The Joys of Mind Mapping

I can't deny it any longer - I love mind maps! I'm a very visual person with constant ideas floating around in my head and the best way for me to actually get those ideas down on paper is to utilise the mind map concept.

Not only does a mind map create structure out of choas, it assists with creative and innovative thinking as you can easily go down a certain path taking it in all sorts of directions without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Not only can it be used for your own thinking - it is a really good tool for visualising concepts with your customers, be them internal or external to your organisation.

The idea of the mind map has been around for a long time and 'back in the day' I would happily create them using large sheets of paper and various different coloured pens (and I still occasionaly do) but these days I tend to create digital mind maps using software applications.

My current 'go to' application is SimpleMinds (www.simpleapps.eu/simplemind).

I use it on Mac and ipad, however it is also available on Windows and Android. It is the simplest application to use and has a very nice user inteface.

As with most software applications, you can get a free version and a paid version that has slightly more features.

If you are a visual person like me, it's definitely worth downloading the free version and giving it a try.

It will definitely help with getting the creative juices flowing!