Visual thinking is quickly growing in importance as a strategy for attacking difficult business problems. But what’s driving this need and why should you learn about it?

That’s the purpose of this new mind map, which outlines the major drivers behind the growth of visual thinking (the “why”) and codifies the benefits of adopting this type of mindset (please click on the map to view a larger image).

What do you think? What would you add to this mind map? Please share your thoughts!

This mind map was created using iMindMap 5 Ultimate for Windows.

Linkedin has evolved into a popular platform for forming groups where professionals can ask questions, get answers and discuss topics and issues of mutual interest. In fact, for many topics, they are taking over the role filled by “traditional” bulletin board systems of a decade ago. Not surprisingly, mind mapping and visual thinking are well represented on this professional networking site.

Here are 7 groups that you should be aware of:

Visual Thinking – Excellent forum for general discussion of visual thinking tools, techniques and resources.

VizThink – This is a non-profit organization that was formed several years ago to provide a forum for designers and others to learn about visual thinking and apply it. The group holds instructional webinars on a regular basis.

ConceptDraw Users – This group is focused on applications of CS Odessa’s visual thinking software, which includes ConceptDraw, a vector-based drawing and diagramming application, and ConceptDraw MINDMAP.

Mindmapping – This group bills itself as a place for Q&A related to mind mapping.

BiggerPlate user Group – This group is focused on what is arguably the world’s best online mind map gallery.

MindManager Enthusiasts – This group is a good place to ask questions and get answers about the world’s most popular mind mapping software. There’s some good expertise here.

FreeMind – Free Mind Mapping Software Group – This group focuses on all things related to this very popular open source mind mapping program.

Mind Mapping User Group – The purpose of this group is to help users of mind mapping. Specifically, it aims to highlight applications of visual mapping.

If there are other Linkedin groups that you think are worthy of a mention, please submit them in the comments area below. Thanks!

In essence, I want to put readers of this blog in touch with their inner super hero, tackling challenges they would have been afraid of in the past and bravely venturing forth to Do Great Things.

That’s why I was inspired by Secret Supr-Hero Gear, a store within Chris Brogan’s Human Business Works empire that creates cool t-shirt designs that are designed to inspire the wearer and others around them – and to look pretty freakin’ cool, too!

This whole concept of super heroes having super powers also ties in quite nicely with the summer blockbuster movie season here in the States. With films like the Green Lantern, Thor, X-Men First Class and Captain America on tap this season, it looks like a timely tie-in with this blog and its mission.

What qualifies as a super power?

A super power, for the purposes of this conversation, is what makes each of us unique. It’s what we have to contribute to others. As I pondered the whole concept of super powers, it occurred to me that people who have achieved great results using mind mapping need to have some high-impact, viral way to tell the world about their visual thinking abilities. So I came up with the logo you see above right. It’s also reproduced in several smaller sizes below.

I encourage you to use this super power “badge” freely. All I ask is that you link it back to the URL of this blog post, so that others can understand the thinking behind this initiative, and access the resources I’ve created to support it. Ultimately, my hope is that a greater number of people will be exposed to the benefits and advantages of mind mapping software worldwide.

Will you help me to spread the word?

Mind mapping super power badges

The image above is 300 x 300 pixels in size. Feel free to save a copy of it to your computer, and post it to your blog, Tumbler site, Facebook page or other online points of presence where you see fit.

Here is the badge in several smaller sizes:

200 pixels

150 pixels

Please link your placement of this badge to the following URL:

http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/mind-mapping-super-power/

Questions and suggestions

If you have any questions about this initiative, or suggestions on how to promote it to the world, please send me a feedback message. Thanks!

Mind mapping is an incredible team-building tool

It’s creative and analytical: “What is so exciting about mind mapping is that its framework offers a way to think both analytically and creatively at the same time. A common analytical framework is to organize material around big ideas and sub-ideas – big concepts and then bulleted sub-topics. Yet for people who have creative minds, it’s very difficult to think in a linear fashion. Creative minds make links that others don’t think of or see right away. Having the freedom to create links that don’t follow any type of logical order – and to do it visually – is at the heart of the mind-mapping approach.”

