Mindmapping for language learning

Mindmapping can also be an extraordinary tool to improve a foreign language knowledge. In this particular case, I use it to expand the limits of my german vocabulary.

Gathering information

I have taken advantage of the Easter holidays to gather all the information about the different references I work with.
Here a preliminary mindmap about this particular issue.

Preparing meetings

I am used to prepare my meetings in advance, thinking about what I do want to get from them, my initial positions, limits in negotiations and so far. Thinking these meetings in advance, helps you to make them quicker and straight to the poin, reducing times.
Mindmapping is an extraordinary tool to help you thinking in advance.

Mindmapping in large projects

Currently I am involved in a large-scaled wind farms contest in the north of Spain. As in every one of these contests, there is a lot of money around, so there are too many companies trying to bid, in order to get easy and secured paybacks. In contests like these, you have to keep track of all the movements, connections, possibilities and so on, just as in every complex projec. even if you don´t know it.
Here it is a picture with a simple map gathering some of the consortiums existing in this contest. As you mightprobably imagine I am not in the position to disclosure the whole map with all the information I´ve got, just the initial map could be allowable.
Every branch holding every group can also group up all the information you can collect from them, so you can have the whole contest at a glance, as I have it in the final version.

Mindmapping in lawsuits

Many times we think mindmapping is a engineers or technical people´s issue, but as it is defined it could universally applicable.

In this particular case, I will utilize mindmapping in a situation with my house´s constructor, whom I sue due to some malfunctions in my house. So for extension it could be applicable to some lawyer´s issues.

This map (made using Mindjet Mind Manager 8) compiles all the different failures existing in the house, so once the expert technician assigned by the court come, I will have all the issues to be showed at hand.

A White Paper about Notetaking

When I was working in the previous post, I was required by some friends of mine about getting deeper in notetaking using mindmapping, that was the reason, which took me to prepare this White Paper ("a non-pretentious White Paper") about this particular stuff.

Currently I think it is by far the most common mindmapping application, unless in my particular case. Moreover most part of my professional time I am involved in meetings.

I hope you find this document useful for your personal and professional life!!!
Access to White Paper on Notetaking.

Notetaking

I have come across several mindmaps made during lectures, presentations and so no in the last years.
I always draw mindmaps in every meeting, my most important problem is what to show on the blog that for my company, should not be done (I always work with my mindpping for my coming orders, strategic projects, people management and so on).
Important points in notetaking:
1.- Focus on the key ideas/concepts.
2.- Visualize and draw these key ideas/concepts.
3.- Force relationships among ideas/concepts.
Why mindmapping is important in notetaking?
1.- Focuses you in the key concepts.
2.- Makes it easier to work around key concepts.
3.- Allows you to maintain deeper in your mind these concepts, so you can retake later on. The more sense you work with in mindmapping, the easier you will assimilate concepts in your brain (images friendly brain) and the longer these ideas will be with you.
What should I improve in this kind of mindmaps?
1.- Move to the colorful version!! Very difficult when you are in a meeting with other people.
2.- Draw it!!. Whenever you have an idea, a concept...draw with you think, what your perceive.
3.- Draw the more relationships you can. Force your brain to make relationships among concepts.
My excuses (all mindmaps are written down in Spanish -my mother language-) but I think it is important in this blog to show how real mindmapping is working on.