Do MindMapping programs really help in MindMapping?

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Note: This message is from the outliners.com archive kindly provided by Dave Winer.

Outliners.com Message ID: 2921

Posted by sub
2005-03-08 19:07:06

[Stephen D.: One thing that makes me hesitate about even jumping into mind mapping for kicks is that it seems it tends to divert too much attention to choosing shapes and other decisions which don’t necessarily help integrate the information or concepts.I think for me something that mainly just drew lines might be preferable.]

As a personal brainstorming tool, I have found no program even remotely comparable to a pen and a paper pad. I turn to my programs (MindGenius and FreeMind) after I’ve more or less developed the initial concept, to make it tidier and store it in the PC.

It is in this latter respect that, for me, mind- and concept- mapping and other “brainstorming support” programs make most sense, outside of a collaborative environment.

In effect, it is like collaborating with one’s self, when going back to mind map notes of previous brainstorming sessions, adding new ideas and developing concepts further, perhaps focusing on specific branches. For example, over a period of time I created a concept map of my life with Cmap Tools that impressed even me; the simple explanation for this is that brainstorming can be a very emotionally influenced process—Ideation go as far as calling it “heartstorming”.

So within a greater time frame, one can literally astound themselves with the combined product of various states of mind.

alx

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