While m ind m aps can address a variety of topics and can take on a variety of form s, there are two form ats that will be used to create them . Either the m ind m ap will be hand drawn or it will be com puter generated. Depending on the way y our m ind processes inform ation best and the am ount of tim e y ou have, each form at has its advantages and disadvantages.
1. Hand drawn m ind m ap
Som e m ind m aps are drawn by hand in the m om ent. These often happen som ewhat on the fly in a class or workshop environm ent. They can also be drawn m ore thoughtfully and gradually. The m ind m ap in Figure 5-3 is an exam ple of a hand drawn m ind m ap. These definitely look m ore artistic than other m ind m aps but other than that there are som e advantages to creating them .
Advantages
1. Low cost
When y ou want to draw a m ind m ap by hand all y ou need is a piece of paper and a set of colored pencils or m arkers. Your hand and y our im agination are essentially all y ou need to get started once y ou have these tools.
ii. Unique
Any thing drawn by hand is autom atically an original creation that can’t be replicated by any one else. If
Your m ind m ap can look like any thing y ou want it to when y ou’re drawing it by hand. You can insert y our own level of sty le into the m ind m ap and there are no restrictions on how it will look.
Hand drawn m ind m aps are m ost attractive to the people who enj oy the m ore tactile approach that putting pen to paper allows. It can m ake y ou feel very productive to create a hand drawn m ind m ap and that feeling can be exhilarating and inspiring. However, not every one prefers to hand draw m ind m aps. There are som e disadvantages to creating m ind m aps by hand.
Disadvantages
1. Cannot be digitally stored or shared unless scanned
If y ou don’t own a scanner, it will be tough to share a hand drawn m ind m ap. You could m ake copies of it but if it’s in color, the copies m ay not have the sam e look as the original.
ii. Size is lim ited
It would be tough to create a really large hand drawn m ind m ap. While it’s not im possible, it is challenging and could take a really long tim e to create.
iii. Tough to edit
Once y ou’ve created y our hand drawn m ind m ap, y ou can’t easily m ake changes to it without possibly altering the entire structure of it.
2. Com puter generated m ind m ap
For those people who want to create m ind m aps but don’t feel artistically inclined enough to draw one by hand, there are com puter program s that y ou can use to create them as well. There are a variety of different program s, both free and paid that I will share later. But first, let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of com puter generated m ind m aps.
Advantages
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1. Easy to arrange and re-arrange
You can create a com puter generated m ind m ap and it’s very easy to m ove things around as y ou see fit.
This increased flexibility m akes com puter generated m ind m aps great for those people who m ay need to them with links, docum ents and other inform ation that turns it into a database as well as a m ind m ap.
iii. Shared collaboration
You m ay need to collaborate on a m ind m ap with others who can’t be in the sam e room as y ou and a com puter program is the only way the m ind m ap will be created. This can be very valuable for individuals who don’t have the luxury of an in person m eeting but still need to accom plish a shared task.
iv. Ability to share with relative ease
Since this m ind m ap is already on the com puter, it’s m uch easier to share it with others via em ail or a file sharing service.
v. Can be incorporated into other software program s
If y ou have a m ind m ap that y ou’d like to include within a presentation or larger docum ent, a com puter generated one can be fairly easily im ported into the docum ent.
vi. Presentation friendly
Because the m ind m ap is com puter generated, it can be a really unique way to present an idea or a series of ideas to a group using a proj ector or other presentation tool. Most people do presentations using program s like Powerpoint or Key note so a presentation using a m ind m ap would really stand out.
Com puter generated m ind m aps are great for people who prefer working with a key board and a m ouse. They allow for som e flexibility in thought when creating them , which can be beneficial for those people whose brainstorm ing process can go through m ultiple lay ers. But there are som e disadvantages to com puter generated m ind m aps.
Disadvantages 1. Cost
While there are free m ind m apping software program s available, the m ore robust ones will cost a fee to use. This can be a challenge, especially for som eone who has a tight budget and can’t afford to invest in the software.
ii. Tough to personalize
Since y ou’re using a com puter to create the m ind m ap, it can be an added challenge to put y our personal touch on it.
iii. Software learning curve program s. It’s im possible to create one without a com puter and that can be a challenge for som e people. Any tim e som ething requires people be able to use a com puter, it brings up other questions about accessibility and who can truly afford it. Even if y ou can afford the
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software, if y ou can’t gain access to a com puter it’s not going to be possible to create the m ind m aps.
As y ou m ay have noticed the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages in both hand drawn and com puter generated m ind m aps. Ultim ately it com es down to preference and access. If y ou don’t have im m ediate access to a com puter with m ind m apping software on it then y ou don’t have a choice but to create them by hand. However, there are benefits to both. The m ost im portant thing to keep in m ind is that ultim ately, the benefits of creating m ind m aps in general are m uch stronger than the negatives. Regardless if y ou prefer to write it by hand, use a com puter program or do a com bination of both, y ou should start using m ind m aps.
