All that changed in January when I took a new job as marketing manager for a small safety training products firm. My first major project has been to help this company to launch an ambitious, multi-faceted training curriculum to the mining industry. Based on a blended learning model, it incorporates web-based training modules, a PC-based simulator, and a variety of on-the-job training tools for trainers and trainees. It can also include a learning management system and several other elements.

The bottom line? This is a complex product. Obviously, it would take a mind-numbing volume of words to adequately describe how all of the pieces worked together to provide a powerful training solution. How could we communicate it quickly and simply to prospective customers?

Being a visual kinda guy, I realized almost immediately that one of the best ways to do that would be to create a visual that showed how all of these elements work together to provide a complete training solution. Using SmartDraw 2010, I created a series of diagrams that became awesome talking points with my boss, as we worked our way through successive iterations and came closer to a complete and accurate representation of the training curriculum.

Here’s what I learned about SmartDraw 2010 in the process of working with it during the past two-and-a-half months:

• It is intuitive and easy to use; all of its functions behaved as I would expect them to, and there were no ugly surprises.
• It makes great use of right-click commands, so you can accomplish common tasks without mousing over to the ribbon toolbar.
• The set of templates in SmartDraw 2010 is very impressive, and more importantly, very useful. You can easily take one of them and use it as a starting point for your own diagram.
• The straightforward, well-designed set of diagramming tools in this program made it easy for me to quickly create some compelling, great-looking diagrams that got incorporated into a number of planning documents, and could also be given to our developers and designers, to incorporate directly into sales brochures and web pages – or to inspire them to create something more polished and colorful in Adobe Illustrator.

The bottom line is that SmartDraw 10 has helped to make me look good to my new employer. I think they appreciate the fact that I’m able to think and represent my ideas visually – thanks to this excellent program.

As I alluded to in my last post about MindManager for SharePoint, I’m not a fan of Microsoft’s network collaboration tool. At my old job, SharePoint was used by the department in which I worked (marketing) to keep track of dozens of complex projects, each of which had multiple resources, milestones and people associated with them. The folder hierarchy was so deep that it was often hard to find the folder I needed.

What I didn’t know was whether my experience with SharePoint was typical, or if I’m just a weirdo SharePoint hater.

Turns out that I have plenty of company, according to Blandford. He said that many of the Mindjet customers he has talked to share a similar experience: These firms typically implement SharePoint because they want their employees to collaborate better, and to provide a common place where all team members can post project updates. Then they become dismayed when no one uses it. It’s just too hard to find specific folders and resources. To make matters worse, SharePoint’s search capability is only rudimentary. he said Microsoft’s SharePoint discussion lists are filled with a lot of talk about how to improve SharePoint search, but not much has been done so far to address this shortcoming by the gigantic Redmond-based software developer.

In addition, in most companies, the corporate IT department usually gets to decide what the folder hierarchy is when they install the SharePoint Server. This arrangement may be somewhat arbitrary and idiosyncratic, making resources even harder to find. Blandford shared the story of one person he talked to who spent an average of 30 minutes a day – or the equivalent of 150 hours a year! (assuming 30 min./day x 300 work days/year) – searching for specific projects and pages on her company’s SharePoint databases.

How does MindManager for SharePoint solve this problem? By providing a powerful SharePoint search tool that enables you to simultaneously search several SharePoint databases and incorporate multiple filtering criteria into your query. This enables you to find what you’re looking for, faster. In other words, Mindjet has built the search tool that should have been native to SharePoint.

I mentioned to Blandford that perhaps this “corporate” version of MindManager may make it more palatable to IT departments, which control what software can be installed on the desktops of knowledge workers around the world. If they don’t “get” the value of mind mapping, then typically they don’t invest in mind mapping software. He agreed, and said that MindManager for SharePoint should actually make IT’s job easier. If you can empower employees to find the SharePoint resources they need on their own, then IT should receive fewer calls from frustrated employees, complaining, “I can’t find what I’m looking for on SharePoint!”