Most business tools are either designed to encourage creative thinking or analytical thinking. Mind mapping is one of the few tools that enables you to do both.  I guess I hadn’t thought about the ways in which mind mapping software enables you to move seamlessly between the two modes of thinking. Or perhaps I hadn’t heard it stated this clearly before. But it makes a lot of sense. By her own admission, Glaser is ADD. Mind mapping transforms that from a weakness into a strength – in other words, she can do a brain dump initially, without worrying about the structure of her ideas, and then analyze and organize later.

Mind mapping is a tool for building collaboration – but not in the way you would think: Yes, today’s mind mapping software enables teams to collaborate effectively on projects and serves as a powerful catalyst for group brainstorming. But in Glaser’s mind, it does something even more important: She talks in the article about how she uses mind maps with clients and colleagues to move from “I” to “we” – to build shared understanding.

“I knew there was something going on in the minds and hearts of my clients when we graphically mind-mapped change together. We could feel an organic shift take place that turned foes into friends, and my idea into our idea.”

Creating what she calls “WE technologies” – using mind mapping to break down barriers between team members who may be trapped limiting perceptions such as “silo thinking” and “us/them thinking” – has enabled her to give clients ways to create a safe space for breaking down barriers to trust, a key to business success.

In this blog, I have written extensively about the benefits of using mind mapping software for collaboration, enabling everyone’s ideas to be captured and built upon in a small group brainstorming session, and for co-management of projects. But this whole idea of utilizing it as a tool to encourage consensus building and “we” thinking was a fresh perspective for me.

Double-clicking your way to shared understanding: As part of her methodology, Glaser developed a technique called “double clicking” as a way to surface each person’s perceptions about a given topic, and then to build consensus of what it means.

“I call it double-clicking because the process mimics opening folders on your computer to drill down into details. When I use this approach with teams, I ask them to delve into their individual mindscapes to share and compare word meanings and perceptions with each other… By drilling down to individual perceptions, teams can begin to understand each other’s perceptions better and improve how they collaborate… We all hold different views of reality, and when we double-click, we explore the unique connections that are at the heart of the matter. We are able to breathe new life and possibilities into a business and relationships – the first step to creating organizational transformation.”

Most people tend to be trapped within their own mindset, perceptions and opinions. Anything that doesn’t fit into their worldview gets rejected, or at least energetically resisted. In other words, we’re not as open-minded as we think. And that tends to derail teams and organizations. People refuse to support corporate initiatives. They drag their feet or check out mentally. Or they sometimes work to undermine the rest of the group’s efforts, or become very vocal opponents of them.

When we share our thinking with others, we open ourselves up to others’ ideas and perceptions. In the process, that forces us to rethink our own thinking. When this happens, according to Glaser, barriers fall and shared understanding leads to better teamwork and greater commitment to supporting change and transformation.

Mind mapping is the perfect tool for entrepreneurs: “Mind mapping is a great tool for any entrepreneur with big aspirations who is not yet sure how to achieve them. Mind mapping helps people play with new ideas and possibilities before trying them out. You can create different maps, each with different scenarios for what to do and how, and then evaluate the options before taking the risk. Mind mapping has no limits – only those you impose on yourself.”

I couldn’t agree more. Mind mapping strips away the blinders and opens us up to new possibilities. It enables us to think about our thinking in powerful ways. And it helps us to transform nebulous ideas into hard-core action plans, so we can bring them to fruition. In short, mind mapping is a perfect match for the entrepreneurial mindset!

I love Glaser’s insights in this article. What do you think?

If you have purchased an iPad and are using one or more mind mapping apps, please share your experiences and impressions in the comments section of this blog post. Please tell us:

• What mind mapping app are you using on your iPad?
• What applications are you using this mind mapping app for?
• How would you rate the overall experience of creating visual maps on the iPad? Is it everything you hoped for? Or something less, after all the excitement has worn off?
• What does this combination  make possible for you?

As always, I look forward to your keen insights!

