Mindmapping is popular among practitioners of GTD. I mentioned something about mindmapping a while back on an episode the the GTD Virtual Study group and got an email asking me to go into some more detail about why and how I use two of the more popular mindmapping software tools, MindManager (MM) and Personal Brain (PB).
The first thing I noticed about the two programs is how differently the maps are organized. MM uses what I think of as a more traditionally laid out map, the sort I’d draw with a fishbone branching style off of a central node. PB, on the other hand, makes use of animation and motion to give you a map that has a more path-following feel to it. I downloaded trials of both programs and, at the outset, liked MM better than PB. MM seemed more intuitive and gave me a greater sense of what was on the map than PB did. After getting to know both programs, however, I ended up with both. That’s because the two complement each other in ways I didn’t anticipate.
For me, MindManager is like getting up on a high mountain to observe my world's landscape. I can see everything, all at once and get an appreciation for everything that's on the map. When I feel overwhelmed or overloaded, I want MM’s viewpoint. I want to see it all, get a feel for the whole enchilada. For example, as I was on my way home from my recent sixteen day trip, I created a map in MM and started a mindsweep, dumping everything that was in my head and on my calendar into a single map. Using floating topics, I threw out thought after thought, with no attention to how one might relate to another. When the pace of new thoughts slowed, I started putting the thoughts onto branches, relating various topics to sub-topics and so-on. By the time I was done, I had a very clear idea of what was coming at me when I got home, how to prepare for my next trip (which was only 3 days away), and how to prepare for re-entry the second time around. That sort of brainstorming is what MM excels at and, as far as I’m concerned, can’t be beat.
Personal Brain, on the other hand, is more like getting down and taking a microscopic level view of one aspect of my life. For example, I have as one of my roles, "GTD maven." Under that, I'm tracking all sorts of things I want to spend more time on. Personal Brain holds that list, along with the URLs and notes I take on websites or blog posts.
I sometimes compare the two programs to forest and trees. MindManager gives me a great view of the forest; Personal Brain lets me study a single tree in great detail.
If you’re thinking about getting into mindmapping for your own productivity practice, I suggest you download a trial of each program. I found Personal Brain’s interface to have a slightly steeper learning curve than MindManager’s. You may want to take advantage of one of their PersonalBrain101 webinars or their excellent blog to begin. For MindManager, be sure to check out Michael Deutch's blog–he's the bomb when it comes to learning about MindManager's features and uses. From there, play with your world in the context of mapping. It may feel a little awkward at first, but before long, you may find some aspect emerging that gives you a greater sense of perspective, revealing something about your world that you didn’t see before. From there, you’ll be off and running.
Connect With Me