Buzan has helped millions to unlock their creativity, enhance their memory skills and expand their thought processes. He invented Mind Maps in the 1970s and they are now used by over 250 million people worldwide.

Workshops will be held in New York, Minneapolis and San Francisco; registration for them is now open.For more details, please see the U.S. Tour page on the ThinkBuzan website.

I’m planning to attend the workshop in Minneapolis, to meet the man who inspired the creation of this blog, as well as Chris Griffiths, the developer who came up with the idea for iMindMap who is now CEO of ThinkBuzan. It will be awesome to meet Tony in person, and to hear about the latest developments from his organization. From what I hear from his people, he’s looking forward to meeting me, too!

Accordingly, I have just produced another helpful mind map that gathers over 80 of the best mind mapping resources into a single visual map that you can use as a jumping-off point for exploration. To the best of my knowledge, this is the largest collection of links gathered in a visual form anywhere on the web. To access this mind mapping resource map, please click here or on the image to the right. I hope you find it useful!

This mind mapping resources map includes the following categories:

• Mind mapping blogs
• Key mind mappers on Twitter
• Twitter feeds you should follow to keep up with this innovative software niche
• Notable books on mind mapping
• Mind mapping resource pages
• Mind map galleries
• Discussion forums
• Mind mapping experts

To explore these valuable resources, simply click on the name of the website in the map; to return to the map, simply use your browser’s “back button.”

In addition, this clickable mind map contains links to the other two resource maps I previously produced:

• A clickable mind map of all software vendors, for all computing platforms
• A map of mind mapping applications

Combined, there are links to over 160 mind mapping resources here. If I’m missing anything, please let me know in the comments area below and I’ll add it to a future edition of this map!

UPDATE: You can now download this popular resource in MindManager’s .MMAP file format. Just right click on this link and select “save as…”

Using MindWave, you can easily insert a new map into your wave, invite others to collaborate with you and then co-edit it in real time.That means you can use it as a tool for planning simple projects and for small group brainstorming.

MindWave supports Wave’s playback function, which enables you to see how a mind map was constructed, and who added what content to it. This is ideal for new users, who may not be familiar with mind mapping.

Mind maps built within MindWave can be downloaded and developed further using CS Odessa’s ConceptDraw MINDMAP software for Windows and Mac OS X.

Thankfully, MindWave supports a number of keyboard shortcuts, including:

• Shift+Enter to add a new topic.
• Double-click on a topic adds a sub-topic.
• Paste a word or phrase to add a new topic.
• Paste a column of words to add many topics at once.
• Drag and drop organizes your mind map.
• Press Delete or Backspace to remove a selected topic.
• Arrow keys navigate you through the map.

I added MindWave to a wave in my Google Wave account, and found that it installed easily. Creating a new map and adding topics to it was also a breeze; it behaved exactly as I would expect it to. The shortcut keys are non-standard, but then again you’ve got to remember that you’re working on an extension that has to play well within another, larger application. So CS Odessa had to select hot keys that don’t interfere with Wave’s functionality.

The only limitation I foresee with MindWave is that the maps you create within it must, of necessity, be fairly simple. You’re constrained in terms of space to only one-third of the browser – because the other two panels are used by Wave for managing waves, folders and users.

Still, MindWave is a great little applet that is stable and intuitive to use. Kudos to CS Odessa for taking the lead and producing this neat little application to support one of the web’s most compelling new collaboration tools.

MindManager 8 for SharePoint makes it easy to connect to one or more SharePoint sites and sub-sites and search for specific projects and tasks, using a new search wizard. SharePoint tasks meeting your search criteria are displayed as topics in your map, and can be explored using MindManager’s built-in browser.

You can also add lists, tasks, documents, images and other assets stored in your SharePoint sites to your maps, and then update status and priorities in your mind map, or open up the program’s browser to view all of your project data in context. You can view document properties, check out an Office document and edit it; your changes are automatically synchronized back to the SharePoint site.

A new Site Explorer map part enables you to easily create a visual map of a SharePoint sites. A wizard enables you to select one or more SharePoint sites and to filter its content by list type prior to inserting its data into your map.