In her comment, Mindy shared a recent example of how mind mapping made a significant difference for one of her clients, with whom she developed a comprehensive thought leadership strategy:

“Although it is the market that ultimately decides whether you are a thought leader or not, we’ve found that there are several things that all real thought leaders do on a consistent basis, and having a good strategy definitely enhances your chances of success. We have been using mind mapping with The Book Midwife and real thought leader clients for over ten years now… The process is invaluable in achieving clarity and allowing development of your thinking, so that you get to those unique and specific gems that make you stand out from the crowd. One of our author clients turned a 400-point mind map into a full-length book, a series of 20 articles, a year’s worth of hard-hitting blogs, a successful keynote speech and much more. It all started with the mind map.”

Building a strategy – visually

What struck me about Mindy’s comment is her emphasis on strategy. To be an effective thought leader, you need to stand for something. You need to have a simple, compelling message that resonates with your target audience. As I pointed out in my earlier post, a mind map is a perfect way to think through the ideas that will help you to forge a unique point of view on your topic of choice. Without a strategy, your content and promotion tactics will likely be scattered in a number of areas, weakening the overall impact of your campaign.

“True thought leaders solve problems for others with ideas, and build successful businesses by solving even bigger problems,” says Brian Clark, the CopyBlogger, one of the world’s best known blog marketers – and a thought leader himself. The message is clear: Mind maps can help you solve big problems for your readers and to brainstorm even bigger ideas that will drive your thought leadership efforts.

Keeping the trees and the forest aligned

As you implement your strategy, you need to have a consistent voice, so that each blog post, each podcast and each report reinforces the core message. Your thought leadership mind map can help here, too. As you lay out a high-level strategy, you can easily set your core focus, voice and message, and then add the tactical details to it in lower levels of the mind map. This visual format helps to ensure that all of the lower-level tasks are congruent with the high-level strategy. That’s much easier to do when you’re viewing a 400-point mind map than when you’re trying to extract meaning from a lengthy document.

In addition, the mind map becomes a “living document” that you can refer back to throughout the implementation phase of your plan – helping to ensure that your messages are aligned with and reinforce your top-level objectives, voice and message.

You can also attach priorities to topics, so you know what to do first and what comes next. You can even convert topics to tasks, and set beginning and end dates for their execution. As you can see, your thought leadership mind map isn’t just a planning tool, but a powerful execution tool, too.

One other big benefit: If you come up with what you think may be a great idea in the middle of your campaign, you can easily refer to your mind map to determine if it’s a good fit with your strategy. If it is, you can then easily add it to your map without destroying its structure.

Imagine what a thought leadership mind map looks like

I haven’t seen Mindy’s 400-point client mind map, but I can picture it in my head. I can see major branches for her client’s objectives, core position and message. I can see another branch that contains the content and promotion tactics, with sub-branches for blog post themes and sub-subtopics containing the titles of individual post topics. Other branches are devoted to key articles, guest posts, keynote speeches, and other tactical content elements, each one neatly arranged and prioritized.

So what does your thought leadership mind map look like?

Based on the surveys I have conducted of the users of mind mapping software, plus numerous conversations with developers of visual mapping tools, here are some of the essential features and functionality that should be incorporated into tomorrow’s mind mapping software:

1. Integrated desktop/web experience: Users of mind mapping applications should be able to access and edit their maps anywhere, via a combination of desktop and web-based software. In order to be effective, this process will need to work seamlessly, with both sets of tools sharing a similar interface and toolset. The model for this, of course, is Google Docs, which can be utilized offline using Google Gears. You can work on a document offline, and when you’re once again connected to the Internet, the offline files are automatically synchronized to your online file repository. It’s simple and easy, and doesn’t require the user to do anything special. It just works!

2. Make attachments and web pages viewable within the mind mapping program: External resources, such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations, web pages and other files should viewable within the interface of the mind mapping program, so you can view their contents without having to open other applications. Viewing them in context will help you to maintain your creative “flow” better than the current, disjointed experience. In short, the mind map needs to become more of a “knowledge hub” where information can be gathered, manipulated and analyzed, without having to rely on third party programs as file viewers.

3. More robust database connections: Tomorrow’s mind mapping software needs to be able to connect (with appropriate security, of course) to corporate CRM, MRP and other databases to pull selected data into your maps. This would be especially valuable for “dashboard maps,” which consolidate a variety of disparate but important data into one visual map.

