Biggerplate Interviews Mind Mapping Software Expert Chuck Frey

We recently had the chance to put a few questions to mind mapping software expert and Biggerplate Partner Chuck Frey of the hugely popular Mind Mapping Software Blog. Here's what Chuck had to say about mind mapping, Biggerplate, and the future...

Q) In 5 words, tell us what you do…

A) I blog about visual mapping

Q) When and how did you first become involved in the world of mind mapping?

A) I've always been very interested in creativity and innovation, so I launched InnovationTools.com in 2002 as the very first portal website focused on creativity and innovation.

As mind mapping software started to grow in popularity, I started to write reviews of the major programs and posted them to InnovationTools.com, as part of my covering of creativity tools. As I looked at what was going on in the blogosphere at that time, I noticed that there were many blogs that talked about mind mapping software from time to time, but there wasn't a single one dedicated to this genre of software. So I decided to break that topic off into its own blog. That was about 5 years ago. That turned out to be a wise decision, because as you know, the world of mind mapping software has grown tremendously. The software has certainly evolved far beyond anything I could have expected.

View the Mind Mapping Software Blog

Q) What is the main focus of your work today?

A) Today, my work is focused on writing one to two blog posts per week for the blog. Plus I produce one special report per week for my Mind Mapping Insider members. These reports are aimed at those people who are keenly interested in becoming better thinkers, planners and visual mappers. This is specialized information that is not available anywhere else, and includes tutorials and analyses, designed to teach people not only how to create great mind maps, but to look at their own work critically and improve their maps. My goal is to help people create mind maps that are easy for others to understand, and which have the persuasive power that the map author intended.

I continue to do product reviews and write about significant news in the world of mind mapping software. I'm also increasingly talking about topics that are part of the larger space surrounding mind mapping, including principles, and resources related to visual thinking, business diagramming, infographics, sketch noting and other visually-oriented techniques for representing ideas and information.

Q) What is it that excites you about the mind mapping arena?

A) I have a very strong sense that mind mapping software is the right tool for the today's business environment. I've been saying for several years now that mind mapping software is "the savvy executive's secret weapon." By that I mean that it provides such a big increase in productivity and work efficiency - somewhere around 20% - that it can literally revolutionize the way you work. It helps you to reach clarity and make business decisions faster. And it’s a huge factor in managing information overload, a problem everyone faces today.

No other type of software enables you to gather, organize, distill and communicate ideas and information with as much flexibility as mind mapping software does. It is fast becoming an essential business tool. That’s an exciting set of stories to tell in my blog. There's also a lot of innovation going on in this space, which is exciting to me.

I view it as my mission to educate my readers about the best mind mapping tools and strategies for utilizing them to get work done. Part of this involves evangelizing mind mapping software to the larger business world, helping people who aren't using it today to understand what they're missing.

In addition, I survey my readers at least once a year to learn how they utilize mind mapping software in their work, and the benefits it provides to them. The results are usually very interesting and generate deep insights for me. Most importantly, the results of these surveys help me to stay very focused on the needs of my readers!

Finally, I really enjoy asking questions of my readers. Persuading them to share their perspectives has turned out to be very valuable to me and to other readers of the blog. There are some incredibly smart people out there. I don’t want the blog to be a monologue – I view it as more of a community, with many voices. I see similar benefits when I interview people for my Insider program. Inevitably, they shed light on some aspect of visual thinking that's new to me, which is always fascinating.

Q) How can you help Biggerplate members to do more with mapping?

A) Lots of the content of my blog is focused on tips and techniques for helping business people to accomplish specific tasks with their mind mapping software. Just because you have a canvas and brushes doesn't make you a Picasso. In other words, just having the tool doesn't give you the insights to use it to create something marvellous. That's why I publish so many tips and techniques for creating different types of business mind maps - because you need to step up your game to leverage extraordinary results with these powerful visual thinking tools.

Biggerplate members can learn a lot from reading the tutorials and tips I publish on my blog, and by becoming a member of my Mind Mapping Insider group - where they can get access to more advanced tutorials, templates, resources and insights.

