MindMapSwitch

When it comes to the aggregating hyperlinks from the web, there is no better document to store them in than a mind map. On my mind map dashboard, I have a number of different links to other resources mind maps. These are mind maps that I use to simply store interesting links from the Internet that I might want to refer back to later.

All the popular mind mapping software packages allow you to store hyperlinks in your mind maps, but what tips can you use to make your resource mind maps better?

Flag your hyperlinks with icons

I don't like to hold onto information for too long. I usually remove hyperlinks from my mind maps if I haven't clicked on the link in a month or two If I have a hyperlink in one of my resources mind maps, then I want to know when I last clicked on it.

To get round this, I use an icon on the branch to indicate that I have clicked on the hyperlink. This helps me quickly identify hyperlinks that I've read and found useful. After a month or two anything that isn't flagged is discarded.

Group your hyperlinks together

What mind mapping has over many formats is the ability to store a greater range of information in a smaller space. To really benefit from this advantage you need to group your hyperlinks.

Don't stop at one level of groups though, groups your hyperlinks by 2 or even 3 levels of branches. When you group your hyperlinks on such a scale, it can then be easier for your to filter your branches using the filter or search facility within your mind mapping software.

Do you use hyperlinks in your resource mind maps? What tips do you have when using hyperlinks in your mind maps?

A few months ago I started posting some mind mapping tips on Twitter with the #mindmaptips hash tag. Now 6 months on, I wanted to review this form of sharing tips and get some feedback on it.

Tips themselves are generally small pieces of advice and I thought that Twitter would be a great medium for others to pick up these mind mapping tips and share on with others.

At first I started off with a couple of tips a week, but then I reduced it down to one. It was better for people to lookout for a weekly tip on Twitter rather than two. Here's some of the tips I've posted on Twitter along with links to their original tweets:

• Number the pages in your mind map atlas allows you to create links in between your mind maps. Sort of like a paper hyperlink! link
• Let mind mapping software, boost your next actions mind map. Add hyperlinks or attachments to those actions that require them. link
• Use multiple mind maps for larger writing projects such as books. link
• Want to clear your head at the end of the day? Do a mind map to assess your day and clear you head of any thoughts. link
• Mind maps always have room for improvements, so why not look out some of your early mind maps and see if they can be improved! link

Tips are great when they're aggregated in a post under a common title, but I wanted to post these tips to Twitter as a weekly thing that people could look out for.

As a medium for posting tips, Twitter is ideal because of it's limitation in how much you can post. It's also easier for people following these tips to retweet them in anyway that they like. I would love to get some feedback from the MindMapSwitch readers and followers on Twitter.

Would you like to see these tips published continually on Twitter, or would you like to see them in an aggregated post on the blog? Maybe you would like to see both!

Leave your comments below and let me know if these tips have helped you with your mind mapping!

When you're writing an article, an essay or even taking on the task of writing a book, there are times when you just don't know where to start.  From generating ideas to research and then the final draft, there's always space in your writing process where mind mapping can help.

Generating Ideas

Searching for an idea doesn't need to be a time consuming task that you spend hours upon. By using mind mapping as a brainstorming tool, we can quickly create ideas and associate and group them together to form the basis of our writing.

1. Before you start writing, create a quick mind map to generate some ideas. If you know the subject of your topic, then use a keyword or image that describes it as your central topic.
2. If you need to generate ideas for a book, then use branches such as characters, locations, themes and plots. These are common starting places for books and can help you develop your ideas further.

Research

Your writing might require some form of research, whether it's other books, magazines, or research done on the Internet. I tend to find that a software mind map works well for a research mind map.  How you want to arrange your research is down to yourself, but here we want to make the mind map work for us so that we have all the research we need in one place and it's also easy to find.

1. Add hyperlinks of important research to branches so that you refer back to it in the future.
2. Research material for your writing might involve lines of text or quotes that you prefer to store in your mind map. Most software mind mapping products allow you to store text like this as notes against a branch.

Structure

When it comes to the actual stage of writing, you don't want to just jump in there and start. You need to structure your writing so that it makes sense to the reader. 

1. If you have a preferred formula or layout for writing such as AIDA, then use these sections as first level branches in a mind map to allow you structure your writing.
2. The drag and drop feature on software mind maps is a great way to organize your writing before it goes out.

Have you got some tips on using mind mapping as a writing aid? If you have drop them in the comments below. It's always good to hear how others are using mind mapping.

If you have been following MindMapSwitch on Twitter then you'll know that every week we publish a couple of tips on getting the most out of mind mapping. MindManager trainer and consultant, Andrew Wilcox has also recently highlighted his last round up of MindManager tips on Twitter on his blog.

It's not enough though.  As a community of mind mappers we can do more!

What I would like to see is people adding their own mind mapping tips to Twitter so that everyone can benefit from them. So, if you want to add your own favourite mind mapping tips to Twitter then why not post them on Twitter and add the #mindmaptips hashtag to anywhere in your tweet.  This will make all the mind mapping tweets on Twitter easier to find for others.

You can see a full list of the current mind map tips on Twitter here.