Mindmapping vs Unemployment

A friend of mine has been fired (following a cost reduction policy in his company), some people also call it in a polite way "the company makes your position redudant" ephemistically.
He is an enthusiastic about mindmapping but he has never got time to learn about.
Last weekedn we were talking about different ways to face the situation and looking for a new job. Talk derives and bonds into mindmapping world.
Mindmapping techniques are an extraordinary way to make your productivity reach further, because by using it you require less time to make more things, otherwise you can make more things with the same time.
Also all we know that the different companies (large multinational and the litlle chinese restaurant) are based on employee´s productivity, so by using it you are on the way to make your job position profitable for the company.
The next thing to do it is the marketing one, to publish it out, so the companies will know.
Even if you are not in that situation and you´re extremely safe in your job, using techniques to reach further in productivity will make you one of these two things: not be an overworked person or be a restructurationproof guy.

Fresh ideas coming from XMind

I have had the opportunity to interview Stephen Zhu from XMind Ltd.
From his answers important questions arise.

A.M.: What are the fresh concepts/ideas/features that XMind brings into the Mindmapping software world?
S.Z.: In fact, XMIND has boruhgt many new ideas. First important is that XMIND is a real cross-platform software, which means you will have the same user experience among Window, Mac and Linux. Second, xmind design the brand-new 'drilldown&drillup', filter, presentation, 2D-chart and so on. In fact, XMIND has considered more to let users feel comfortable.

A.M.: In your opinion, comparing XMind with the different software tools nowadays on the market, which are the strongest features and the weakest ones?
S.Z.: The strongest feature is that XMIND is easy to use. This is also the most important rule for us. Then, our presentation and drilldown has great competitive strength. The weakest point may be the note. XMIND's note is not more powerful than others'.

A.M.: In your opinion, where the MindMapping software tools are evolving to.
S.Z.: Mind Mapping will be one tool for users to plan work, clarify the information. In fact, fishbone chart and 2D-chart are using frequently too.

A.M.: In your personal use, which are the main usages you made with mindmapping software applications?
S.Z.: Clarify our thinking. Then I will use XMIND to analyze the questions.(2D-chart), and do the meet note by using Audio Notes.

A.M.: How do you envision mindmapping software tools can help increasing productivity?
S.Z.: Increasing productivity means that we can use less time to do one thing or more things. XMIND, I can use it to achieve this target. It can let me think one thing more quickly and clearly.

A.M.: Would you mind providing me with some additional information about the company and what made the initiators getting into this mindmapping software world?
S.Z.: XMIND LTD is a company registered at HongKong, which has put all its energy and everything to create the tools to help human increase the productivity. You know, we, human, have the limited time in the world. So we need the tools like this to assist we do more good things for this world.

I do recommend testing it and determine if it fits your expectatives, I do really think so.

Mindmapping as a tool to create social networks maps

Reading Philippe Boukobza´s blog, one can get really interesting applications out there for mindmapping.
Lately he is working about relationships between mindmapping and your digital identity and I think he is doing a very good job there.
The tool is called Visualizar and it is located within Facebook.
Shows visually the relationship among the different contacts I got in Facebook.

IQ Visual Mapping Conference

On October 3rd, 2008 will be held the IQ Visual Mapping Conference in New Jersey (campus of the College of St. Elizabeth, Morristown, NJ ).
This conference will be hosted by Brian S. Friedlander, which, apart from being a friend, is one of most prepared experts in Assistive technologies and specially in Mindmapping techniques.
You can get more detailed information from the conference in his blogblog.
Also Adam Clayman, Stephanie Diamond, Chuck Frey, Arjen Ter Hoeve, Kyle McFarlin and Wallace Tait, which are preeminent visual mappers, will be honourable speakers.
I do recommend attending the conference.
I will do my best getting some conclussions from Brian in order to get you updated.

Recovering concepts watching Mindmaps

Reading a post within Kyle McFarlin blog, I reminded an issue that was basic to me from the first steps.
What are you making maps for?
a) Just for drawing
b) For making something that can be showed to others
c) For getting knowledges that can be work down with both main hemyspheres
In cases a. or b. you can show your ability as an Art creation or your ability to make your knowledge available to others.
In case c. the most importan point, to me, is making brain-friendly designs, specially for your brain, so utilize the format, colors, markers, drawings.. in which you feel really comfortable. Otherwise you can go deeper in the map, but it would turn out extremelly difficult getting back to the whole matter (you were working on) in a few minutes some months later, which is one of my personal goals making mindmapping, the ability to get back and recovering knowledges fastly.

Web-based Mind Mapping Applications Compelling Chart

I have just received a very interesting and comfortable tool to sail through the Mind Mapping software tools waters, without losing perspective.
Chuck Frey, who is a relevant "guru" within MindMapping issues, has made an extraordinary work compilling all relevant aspects coming from the different software tools.
Thanks for your contribution, Chuck.
You can get this compilling chart by clickin within Chuck Frey Web page in the following link.