4. Dynamic connections with search engines, social media and other web 2.0 tools, such as StumbleUpon, Twitter, Facebook, Digg and Delicious: A lot of content and ideas are contained in these next-generation online tools. Users of tomorrow’s mind mapping software programs need to be able to pull selected content into their maps. One practical example: It would be valuable if users could easily search for images to add to their maps, from within the mapping program itself. In addition, groups of like-minded users can help us to filter information and manage attention more productively – helping us to find the most important “stuff” in a maelstrom of information. Tomorrow’s mind mapping tools will be able to pull more of this “social intelligence” into visual maps, and enable us to be more selective and productive in the information to which we devote our attention.

5. File content search: The ability to search not only a mind map’s topics and sub-topics, but also the full contents of any attached files, such as Word documents and PDF files.

6. Improved collaboration: Users of mind mapping software should be able to share the full contents of their maps with their teammates and colleagues, without the need for each person to have a full licensed copy of the software or a file viewer – which doesn’t permit others to edit or annotate your maps. As long as only a handful of people within an organization have access to mind mapping software, it will never realize its full potential as a productivity tool.

7. Enabling the shift from information to attention: Nova Spivak, in a great guest post on the ReadWriteWeb blog, predicts that as “content creation and distribution become almost infinitely cheap, the scarcest resources will no longer be storage or bandwidth, it will be attention… In order to cope with the overwhelming complexity of our digital lives, we are going to increasingly rely on tools that help us manage our attention more productively — rather than tools that simply help us manage our information.” Tomorrow’s mind mapping software will be uniquely positioned to act as a semi-intelligent agent, helping users to focus on the most pertinent and important information.

What do you think the future of mind mapping software looks like? Please share your thoughts in the comments area below. I look forward to your prognostications!

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When I prepare for these Q&A interviews, I take great care to craft questions that will be informative to you, the reader, and which highlight the interviewee’s unique strengths and will draw out some interesting insights. When it all comes together, it’s a beautiful thing. This is one of those interviews, where Jamie took the questions I gave her and used them to hit a “home run!”

Chuck Frey: You conduct workshops on idea mapping on a regular basis. What are the most common misconceptions that attendees have about idea mapping?

Jamie Nast: I think there are several:

• Idea Mapping is a right-brain skill. No, idea mapping is a whole-brain skill that leverages the natural way the brain associates information.
• You need to have drawing skills. There are definitely people who create beautiful maps, but they can be sloppy and ugly and still fulfill the purpose for the creator.
• Never heard of this kind of tool and wish I’d learned this when I was in school.  It’s not really a misconception, but it’s a very common response – especially if it is the first workshop for a new client.
• Using color and imagery is unprofessional. No, using color and imagery leverages both sides of the brain and makes the idea map more interesting and memorable.

Chuck Frey: What are they most surprised to learn from your workshops?

Jamie Nast: This can take multiple forms. I have extremely different activities to help people overcome their disbelief that they can learn new skills. These include 3 drawing activities, 3 memory activities, 10-12 idea mapping activities, and learning to juggle. Once someone has that “ah ha” moment in any one of these areas, it’s like watching a light bulb go on. They are very surprised when they learn to count to 100 in Chinese or draw a portrait of a human face.  In the last year or so I’ve added a rather intense activity which results in an idea map of their life vision/mission. That also has a powerful impact.

If I had to summarize the biggest take-away, it would be opening their eyes and mind to a world of possibilities.

Chuck Frey: What is challenging executives today, and how can idea mapping help?

Jamie Nast: At every level of the organization the challenge is how leaders can get their arms around an overwhelming amount of information, make sense out of it, and then take the appropriate actions. Professionals are often immobilized at the thought of tackling major tasks.  An idea map can become an image that houses all the necessary data on one piece of paper. This enables the brain to see connections between ideas that would not be apparent in a linear document. Once the map is created, you can step back and “think about your thinking.” You may decide to re-organize or move things around now that all the information is out of your head and on the map.

Executives are responsible for an incredible amount of communication. An idea map can not only clarify the executive’s thinking, but it can also be a much clearer and memorable way to share ideas.  The other constant challenge is making processes, people, and organizations more productive and efficient. Through my experience and also your research we know that idea mapping can help in all of these areas.

Chuck Frey: What is the risk if executives don’t use whole brain thinking in their work?

