Photo by rbieber
Experimenting with MindJet MindManager, an application used to create mind maps. Tom the Architect has talked to me about mind maps a bajillon times, but I have been reluctant to start using them because the only "free" program was a Java app. The folks at MindJet shot me a complimentary copy of their software and I’ve started using it. Sat in a meeting yesterday and walked away with more content than I’ve ever walked away with note-wise. Excellent software.
This is something I used just to play with the software. These are things I like about the Mac, as a new user.
I’m really liking the complimentary copy of MindJet MindManager I received the other day from the folks at MindJet. I have been intrigued by mindmapping since first reading about it in a book and later watching Tom the Architect produce them as a form of meeting notes (using FreeMind). Lately, I’ve been watching Cote produce a slew of them. Playing around with the software, it makes note taking so much easier.
I just might buy a copy at some point to show my appreciation for the productivity gains I believe I will receive just from having this software installed on my machine.
As I use it more in “real life” I plan to write more about it. Mind mapping definitely puts you in a different state of mind in a meeting. I’m one of those people that has a hard time taking notes because I wind up editing sentences while people are talking rather than getting the data down. This process removes me from that mindset all together. I can see all sorts of uses for this to increase my productivity.
Bieber Labs 
In the work setting, how are people taking to getting them instead of notes. Meaning: are they good enough after a meeting to send out to people with minimal editing?
In all the tech meetings I used to have, no one would do that classic (but useful) thing of sending out the notes after a meeting. It seems like mindmaps make that effort a lot less difficult.
We’ll find out. I sent them out as meeting notes yesterday to the person running the meeting, telling him that he could distribute them if he wanted (I was the only one that took notes). I haven’t seen them come across the ether yet.
It like to conver to outline format in work scenarios where people might not be comfortable with a map. I prefer the map myself but some people don’t. Or it may be that they don’t want notes taken.