Here's a "thinking with Curio" map I used to make myself step back and sort out my work planning processes.

http://d.pr/i/2MZKPm

Funny thing. "Thinking on paper" means for me: thinking things through. I do that by mulling over things, writing thoughts down, connecting thoughts (through words and sentences I write down), getting new ideas, writing them down...
This kind of process involves a lot of words (written, deleted, moved...). That's nothing I'd do in Scapple (or a mind mapping tool). I use Scapple for writing down words or short sentences, for arranging them on screen, connecting them, rearranging them. Sometimes I use Scapple for creating diagrams I use in books/articles/presentations.

What I am still looking for is a tool that lets me combine both: long text and visual representation, visual arrangement - and, hopefully, the ability to discover connections visually that did not occur to me when writing.

I tried several wiki-style apps (TiddlyWiki, Dokuwiki, ConnectedText) but none clicked. Tinderbox might be what I need but it's Mac-only - and I do most of my writing/thinking on Windows machines. TheBrain is another candidate, I'll give it a try after I finish my current book project.

Paul Korm wrote:

Here's a "thinking with Curio" map I used to make myself step back and
sort out my work planning processes.

http://d.pr/i/2MZKPm

Aargh. This graphic finally tipped me over the edge and I just upgraded from Curio version 10 to 11.4. Of course, I also have Scapple, Tinderbox, Devonthink, Evernote, iThoughts, Day One, OmniOutliner, Aeon Timeline,and on and on... :-)

I'm a long time lurker, finally registered as a user here.

Robert

This kind of process involves a lot of words (written, deleted, moved…). That’s nothing I’d do in Scapple (or a mind mapping tool).

Of course, you can write extended text on one of the single bubbles in Scapple.
I revised one dissertation on one panel of Scapple where I wrote extended texts on one entry at times.
You don't see why you cannot write long text on any of the bubbles.

Dellu wrote:

Of course, you can write extended text on one of the single bubbles in
Scapple.
I revised one dissertation on one panel of Scapple where I wrote
extended texts on one entry at times.
You don't see why you cannot write long text on any of the bubbles.

I didn't say I COULDN'T. I find writing in Scapple unwieldy, And having - let's say - 3 notes, each with 30 or more words, on screen defeats the advantage I see in Scapple, Cmap etc: Having a number of "notes" on screen that I can move around, group, link...
I find something like the map view in Tinderbox more handy: several notes, each with a short note title and room for as much text as needed.

Any figure on a Curio map (they're called "idea spaces") can have text associated with it, which is added / edited in a "figure notes" panel. The figure notes panel is an always-on-top window so you can give another app the focus and copy text or take notes from a PDF or a web page, etc. When the pointer hovers over a figure with notes, the notes are shown in a tool tip. One or more figures can be selected and then exported, with notes, using macOS Share Extensions to another application.

This image shows the Figure Notes panel for a selected figure, and the text in another figure displayed while hovering the pointer over it.

https://d.pr/i/NTD2SY

Paul,
that's what I am looking for in a Windows app. I have both licenses for Tinderbox and Curio but the main part of my work takes place on Windows machines.

Some possibilities for Windows are (in my order of preference):

Southbeach Modeller (Windows-only)
Insight Maker (web based)
ThinkComposer (Windows-only)

Franz Grieser wrote:

Paul,
that's what I am looking for in a Windows app. I have both licenses for
Tinderbox and Curio but the main part of my work takes place on Windows
machines.

Thanks, Paul. I'll take a look.

It's not a popular option but I've always preferred the now abandonware Compendium due to it's shortcut keys that make composing quick and easy comparison maps.

Another windows software I use that isn't popular is Treesheets. I can basically add my rhyme and reasoning underneath each entry and even zoom in using (if I remember correctly) the ctrl + up and down buttons.

For web apps, you can use the If Formula capacity of Airtable, the multiple highlights, hoisting and tagging of the paid version of Dynalist or you can use Arguman for analysis and GingkoApp for collecting data.

None of these could replace paper space though but combined, each can replicate a comparison chart.

Forgot to add: Sometimes the simplest way isn't to compare two or more things but to create questions for them.

If you have an Android tablet or phone, you can refer to this app for an example:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.juliushuijnk.tools.ideagrowr&hl=en

If not, you just have to collect your questions and find a "fill in the box" software. Personally I use the donationware program The Form Letter Machine for this but it has a wonky saving feature.