Jamie Nast: The results from successful whole-brain thinkers speaks volumes. The risk? It’s everything – the company, the people, the clients, and ultimately their job. Competitors will bury them.

Chuck Frey: Why isn’t idea mapping more widely accepted today? Do you think it will ever reach mainstream executives? Or will there always be a “great divide” between linear thinkers and visual thinkers?

Jamie Nast: To this day the majority of people have not heard of mind mapping or idea mapping. So it’s not so much a lack of acceptance as much as it is a lack of awareness. That being said, the lack of acceptance stems from several things:

Resistance to change. We’ve all been trained to take linear notes. Most brains are wired neurologically to continue with this habit even though it doesn’t reflect the natural associative nature of the brain. In order to adapt idea mapping, it means changing how I think, and taking the time to create a new habit. Many people don’t like change or claim they don’t have the time to learn.

Minimal excellent training resources. There are pockets of training organizations that teach various mapping tools, but frequently it’s a 30-minute introduction or a half-day at the most. In my experience that is not enough time to help people understand why idea mapping works, how they get created, some of the road blocks (and how to overcome them) and allow people to experience that “ah-ha” moment.

Not understanding how to apply idea mapping. Much of the earlier writing on this topic didn’t take the applications into the business world to a great degree. Professionals wanting to try mapping had to take a lead from seeing an example of planning a garden or a trip to tackling a strategic plan or solving a problem as an organization via this technique. I felt like this was a major missing piece. That’s why I included business examples in my book from 21 professionals around the globe – all different applications.

Fear of being viewed as the person who takes weird notes. There are some people out there that don’t want to be alone in their mapping, but I think most of that is behind us now. The pioneers have paved the way.

Idea mapping has started to hit mainstream executives. Bill Miller from Nationwide is a good example of this. Larisa Brigevich, Director for Franklin Templeton, is another. I’m sure there are many others, but I’m definitely seeing a shift. For many years I felt like I was pulling people along – proving to people that this is an excellent tool. Finally about a year ago, I was teaching at a large automotive company here in Michigan and I had a participant say, “I’ve been on the wait list for two years. I’m so excited to learn these skills because I feel like I’ve been missing out.” Now people are waiting to get into classes. Last time I checked, there were over 100 people on the wait list.

Because most individuals were trained to write in a linear fashion, they continue to believe they are linear thinkers. Every time they say they are linear thinkers they reinforce that belief. The truth is that all of us are visual thinkers to varying degrees. The divide comes from an unwillingness to look at the visual side. Just as it is critical to use both left and right brain in combination, the most successful people will learn to blend the linear with the visual.

Chuck Frey: Your career includes a stint with the Buzan organization. How did that influence your thinking as you wrote your book, Idea Mapping?

Jamie Nast: Vanda North is the Founder and former CEO of the Buzan Centres. She was and is a great mentor. The most influential thing she taught me was that when we are teaching, it’s all about the participant and creating the best learning environment for them to gain the maximum from the material. It was with that in mind that I wrote the book. It was all written with the reader in mind.  I pulled from all my experience in teaching over 16,000 professionals world-wide and asked myself “how can I make this clear, complete, simple, and yet powerful for the reader?” I wanted it to feel like I was bringing the idea-mapping portion of my workshop right to the reader.

Chuck Frey: In what ways have you moved beyond the “traditional” Buzan of mind mapping?

Jamie Nast: There is still a rich heritage in mind mapping, but we’ve moved away from the laws that govern mind mapping and frustrate users. For example, one of the laws states that a branch should hold only a single key word because a single word can generate more thoughts (sub-branches) than a phrase. Although this is true, it doesn’t transfer into the practical business world. I can’t remember any client ever creating a map around a single word. Instead, the central words/image needs to clearly depict the topic/dilemma/project, etc. This same thing applies to any branch in the map.

Chuck Frey: Where does mind mapping software fit into what you teach?

Jamie Nast: It’s crucial. I demonstrate MindManager in every class and also follow-up with links to freeware. It completes the puzzle and gives options other than hand-drawn idea maps.

Chuck Frey: Are there certain applications where hand-drawn maps are preferable to software-produced ones, and vice versa?

