When you have a lot of information that you want to structure in a transparent way and when you need to clarify something that is very complex – make a mind map.
But, how?
On a blank sheet, write in the middle a word, a phrase or a subject area. From mid drag branches to other words, this in turn is divided into branches in so many levels that come naturally.
Preferably use a digital mind mapping software, then give most of the look itself. I use Mind Manager and it just so happens that because I think so much about it, I have a collaboration with the Swedish agent. However, there are of course a handful of alternative software programs to choose from.
… And why?
With a mind map, you can fit a lot of information in a small space . You can group it in a way that makes it easy for you to “come on” what there should be, and to find what you need when you need it .
Five powerful mind maps
Here are five suggestions on what advantage has in mind map form.
First vision in its various aspects – Describe the business vision into a mind map, where the various branches highlights the situation you want to achieve from different directions. ? A branch may be how you want it to look inside the business, another how your organization’s from the market’s perspective, a third how activities contribute to this world welfare when you achieved the vision. A fourth branch, finally, can shed light on how the vision appears to you as a person when you have some way to go.
• What is a typical workday like for you then?
• What’s it like where you work?
• How are you together with your colleagues?
• What do you do?
2nd Project Overview – Create an overview of all the large and small project you have running right now , internal as well as external . Make it clear how far you have come on each project by using symbols, percentages or other markings. For each project, indicate what next, concrete, detailed steps are, who is responsible for it and when it will be finished. ? Can thus quickly and easily ensure that you are going ahead on all the major initiatives you want to move forward
3rd Project – Make a mind map of a given project, i.e. the different phases, sub-phases, phases etc. down to the concrete steps up the project. Carve out the project by mid first formulate how the desired outcome looks like , that is the situation you want your project to create . As the branches of the map’s center, cast on the larger stages you imagine that the project will have. Divide each phase of its ingredients. Divide each element in turn and again until you get to the next concrete step you can take in a single approach, i.e. a to – do item. ? What first seemed like an insurmountable task, you break down easily to small, clear steps that are easy to get started with.
What fascinates me most about working with a digital mind map is that I sometimes can get a quick overview of a very large area (e.g., all of my current internal and external projects) and sometimes focus on a detail in one of the phases in one of projects while I hide everything else in the map that I do not want to be distracted by that time.
You can collect more in one place and fewer files to look through, so you win time, mouse clicks and keystrokes.