You can also create new SharePoint folders and documents from within your mind maps. Creating a new folder showcases the tight two-way integration between the two applications: If you select the “create folder” icon from MindManager’s SharePoint toolbar, a wizard pops up on your screen, enabling you to select the SharePoint site and list to which you want to add a new folder. Once you’ve made these selections, MindManager’s embedded browser displays SharePoint’s add a folder page. You type in your new folder name and click the “OK” button to create it. Your new folder is added to SharePoint and, at the same time, a corresponding folder is added to your mind map. The same process can be followed to add a new issue item within that folder. Nice!

I’ve used SharePoint in two different jobs, and I must admit that I am not a fan of it. SharePoint’s deeply nested structure can be a pain in the ass to navigate through, in order to find the specific project or list you’re looking for. MindManager for SharePoint adds a highly visual front end to this popular but not very intuitive collaboration tool, and makes it easy to find and work with specific SharePoint assets within this powerful and flexible mind mapping program.

A new license of MindManager for SharePoint is $499; if you are an existing user of MindManager for Windows, a special $150 upgrade price is also available. A free trial is also available. If you want to get more of a visual idea of this program’s capabilities, Mindjet has created a series of brief videos, which you can view here.

People tend to get pretty passionate about it. Several years ago, one of the major software vendors in this niche decided to ask some non-traditional survey questions of its users, to see what people’s emotional connection was with their software. They asked questions like, “How would you feel if product X was suddenly taken away from you, and you couldn’t use it any more?”

They reported that numerous people got upset at the thought of having to work without their favorite planning and brainstorming tool. This story made me smile, but it points to something deeper, a connection between this method of visual thinking and who people are – and who they want to become. In short, mind mapping inspires people. That begs the question:

What, specifically, inspires YOU about mind mapping?

What gets you excited about it?

What kind of a tangible difference has it made in your life?

Could you imagine working and creating without it?

I look forward to your thoughts and insights, which are always thought-provoking. Thanks in advance for contributing to this discussion!

• In the last month, have you drawn a diagram to explain something to someone?
• In the last week have you drawn a diagram to help yourself understand or remember something?
• Have you visited two or more art galleries or museums in the last 6 months?
• Do you like to study maps of places before you visit them?
• Can you visualize what a landscape might be like by looking at the contour lines on a map?
• Did you like geometry at school?
• Do you enjoy manipulating your digital photographs? For example, do you crop and edit them to improve the images?
• Can you use the 2D engineering drawings of an object or the 2D architectural plans for a building to visualize what the object or building might look like?
• Have you worked on a jigsaw puzzle in the last year?
• Do you use mind maps to record and remember things?

A score of 7 or more positive responses is good.

If your score wasn’t that great, don’t fret – like any ability, visual thinking is not something you’re either born with or not, but rather a skill you can develop through study and practice. To help you get started on this process or to further your skills in this area, I recently posted an article to this blog that recommends 8 excellent books on visual thinking. There are some truly amazing books on that list!

I also recommend that you get involved in VizThink, a very active worldwide community of visual thinkers that is doing some excellent work in this area. It holds a series of webinars on various aspects of this topic. And, of course, you can read this blog, where I not only provide a wealth of information related to mind mapping software, I also try to highlight any resources related to the larger space of visual thinking that surrounds it.

Many readers agreed that using a laptop to record the key points of a meeting can be distracting. The clicking of the keys as you’re typing and the sheer uniqueness of the mind map format means that others in the meeting may lose focus. Several of you came up with clever solutions to this problem:

The Tablet PC solution: Andrew Wilcox has used a Tablet PC with MindManager to take notes in an unobtrusive way for the last 5 years. Holding a tablet on your lap and recording notes with a stylus is much less distracting, because you’re not placing a bulky device on the table, where it can become the focus of attention. Instead, it functions much more like an “analog” notebook. “The ink mode allow fluid note taking,” he explains. “Combine this with a few map parts, some preset resources, a set of map of markers specific to the meeting type and you can get a lot recorded in a meeting.”

