Archive for June, 2009
Mind Mapping Templates
Posted by: | Comments
Mind Mapping Templates
Mind Mapping software allows you to make templates for many of the routine tasks you do; personal and professional.
Business Templates can be made for:
Sales Processes
Sales Products and Services
Policies and Procedures
Hiring and Training
Maintenance
Ordering and Processing
Delivery Process and Procedures
Personal Templates can be developed for:
Shopping Lists
Travel
To Do’s
Household Maintenance
Once you have a template, it’s relatively easy to update and customize it for the current need.
As always, Mind Mapping can be a tremendous productivity tool!
Mind Mapping in the Cloud
Posted by: | Comments
My Mind Mapping software of choice has always been Inspiration.
It’s the product I started with, and while I’ve looked at others, this one fits my needs extremely well.
They now have upgraded their ‘cloud’ program, webspiration.
One of the really cool things this offers is the ability to collaborate on line. This is HUGE!
I’m not a ‘visual’ person so why use graphics?
Posted by: | CommentsGraphics
Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a ‘visual’ person, a picture is still, as they say, ‘worth a 1000 words’.
The odds are you are more visual than you think.
For instance, if I say the word “Apple”, in your mind’s eye you don’t see, the letters a-p-p-l-e.
You see a round, reddish item, maybe with a stem coming out of the top.
If you thought about it further, other senses would probably kick in: you’d smell the apple as it were being cut or eaten, you’d feel it’s texture, you’d sense the difference between the skin and the meat and the core with its seeds.
You may even be lead to a childhood memory of smelling, then tasting a freshly baked apple pie!
We think by association. The more senses we can bring into our Mind Maps, the more ideas and solutions will result.
So even you linear thinking engineer types might benefit from placing a graphic or two in your Mind Maps!
MasterMindMapper Video
Posted by: | CommentsFor Consultants – Mind Mapping is a Great Choice
Posted by: | CommentsConsultants
If you’re a consultant, with on-going client projects, Mind Mapping can be a great addition to your tool box.
It is one of the best ways to literally illustrate the present situation, and all options, to the client.
Each option, and everything associated with it in terms of: human capital, time, materials, money, etc. and possible outcomes, can easily be explored.
Since everything is displayed on one screen (or sheet of paper), missing important ideas and solutions is less likely.
Because the only constant is change, the client mind map can, and should be, regularly revisited.
New market conditions, product developments, competitive activities, personnel changes, and everything else that might necessitate ‘adjusting the rudder’ can be added to the original mind map.
If the consultant isn’t familiar with mind mapping and available software, a good option would to bring in someone trained, experienced and proficient with mind mapping theory and current technology.
Mind Mapping a Speech
Posted by: | CommentsMind Mapping a Speech
Basic Speech Template / Click to Enlarge
A Mind Map is the perfect tool for developing, practicing and delivering a speech.
Here is a Mind Map of a basic speech.
When it’s available as a template in a software package, as this one is, it’s
easy to ‘fill in the blanks’, edit, and update.
It can be ‘customized’ with graphics, colors, key words and other things that will remind the speaker of their message.
Instead of having your speech on notecards or key words highlighted on several pieces
of paper, your entire speech can be on
one sheet of paper!
It is then very easy to see the components of your speech, making delivery far easier and effective than merely looking at w-o-r-d-s!
For more on Developing, Practicing and Delivering a Speech, with “No Sweat!” go to
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Exporting – A Mind Mapping’s Software feature
Posted by: | Comments
Each Mind Mapping software product has their own features and benefits.
One of the features I particularly like is the ability to Export to Word.
Click to Enlarge
I use Inspiration software and, by clicking a button, the graphic mind map and the diagrammed text is placed into a Word document.
Once the map and text is in Word, you can edit the content; adding verbiage and moving around text.
It’s great to be working with a client, and let them know, up front, that when you’re finished Mind Mapping their strategic plan, new product introduction, or any other brain activity, you’ll be able to send them a copy.
The mind map can also be emailed as a PDF and, if they have the same software program you’re using, it can be sent as a file.
Since most mind maps are somewhat organic and subject to change as real life challenges and opportunities are, this ability to constantly revisit and update is a very positive feature of Mind Mapping software.
Links in a Mind Map
Posted by: | CommentsLinks
One of the neat things about Mind Mapping software is that it gives the ability to have links in your map.
You can link:
- websites
- documents
- other mind maps
Some Personal Uses of Mind Mapping
Posted by: | CommentsUses of Mind Mapping
Mind Mapping has many uses, both business and personal. Some of the things I’ve used Mind Maps for personally are:
- Shopping
- To-Do Lists
- Trip Planning
- Household Projects
- Vacations
- Home Inventory
Mind Mapping an Agenda
Posted by: | Comments
One way I’ve used Mind Mapping effectively is for making the template of a Meeting Agenda.
It was very helpful in Toastmasters to have a template that I could update each time I was to lead a meeting.
Starting with the Gavel at 12:00 and going clockwise, I could easily see where I was in the meeting and what was next.
Meeting Agenda / Click to Enlarge
