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is Scapple the best for "thinking on paper"
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Posted by Foolness
Nov 27, 2017 at 02:16 PM
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.
Posted by Dr Andus
Nov 28, 2017 at 10:11 AM
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.
Posted by Andy Brice
Nov 28, 2017 at 11:06 AM
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
Posted by Chris Thompson
Nov 28, 2017 at 02:03 PM
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.
Posted by Pierre Paul Landry
Nov 28, 2017 at 02:28 PM
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