The exceptional value of mind mapping software to teams

Recently, I asked for your feedback on the value of mind mapping software to teams – specifically, where the ability to collaborate with mind mapping software added value to your business. Here is a summary of what you had to say:

• Significant time savings can be realized by utilizing mind maps brainstorming, developing and sharing meeting agendas and notes and task lists.
• Mind maps are great team consensus building tools.
• Project management is improved, because you can assign tasks to different people on the team.
• The mind map provides a good overview of who is overloaded or underloaded on the team, as well as areas where knowledge is lacking.
• It also helps team members to collectively identify and fix problems faster.
• It enables everyone on the team to see the important issues the same way, and to clear up misconceptions that would otherwise delay or cripple the team’s progress on projects.
• Because everyone can view a common big picture view of the project as well as its details, you increase the likelihood that new ideas and connections will occur.

In short, based on the responses to this question, it is clear that mind mapping software provides tremendous value teams, helping them to projects along with great efficiency. Its value extends beyond the obvious applications like group brainstorming and project management into other valuable applications like knowledge management and consensus building/decision-making.

Several people specifically mentioned the fact that everyone is looking at a common picture, which can be easily updated and shared. So can Word documents – but there is something about presenting information in a visual manner that has a great deal of power. In a text document, the underlying structure of the information is typically buried within the sentences and paragraphs. It’s hard to differentiate between background information, essential information, actionable items and ideas. A mind map enables teams to clearly differentiate these elements, and to visualize the structure of their collective knowledge, information and ideas. This enables them to manage it at a much higher level than would otherwise be possible.

Thanks to those of you who contributed your intriguing insights into team mapping. If anyone else has any experiences or insights they like to add, please share them in the comments area below.