As I m entioned before there are som e software program s that will help y ou create a m ind m ap using a com puter. Below are a few of the m ore popular ones.
Mind Map Software Programs ConceptDraw
This is a great m ind m apping software that, as y ou know, is giving y ou a free y ear’s trial to use.
This is m y personal favorite.
To get y our copy , j ust sign up at LearningWithMindmaps.com and I’ll get y ou all the details.
FreeMind
This is a free m ind m apping software program that can sim ply be downloaded and used. It’s what’s called open source software. When som ething is open source that m eans that it is free to use and the inform ation used to create and build it is also readily available.
This has pros and cons for users. The pros are that it’s free and has a lot of different inform ation out there about it. There are going to be m any different forum s and helpful inform ation shared about this software. The cons are that the features m ay be lim ited and upgrades could either happen a lot or not at all. When the developm ent com m unity finds an open source software that they like they tend to put a lot of effort into m aking the software perform well. While this can be a good thing, it can also be a bad thing because when a software is constantly being updated it requires that users of the software be diligent in keeping up with those updates. Most average software users aren’t naturally diligent about updates which can cause problem s in how it runs.
Ultim ately, it’s great to have a free open in m ind m apping software and this can definitely lower the cost barriers to entry for new users.
Mindmeister
Mindm eister is a m ind m apping software that is online based. It’s not com pletely free to use but it does have a free trial then afterwards, it’s as inexpensive as $4.99 a m onth for individuals. This online based software is good because it also has a m obile app that can be used on m obile devices. You can sy nc y our online m ind m ap to y our m obile device and build on y our m ap while on the go. This is very valuable as m ore people have to m ake decisions while m oving.
iMindMap
Tony Buzan is the creator of the m ind m ap and he has also created a software called iMindMap.
It has a desktop com puter version as well as online and m obile versions that m ake it very versatile. Plus, it has an option to create y our m ind m ap in 3D. It’s not free to use but there is a free trial before y ou have to pay a fee for it. The lowest cost version is the online/m obile version which starts at $20.99 a m onth. If y ou want to buy the software for personal or education use, it starts at $85 for one user.
This program could be considered expensive for a m ind m ap newbie but as y ou get m ore acclim ated to using them , it m ight be beneficial to m ake the investm ent. As the software that’s affiliated with the person that invented them iMindMap will definitely be very robust and com e with a lot of support.
Xmind
Xm ind is a free m ind m apping software that also has paid options. The free version allows y ou to create y our m ind m aps and share them online. If y ou want the ability to share y our m ind m ap via em ail or a file sharing service, y ou’ll have to upgrade it to the plus or pro versions which start at $79. There is a subscription service that costs $79 a m onth that gives y ou access to the pro features at a lower cost.
There are m any other m ind m apping software program s but these are som e of the m ore popular ones. In spite of the cost, it’s definitely a good idea to look for program s that are actively being used by m any people. This way y ou can rest assured that y our program will be consistently m aintained and updated regularly. While too m any updates can be disruptive, it’s im portant that the software isn’t allowed to becom e stagnant. Since operating sy stem s and com puters change regularly , software program s have to upgrade to keep up with them for good functionality . Mind Map Formats
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While m ind m aps can be divided into two distinct categories when it com es to how they ’re created, they can be divided into three distinct categories when it com es to the form at and purpose of the m ap.
Reference or Knowledge Mind Map
Som e m ind m aps are created with the purpose of exploring a topic or organizing a specific group of inform ation. The idea of reference or knowledge m ind m aps is to be able to com e back to them later for inform ation. Essentially these m ind m aps are created to be used for future reference. Once created, these ty pes of m ind m aps can be used by different people for m any y ears. They can be created to cover certain topics, m anage lists, organize resources and facilitate learning.
Brainstorming Mind Maps
When a group is working together to solve a problem , answer a question or prepare for different scenarios a m ind m ap is a great tool for identify ing those ideas. A m ind m ap can be drawn during the brainstorm ing session and act as a living reference while the group works. Since m ind m aps are created to be enhanced or changed at will, it can be an im portant tool to inspire creative thinking. One of the m ost im portant benefits of brainstorm ing is the creative energy that is encouraged from the participants. A m ind m ap is very effective at facilitating that creativity while rem aining organized.
Planning/Project Mind Maps
If y ou’re planning an event or special outing, a m ind m ap can be very helpful in working to cover all of the different details that need to be considered and fleshed out. The m ap would have the proj ect at the center and the different areas would tackle different parts of the proj ect. This kind of m ap could be used on an ongoing basis to track m ilestones, com m unicate goals and keep a planning schedule.
By determ ining the ty pe of m ind m ap y ou will be using, it can help y ou m ake the best use of it.
When y ou’re doing any ty pe of analy sis, y ou have to be clear about y our purpose when creating it. With m ind m aps, y ou m ust first determ ine whether it’s going to be hand drawn or com puter generated then whether it’s a reference, brainstorm ing or planning m ap. Often tim es the situation will help to dictate the ty pe of m ap being created but overall it helps to figure this out before y ou
start it.
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