Q) In your opinion, what are the merits of a site and community like Biggerplate?

A) One of the things that my readers always tell me they're looking for when I survey them is examples of excellent mind maps. A community like Biggerplate.com provides a huge variety of mind maps, which you can use as inspiration to help you create your own maps. It helps new users and people thinking about investing in mind mapping software to understand what’s possible with it. And it gives new users a sense of what others are doing with it. That’s a very valuable service.

Another big plus is that you can download and use the maps on Biggerplate.com. All of us are time-challenged today. Why create a mind map from scratch when you can download one to use as a starting point or a template for what you need to get done? That's very valuable!

I also love the fact that Biggerplate.com has expanded so much in the last year. A year ago, you only featured MindManager mind maps. Since then, you've added MindGenius, iMindMap and XMind maps, and I'm sure you plan to expand that further in the future, to include other file formats. The site is also very well organized and easy to use. That easily makes Biggerplate.com the best mind map gallery on the web, in my opinion.

I give you a lot of credit for not just building this site and then forgetting about it and letting the community take its own course. If that was the case, Biggerplate.com would be just like any other mind map community. But it's not. It’s better. You have a compelling vision for what it can become, and how it can serve the needs of mind mappers. That means the site is going to continue to get better and better, and extend its leadership in this arena. It has become an outstanding resource for visual thinkers.

Thanks for putting so much passion and effort into it! Mind mappers around the world thank you!

Q) Anything new and exciting coming up in your world?

A) My big push lately has been to grow content for my Mind Mapping Insider membership group. It provides people who are serious about visual mapping with exclusive content: Tutorials, tips and techniques, templates, interviews and other resources that you cannot find anywhere else. I publish one report a week. That keeps it manageable for me, and helps to ensure that my members don’t feel they’re trying to drink from a firehose! The program has been operational for about a year and half, so there’s already a substantial collection of resources there, with more added each week. There’s no obligation: If you join and then decide it’s not for you, you can cancel at any time. My gut feeling is that you’ll stay, however, because I’ve invested a lot of time and energy into creating the best possible collection of resources.

I also have another project in the wings that I hope to get started on soon: A video-based e-course that will teach non-users of mind mapping software how to get started with it. This is part of my larger mission that I told you about, to grow the use of mind mapping software in business.

Why is this important? Because there’s a great divide in business today. For the people who are utilizing my mapping software, it has become an essential productivity and organizational tool. They literally can’t live without it. I know this to be true, because I've asked questions in my surveys to find out just how important this software is to them.

The other half of the business world contains people who are linear thinkers. They tend to view mind mapping as frivolous and not worthy of their attention. They need to better understand what the benefits of it are. Some of them may be interested in trying it out, but don’t believe they can spare the time to become proficient with it. They’re afraid they’ll end up down the rabbit hole, having invested a lot of time with very little to show for it.

I want to provide them with an easy "on ramp" to help them get started with mind mapping software.  I've come up with a simple approach that can help them with that "on-boarding" process, to make it fairly painless to get up to speed with visual thinking. I’ve got much of the content outlined – in a mind map, of course – and now I just need to get busy producing it.

In closing, thanks for the opportunity to be a Biggerplate.com partner, and thanks for all of your efforts to promote this genre of productivity software!

Mind Map Groups - New on Biggerplate!

What a busy 2012 we are having! 


We're excited to launch the new Groups feature on Biggerplate that enables you to gather together maps related to particular areas of interest!


This is just the Beta version of Groups, but this is a great foundation upon which to build some amazing new features that are going to enable Biggerplate users to come together to share their experiences, learning, and mind maps around subjects that interest them.


