned and used various techniques before focusing on Mind Mapping.

Alberto.- When do you get your first contact with mindmapping?
Philippe.- About 5 years ago, surfing on the Internet, I discovered some “strange” maps and was immediately seduced by the Mind Mapping technique. I started creating mindmaps without any knowledge about Mind Mapping rules. Two years ago I decided to participate in a 2 days Mind Mapping workshop in Paris. It was really crucial and the start of serious Mind Mapping !

Alberto.- Which are the main specific mindmapping usages you do?
Philippe.- My main uses of Mind Mapping are, in order of importance: note taking, presentations, book reviews, planning and decision taking.

Alberto.- You have an extraordinary blog (in three different languages), what does propel you to open it up?
Philippe.- Thanks ! From my point of view, blogging corresponds to the need to share knowledge and experience about something that is really important for you. As a tool to share my interest in Mind Mapping and to learn from Mindmappers (like you !) blogs are really tremendous !

Alberto.- How do you explain a newcomer in the mindmapping world the main advantages she would get by using these tools/methods?
Philippe.- By learning to mindmap you start a process of learning to learn and learning to think smarter with a simple and very accessible tool. Mind Mapping improve your thinking-analysis skills as well as your creativity.

Alberto.- Which are the main advantages you get from?
Philippe.- The main advantages I get from Mind Mapping are exploring new ways of thinking, thinking “out of the box” and structuring my thoughts in the same time. Mind Mapping reconnected me with a more visual-intuitive approach ( the right brain ...)

Alberto.- How do you normally make maps? (manually using markers or via software).
Philippe.- During the first years I only use pencils or markers to build manually my mindmaps. Now, the ratio is about 50 -50 between handwritten and software made mindmaps. Note taking and real time Mind Mapping are for me always handwritten.

Alberto.- Which are your favorite software tools to make mindmapping?
Philippe.- I think NovaMind permits actually the best balance between structuring the ideas and getting visual impact. Therefore I use it a lot. From my opinion, Mind Manager is the best Mid Mapping Softwre for structuring the ideas with FreeMind. For the visual impact, Solution Language and IMindMap are to producing the most organic and natural aspect.
Recently I discovered Cayra and it have a very interesting approach of Mind Mapping.

Alberto.- From your opinion, how do you see the mindmapping development in the world and in Spain? how do you envision it in the coming-up future?
Philippe.- I'm very hopeful about the future of Mind Mapping. I think it will belongs to the essential skills to have in the Knowledge Society. The information overload require new ways of thinking that permits to clarify and structure rapidly informations in a visual way. Therefore, in Spain ,like in every country, Mind Mapping will be more and more used and learned. In Finland, one of the most developed and skilled country in the world, Mind Mapping has been included in the education programs. In accordance with the Programme for International Student Assessment of the OECD , Finland has retained the number one spot (2007).

Alberto.- What people think of you when see you mindmapping?
Philippe.- The first reaction is curiosity and then, for some of them, interest.

Alberto.- Which are your favorite pages around Mindmapping?
Philippe.- My favorites Mind Mapping pages are Peace of Mind, Idea Mapping (Jamie Nast), The Mind Mapping.org Blog and the Mind Mapping Software Weblog (Chuck Frey). But I'm also very interested in pages about visual thinking like Information Aesthetics or Visual Complexity.

Thanks Philippe.

Mindmapping for strategic orientation

noreply@blogger.com (Berttuco) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 09:15:00 +0000

To me, mindmapping is a tool extremely suitable for strategic purposes. To make a consistent map, you should think in advance about the concept, the main branches, the purpose,... To make also a consistent strategy for something, the main step is to think deeply on the goals (if you are responsible for the definition) and to determine how I am going to get the goals and what I need to get these goals.
In my personal case, for my job I am oriented to strategic goals and every step I walk is oriented towards one of these goals. So it is quite easy to make a map where the central concept would be the strategic orientation, every main branch would be every one of the different goals you have and the different sub-branches (level 2) would be the concrete goal descriptions, the different steps you envision for getting that goal and, of course, the result to get the feedback that will determine if you are in the right path. Different sub-branches (level 3) would include the different steps you walk everyday to get what you have envisioned you should do, and of course related to a specific and defined goal.