I recently used a program called Xmind for planning the Mongolia expedition. I have always been interested in mind-mapping. It is like brainstorming but somewhat more focused on the ‘associative’ way that the brain structures information.
I find mind-mapping particularly useful for getting what I think out on paper. The nature of the process seems to bypass the evaluating of the thought processes and in this aspect coheres well with the technique of lateral thinking that involves generating alternative ideas quickly.
Basically there are two ways I normally approach a mind map. The first is to flesh out an idea (I don’t think mind-mapping is so good at this). The second is, as I said before, getting what’s in my head, out on paper.
So briefly, to create a mind-map in the first way, I put a ‘central topic / name of the idea’ and come up with a list of the first things that come into my head. I write these in the top right corner of the page. These are BOI (Basic Ordering Ideas). I put these in one column. In the other I ask myself the 5 Ws and 1 H (Who, Why, Where, When, What, How) and make another list (this doesn’t work well with all ideas). Then I select the first branches of the mind map from the two lists and I go from there.
In mind maps you are supposed to only put one word on a line, but for fleshing out an idea I find myself wanting to make a lot of side notes written out in full which is where I find the mind-mapping process falls down.
In the second way, I would write the BOIs (first branches) as before, and I would then extend each new branch (second-level) based on the first things that come into my head. It is important that the thoughts are spontaneous. You can record 5 or 10 items or however many you like.
You continue doing this until you create a root or tree-like structure. On the Tony Buzan website (the supposed creator of mind-maps as they now exist), he recommends drawing lots of pictures and using colours which is nice but I find I don’t always have the time for this. Therefore, it is cool to use a program like Xmind where I can include pictures, web links and whatever media I like into my mind-map. It has a nice user-interface and the performance is good. The mind-maps can then be exporting in a number of formats.
It’s a useful program which lends itself to expedition planning.
Other open source mind-mapping software
Cheers,
Andy
Xmind – Mind Mapping Software for Planning Expeditions
I recently used a program called Xmind for planning the Mongolia expedition. I have always been interested in mind-mapping. It is like brainstorming but somewhat more focused on the ‘associative’ way that the brain structures information.
Basically there are two ways I normally approach a mind map. The first is to flesh out an idea (I don’t think mind-mapping is so good at this). The second is, as I said before, getting what’s in my head, out on paper.
So briefly, to create a mind-map in the first way, I put a ‘central topic / name of the idea’ and come up with a list of the first things that come into my head. I write these in the top right corner of the page. These are BOI (Basic Ordering Ideas). I put these in one column. In the other I ask myself the 5 Ws and 1 H (Who, Why, Where, When, What, How) and make another list (this doesn’t work well with all ideas). Then I select the first branches of the mind map from the two lists and I go from there.
In mind maps you are supposed to only put one word on a line, but for fleshing out an idea I find myself wanting to make a lot of side notes written out in full which is where I find the mind-mapping process falls down.
In the second way, I would write the BOIs (first branches) as before, and I would then extend each new branch (second-level) based on the first things that come into my head. It is important that the thoughts are spontaneous. You can record 5 or 10 items or however many you like.
You continue doing this until you create a root or tree-like structure. On the Tony Buzan website (the supposed creator of mind-maps as they now exist), he recommends drawing lots of pictures and using colours which is nice but I find I don’t always have the time for this. Therefore, it is cool to use a program like Xmind where I can include pictures, web links and whatever media I like into my mind-map. It has a nice user-interface and the performance is good. The mind-maps can then be exporting in a number of formats.
It’s a useful program which lends itself to expedition planning.
Other open source mind-mapping software
Cheers,
Andy
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