“We’re Mapping, just NOT Mind Mapping”

In the past I have often put off writing this post for one reason or another but recent observations in the mapping world stirred me on this weekend and I decided the time is right, so here goes!

I have been mapping and using mapping software since February 2001. In fact it was not until that year I became aware of mind mapping and at the same time Mindjet’s MindManager software. I also find it interesting that until that time I had never heard of or seen any mind maps or at least diagrams that were labelled as such. To the best of my recollection, (not great these days), I had not been introduced to them in my later educational years during the late 70’s and early 80’s, the decades when Tony Buzan was shouting their benefits from the rooftops.

Over the last 15 years I have worked with a multitude of individuals, small businesses and large corporate organizations providing Mindjet MindManager licensing, training individuals and teams to get the most from the application as well as developing and supplying add-ins and solutions. All of these activities are focused on getting MindManager users to do more with the software. One thing which often occurs when introducing teams/groups to MindManager is a resistance and reluctance to take the software seriously by some individuals. This generally manifests itself once the term mind map is mentioned. For some strange reason it seems to invoke a bizarre range of reactions. I have witnessed fear, confusion, anger and laughter to name a few, none of which did anything to help the business or organization encourage users to embrace the software and increase adoption of a tool that many of us know can have a tremendous impact and deliver big benefits to the way a business and its employees work.

What I found quite intriguing about this was that when most people use this type of software in business they generally are not creating mind maps or even mapping their mind. They are creating what I like to call business maps and they are mapping their business. Why then do we continue to call the output that MindManager produces, more often than not, a mind map? It is simply wrong as the documents mostly do not resemble a mind map at all. They represent something far more powerful. Even when business users reach for MindManager to do the most widely practiced solo/group activity with these software tools, Brainstorming, the output is not a true mind map.

Business Mapping is a different beast altogether. A business map will contain hyperlinked information, task attributes such as start dates and end dates, priorities and resources, calculations, charts or graphs. It will probably not take a radial form but more likely a single handed tree view or an organization chart, it may be connected to a data source such as SharePoint or an Excel spreadsheet. Its content and style generally make it a living document, something that changes frequently. It is also designed to transfer knowledge or communicate information to one or more individuals. So with all this in mind (forgive the pun) are we really creating Mind Maps?

Changing the terms we use to describe the output that MindManager produces to something users will adopt more quickly and feel more comfortable using, plays a big first step in the successful roll out of MindManager within a business/organization. The capability that MindManager offers as a business mapping, productivity and planning software places it far, far away from a simple mind mapping application. It really is an application for mapping your business, its processes, people and resources and MindManager is by far the most capable for the business environment.

So as per the post title, we’re still mapping, just not mind mapping and if you want to map your mind then there are plenty of software tools to choose from that will help you do that. However, if you want to map your business then reach for Mindjet MindManager, every time!