I don’t use mind mapping software often because I nearly always have a notebook and pen with me and prefer to take notes that way. I also ‘think in lists’ rather than visually so mind mapping isn’t a natural structure for me to use. I have sat next to people at conferences who have mind mapped a presentation instead of taking linear notes like me and it is fascinating to watch.
However, recently I’ve been looking into it more. I have less time available (doesn’t everyone?) and it is more convenient to take notes directly into a software tool so I don’t have to retype them when I get back to the office or out of the meeting. And running workshops really does need some kind of mind mapping tool when you are trying to generate ideas from the people in the room. So I’ve been considering why I would use the modern type of mind mapping product and come up with these 5 reasons.
It saves time
Many mind mapping tools like iMindQ integrate fully with MS Office so there is no need to retype anything, which you would have to do if you were creating your mind maps on paper. Flip charts have their benefits, but if you can project your screen on to a wall then you can type directly into your software and build the mind map that way. It’s actually easier to change than pen on a flip chart as well – less messy!
It can create your WBS
I bet you didn’t think about using your mind mapping software to create your Work Breakdown Structure? I hadn’t considered this until recently, but you can use the same techniques to build a great WBS. You can add task information, resources and dependencies to the topics on the map as well.
It’s visual
Lists and Gantt charts can be very useful but many stakeholders and project team members (and perhaps even yourself) prefer to think in a visual way. A mind map is a very visual tool and it makes it easy to display information in a way that works for certain stakeholders. You can also fit a mind map more easily into a presentation than a list or chart.
Personally, I don’t mind lists but I work with people who use a lot of colours when they prepare documents and find Gantt charts almost impossible to read, so it is a good idea to have an alternative way of presenting your project tasks and plan (even if you use a Gantt chart yourself to manage the detail of your project).
It keeps everything centralised
Mind mapping tools that are stored online make it easy to refer to the information wherever you are. Many software products today give you access via a mobile app or through a browser, so you can get to your project data whenever you need to. This is handy if you are traveling and need to add in some more information or check what’s on the WBS. It’s a lot easier to do this via an app or web interface than to try to unfold a massive piece of flip chart paper and of course it’s easier to carry around!
Your team can always access the most up-to-date version as well, so that can save time and space in your email inbox.
It’s easy to search
I didn’t expect to be able to search a mind map, which is why I wouldn’t have used them for large WBS’s or brainstorming sessions until recently. But if you choose software with the addition of a search feature you will be able to quickly get to the right area of the chart without having to spend ages pouring over the topics and trying to remember where you added the details about that particular task.
You can also integrate a web search with your mind map so if you are using references from the web such as the home page of your project management software or an intranet site, you can add web bookmarks on to the mind map. This makes it easy to find web resources again as well.