Here are a few of the groups that have been created so far:


Software Groups:
Official MindManager User Group>
Official iMindMap User Group>
Official XMind Group>
Official MindGenius User Group>


Language Groups:
Mindmaps francophones>
Mapas mentales en español>
Mind Mapping in het Nederlands>
Mind Mapping auf Deutsch>


Interest Groups:
Mind Maps for Writers>
Mind Maps for Creativity>
Business Development mind maps>
Mind Maps for Student Success>
Book Mind Maps>
Mind Mapping for Decision Making>
Twitter Mind Maps>


Once you join a group, you can contribute maps to the Group Pool, or you could create your own group related to a particular subject or area of interest! Take a look now and see what you can find! Groups Home>

PMP Mind Maps - Mapping in Project Management

Today I said something to a friend that made me think momentarily about how important it is to see a tool like mind mapping in action, rather than having it described to you. 
I used a throw-away line that is no doubt often used when describing mind mapping to someone who is perhaps unfamiliar with the concept - "it's used a lot in project management". Since I was talking to a Professional Project Manager, he probably thought I was simply trying to interest him by making my stuff seem relevant to him! The evidence from the Biggerplate library is that this Project Managers love mapping, and this continues to be an area of growth. The Project Management section within the library is in fact the largest! 
To prove myself right, I promised that I would send him a link with some information and examples, and as I put together the email, I figured it might be a good idea to post some good mind map examples from the library that relate to Project Managers for the world to see too!
(I'm then going to send my friend a link to this blog post, so he can see how much effort I've gone through to impress! You'd better be impressed... you know who you are...)


Managing Projects Mind Map

Submitted by (another) good friend in the earliest days of Biggerplate, this map covers a huge range of information related to the PMBOK methodologies, and continues to be one of the most downloaded on the site!
View it Here>





PMBOK Knowledge Areas Mind Map

Lots of people use mind mapping to help them learn the necessary information to pass the PMP exams, and this map is a great example of how someone has broken down the PMBOK knowledge areas into more manageable chunks to help learning!
View it Here>


PRINCE2 Dashboard Mind Map

Creating dashboards is another great use of mind mapping software, and this map is a great example of this, with a particular focus on using the map as a tool for managing a project using the PRINCE2 framework. 
View it Here>



PM Formulas Mind Map

Haven't got a clue about any of the formulas, but this is another great example of how someone is using the mind map structure as a way of organising and displaying key information that they may need to learn, remember, or simply have readily at hand for their everyday work!
View it Here>


There are over 100 Project Management mind maps in this section of the library, so go and take a look for yourself and see what you find! Take me there>
And don't forget, if you've got maps that could be useful to others, upload them to the library!

Mindjet - Participants Needed!

Here's an opportunity for mind mappers in the southern UK to get involved in an exciting piece of research that has been commissioned by Mindjet. Here is an extract from Mindjet explaining the opportunity. If you'd like to get involved, contact Nicola.Frazer-Reid@Mindjet.com


"Following our survey last November on the amount of information we consume and digest in an average working day, Mindjet is going to conduct several in-depth experiments on how we deal with everyday tasks. In conjunction with Mindlab, we will be selecting 12 existing MindManager and Microsoft Office users take part in a lab-based study into how they work in a team and individually on everyday business related tasks. 

The experiments will take place in Brighton, on the 20th and 21st February and will require approximately half a day in total. If you are interested in being part of this exciting experiment into how we work and visualise information and would like to know more please contact me at Nicola.frazer-reid@mindjet.com"

Interview with Chuck Frey

I was recently asked by Biggerplate Partner and mind mapping expert Chuck Frey to answer a few questions about our recently launched training services. Chuck asked a selection of very good question that I have done my best to answer in a vaguely intelligible manner!

Rather than reproduce the content here, I'd prefer to advise you to view the article at the link below, and while your there, have a click around the site. Chuck is one of the most knowledgeable experts in the mapping world, and his site is packed with tips, advice, and reviews you can trust. Take a look at the "Mapping Insider" program if you really want to become a mind mapping superstar!

Here's my interview with Chuck:

http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/biggerplate-com-adds-mind-mapping-training-services/

Partner Spotlight: Olympic Ltd

We recently had the chance to speak with Nigel Goult, who is the CEO of Olympic Ltd, a Biggerplate Partner, and long-standing expert within the field of mind mapping. Nigel has been kind enough to answer some questions for us relating to his business, the world of MindManager add-ins, and his work in bringing small businesses together through communities such as MMDevX.