Hand-write notes during the meeting, then post-process: Nick Duffill takes notes during the meeting with pen and paper. No colored markers, just a pen – keep it simple. Focus on capturing key words, follow-ups and ideas during the meeting. “Overall, you are likely to get more from the meeting if you write less, because you can focus more on what people are saying,” he advises. “You are not trying to memorize the meeting for unaided recall, but capture the key points without sacrificing your participation and interaction.” The next step is the most important: Review your mind map after the meeting to extract essential information and actions. “You will probably surprise yourself at how efficient a mind map is at bringing things back to mind that you would have otherwise forgotten, but it needs to be done within 24-48 hours,” he cautions.

Use a software-produced map for an agenda, then add notes to it during the meeting: Jeff Causey reports that he has used this approach with great success in one-on-one meetings with his staff:  “I would basically prepare an ‘outline’ mind map of the agenda/topics to be discussed. Then, as the meeting progressed, I could add to each branch as appropriate – due dates, to dos, etc. I found this made it very easy to make sure everything got covered, new stuff could be added on the fly, and connections were easy to see. And then when reviewing later, it was easy to assess progress (e.g. by checking off/crossing out nodes).”

Color code your meeting maps: Emmanual Maitre takes Jeff Causey’s agenda/notes map one step further – agenda items are recorded in blue in a software-produced mind map; notes and action items that come out of the meeting are captured in black, so anyone looking at the map can easily distinguish between the two. An excellent, simple idea!

Use mind maps for meeting notes on a selective basis: Eric Blue says he considers the audience, how the notes will be distributed and the subject matter before deciding whether or not to use mind mapping to capture notes in visual form. “I’m a big fan of using mindmaps for notes during project planning meetings, high-level brainstorms, and software design discussions,” he explains. “For most usual business meetings, I tend to just jot down quick written notes in my notebook. I’m becoming more of a fan of keeping my laptop closed during discussions since it can prove to be a distraction when important conversations are underway. In some cases I either take these written notes and incorporate them into my mindmap dashboard, or track them as tasks in my GTD system.”

Like Nick Duffill, Eric Blue gets the most out of meetings by deliberately extracting action items from his notes – after the meeting. In this way, your hand-written meeting notes can be added to your intake system for projects and priorities in a software-produced mind map – the best of both worlds.

Don’t worry about  the laptop objection: Adrian Griffith thinks the objection of using a laptop during meetings to capture notes may be overstated. When in doubt, he simply asks his colleagues if they mind. “If you say to people at the start of the meeting, ‘I’m taking a few notes on the laptop because that’s what really works for me,’ generally people are okay with it. Better still, if you are the one leading or guiding the meeting, people find it fascinating and useful to see the meeting, comments and actions taking place before their very eyes.”

Griffith believes that people should become more comfortable with laptops and tablets in meetings over time. I’ve already sat in on technical meetings where most of the attendees were using laptops – not only to record decisions reached and next action steps, but also to give them access to past notes, reports and other resources.

Another potential advantage of using a laptop during a meeting is that it gives you immediate access to a world of online knowledge and resources – especially useful if the meeting veers into an area that the attendees don’t know much about.

To read all of the comments about strategies for using mind mapping to take notes during meetings, please click here.

Why not? Because I have never fully understood the benefits of doing so. Besides, my hand-written, linear note taking style incorporates a simple system of abbreviations and color coding (for tasks and important stuff) that has worked very well for me over the years. So I don’t have a whole lot of incentive to change.

Then there’s the matter of memory. I take fairly copious notes, because I have a leaky, middle-aged, ADD-addled brain. I’m afraid if I use a mind map to capture the major points of a meeting, I won’t remember all of the underlying details that I need to do my job effectively. So I have resisted the temptation to use mind mapping for this important business application.

Are my fears unfounded? Is there some compelling benefit that I’m missing? Or some simple method of taking notes visually that will help me capture all the important details?

What strategies do you use successfully with mind mapping (paper-based) or mind mapping software to take notes during business meetings? Please share your experiences in the comments area below. Thanks!