There is a halfway house between paper and digital.

I use A4 or A3, depending on the size of the challenge (and sometimes a scroll of wrapping paper for really intractable problems), and colour pens.

Then, if it's worth preserving, I either scan it or take a photo of it with my iPod Touch, and drop it into ConnectedText.

These days I only bother with creating an actual digital concept map (usually in VUE), if I have to use it to communicate with others, i.e. for presentation purposes.

What I'm saying is that I haven't found a digital tool that can replicate the speed, convenience, and utility of paper and colour pens when it comes to "thinking on paper," usually to develop some kind of a process flow to solve a problem.

The next best thing is Boogie Board Sync, but there is no choice of colours, and the screen size is limiting the idea development, although it's easier to get it into CT thanks to the Bluetooth sync. So I only tend to use it to work out smaller detail, usually some minor point within an outline.

Yes, it is hard to beat pen on paper or post-it notes for quickly getting down ideas. But:
-Its not easy to change/update
-It doesn't scale very well to large problems
-It isn't a good for long term storage (bits of paper get lost easily)

--
Andy Brice
http://www.hyperplan.com

The problem with a single large piece of paper is that it pressures you towards some degree of early formalization. If you have a broad outline in mind of the information you're trying to structure, then it might be perfect. But if you don't, or are unsure, or are getting fed research or client information incrementally, then I find I need to go back to index cards if I'm working with paper. Eventually you reach a point where you can consolidate the info on those index cards into some kind of diagram.

I also find paper tends to pressure towards a single overview representation, rather than parallel representations (e.g., concepts + timeline) of the same information.

Andy Brice wrote:

Yes, it is hard to beat pen on paper or post-it notes for quickly getting down ideas. But:
-Its not easy to change/update
-It doesn't scale very well to large problems
-It isn't a good for long term storage (bits of paper get lost easily)

Agreed 100%, that's why I use more and more handwriting Ink documents.
- I can write stuff on my tablet, in the bus, continue working on it at home / office with my tablet PC with pen and it never gets lost.
- Content can be easily be moved and inserted (with Ink wordwrap) and images pasted.
- You never run out of "paper" space.
- I can combine it with regular text information and send the whole thing to co-workers.
- There is even a live whiteboard mode where 2 or more users hand-write on the same document, live. Great for off-site group brainstorming / meeting.

Pierre Paul Landry
InfoQube Designer

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

Agreed 100%, that's why I use more and more handwriting Ink documents.
- I can write stuff on my tablet, in the bus, continue working on it at
home / office with my tablet PC with pen and it never gets lost.
- Content can be easily be moved and inserted (with Ink wordwrap) and
images pasted.
- You never run out of "paper" space.
- I can combine it with regular text information and send the whole
thing to co-workers.
- There is even a live whiteboard mode where 2 or more users hand-write
on the same document, live. Great for off-site group brainstorming /
meeting.

Pierre: Are you talking about InfoQube with the Ink Editor?

Franz Grieser wrote:

Pierre: Are you talking about InfoQube with the Ink Editor?

Yes and no. Yes, in that the handwriting app is well integrated with IQ, but I'm not the genius behind that app. StylusLabs is !

Pierre
p.s. Integration will soon be further enhanced... you'll be able to start a sound recorder (during a meeting or in a classroom) as you enter Ink on the sheet.
Later on, you'll be able to hear what was said and sync the recording with each stroke.
If something important was said, but you didn't get to write much about it at the time, just jog down a star or a big red arrow and later on, complete it by listening to it again !

Pierre: I see. Thanks.
Two more apps to try when I finished my book :-)

Most software PR online is actually ubiquitous spam one sees mentioned everywhere: BUT WAIT there is more..., sure sure. Most people in actuality quietly still use pen and paper alongside various software. Which is great for scratching around and working out ideas, but only in 2D. Staring at a blank sheet is no good, which is why I make a few marks or doodles to get started. But then for final digi storage and pulling into other software there are a few favorites now in their later versions, that I use. Scapple is not spam either, minimal and unique yet very usable and if the new updates will be noteworthy I will start using it again. Hyper Plan is good too. On the phone, some Android apps are good.