Jamie Nast: Absolutely! The major benefits of hand-drawn over software is the kinesthetic element that engages memory in a greater way. You also have more freedom with the imagery. Others have said that there is a level of enjoyment that comes from the drawing – something they don’t get to express in other aspects of their work.

The benefits of the software are also numerous. Editing without redrawing, hyperlinks, attachments, virtual collaboration, and integration with Microsoft products are not possible when drawing by hand. Whether it is hand-drawn or created using software, the bottom line is that the purpose for creating the map will help determine the best method.

Chuck Frey: Tell us about your Idea Mapping Kit. What does it include, and what does it enable people to do?

Jamie Nast: The Idea Mapping Kit was designed primarily for my workshop participants, but I’ve also made it available to the public. It is half the size of a normal binder that includes a set of 10 Staedtler markers (they are the best in the world), heavy blank card stock to eliminate bleeding markers, a zip-locked plastic pouch for extra supplies, a 4-color pen, a back pocket, and a business card slot. It enables idea mappers to have all their tools for hand-drawning together in one location.

Chuck Frey: How has your thinking about idea mapping evolved since your book was published in 2006?

Jamie Nast: Converging on “the trio” and the value of partnering. Let me explain. The trio is Idea Mapping + MindManager + Microsoft. I suppose every author of a book focused on teaching a skill wonders if people will “get it” without you standing over their shoulder. I’m humbled to say that many people have shared how it has benefited them.

A single-dimensional user is familiar with one leg of the trio. For example, there are many software users that don’t really understand the brain theory behind why it works so well. Software users also don’t leverage the availability of imagery and color, because they haven’t been taught about how it impacts memory and communication. When writing the book I considered myself a 2-dimensional user because I used idea mapping + software. In the words of Kaye Nightingale, a Microsoft Master Certified Instructor from the UK, “it wasn’t a light bulb that turned on – it was more like a lightning bolt.” Kaye’s lightning bolt experience brought the third piece of the trio into the light. By combining the use of these three, there is a synergy that occurs that doesn’t happen in the one and two-dimensional worlds.

During the writing of the book I never had a website, didn’t know what a blog was, and Facebook, Squidoo, and many of today’s social networks hadn’t been invented yet. I was a technical and internet novice. I wrote the book pretty much focused on teaching others to learn idea mapping with some emphasis on the use of software, and I included a trial version of Mindjet’s MindManager. They were a crucial partner in this book. Together we have been able to introduce organizations to a much more complete picture.

My thinking about idea mapping now involves how to teach and share via webinars, my blog, and other internet-based training avenues. Partnering with people like Kaye and other organizations around the world make us all better and enhance learning for everyone.

Chuck Frey: Your blog seems to be heavily focused on examples of mind maps. How important are examples or case histories for people who are learning how to do this type of visual mapping?

Jamie Nast: I think it is one of the most important learning advantages. Very early on in my teaching which began in 1992, I started collecting examples from participants. Whenever possible I would have guest speakers come and share how they applied idea maps and other learning from the workshop to their work and life. The credibility that the stories brought into the classroom gave people practical as well as unusual ways to apply idea mapping. As they saw more examples, it sparked ideas of how they could implement the tool for themselves.

Chuck Frey: What excites you, as you look at how mind mapping is evolving and growing in acceptance?

Jamie Nast: Several things excite me:

I’ve believed this tool could have a major impact since 1992. I can finally say with confidence that it is here to stay, and I’m blessed to continue to make a serious impact on people both personally and professionally.

This will provide more opportunities for my Certified Idea Mapping Instructors around the globe.
It is extremely rewarding to witness people have break-through learning experiences. It may seem like I would get bored teaching the same material over and over again. But each experience in different, each organization is different, and every individual is different. What a rush!

I enjoy unmarked territory. I can’t wait to see new applications and examples of idea maps, and share them with the world for our mutual gain.

I always anticipate my next workshop which at the moment is back to Boeing. For information on my next public classes in the UK (October 6-7, 2008) and Palm Beach, FL (December 8-9, 2008), please see my website.

• It includes a new default template for more streamlined and professional maps, and
• When you move branches from one location in your map to another, an outline of your branch appears to give you visual feedback on where they will be placed.

This update is a free download for customers who own licensed copies of MindGenius.