Q. In short, what does Olympic do?
Develop solutions/add-ins that extend/enhance MindManager.

Q. When and how did you first become involved in the world of mind mapping? 

I was introduced to MindManager when I applied for a position at M-Urge Limited which was at the time the Mindjet Distributor in the UK. That was back in January 2001. While at M-Urge I was fortunate to go through the product launches of MindManager 2002 and MindManager X5. During this time I made some great relationships with Mindjet employees in the UK, Germany and the US and these relationships help me to create Visual Technology Solutions which was a co-owned venture that once again focussed on MindManager. It was while running VTS that I started developing add-ins based on VB .Net and conceived and developed Visual Project Maps which was the first PRINCE2 project management solution to work with MindManager. In 2007 I parted company from VTS due to differences in how the company was being run and revived Olympic Limited, a company I had owned since 1995. Again, with help from my great contacts within Mindjet I was able to make Olympic into one of the most focussed Value Added Resellers and Technology Partners in the UK and the technology side of that relationship continues today. 

Q. What is the main focus of your work today?
Since the release of MindManager 2012 and Mindjet’s subsequent increase in the baseline price of the product we have taken a step back and had to look carefully at our business model. We can no longer rely on product sales as a Value Added Reseller as this change in pricing at one end and the introduction of a Freemium model with Mindjet Connect at the other means that many of the smaller businesses that provided Olympic with opportunities are unable to absorb the impact of these price changes into their organisation and we are therefore now shifting our focus to helping businesses that do invest in MindManager get the maximum value out of what has become the highest priced Mind Mapping software available today.

Q. What is it that excites you about the mind mapping arena?
I think that Mind Mapping is just one of many methods and techniques that are available to business and personal users today and it always has been. It is often mistaken for being a Panacea to all problems which it is not and I hope that Olympic can help people realise that these applications are one of many that can help them run their businesses and personal task management. Because the technique has yet to become mainstream and more widely adopted it means there is a land of opportunity for the right businesses that are correctly positioned IF Mind Mapping does eventually hit the mainstream. We hope that Olympic will be one of those companies.

Q. How can you help Biggerplate members to do more with mapping?
Olympic can help members of Biggerplate understand that there is a great deal of features and functionality already within these products that if tapped correctly can unlock great productivity advantages. Combined with the ability to offer bespoke code to extend MindManager we can open up new areas where these products can become useful within their business.

Q. In your opinion, what are the merits of a site and community like Biggerplate?
Biggerplate has been a long ovedue and greatly welcomed community site for Mind Mappers today. Speaking as a “Partner” of a major vendor, it is sad to say that marketing support and exposure of the extended opportunities for users of these products has in the past been woefully inadequate. Biggerplate has started to fill that chasm of marketing support and Olympic are also trying to help contribute to this with MindMappers Ning and MMDevX. In this day and age it is very important that smaller businesses are supported and actively promoted to maintain their engagement with the vendors market, afterall, some of these vendors would not be where they are today without the previous support of their partners. Biggerplate, Ning, MindMapping Software Blog, MMDevx and others can together help overcome this chasm and hopefully we will all be able to benefit by helping each other as communities and partners should.

Q. Anything new and exciting coming up in your world?
Glad you ask!
We have just released a new version of our flagship solution for MindManager, OPTi-P2. Version 2.0 has been a new code write from the ground up and we have included some very neat features which will allow users to customise their projects a lot more and utilise file formats other than MS Office. We have also released the first localisation of OPTi-P2 which is in German and available now! We also plan Swedish, French, Dutch, Danish and Polish versions over the coming months. 

We are also heavily committed to bringing MMDevX up to the next level as the MindManager Solutions Portal of choice in the absence of any official portal that serves users globally. Part of this new development includes a planned German language site of MMDevX for the German and Austrian market. Thiis is being driven with the help of MindMap IT which is run by Michael Louis, ex-co founder of Mindjet Corporation. Michaels 17 years experience of Mindjet and MindManager will help Olympic reach European partners and customers as we translate our solutions into other languages.
Mind Mappers Ning will also shortly undergo a facelift and will start to make more generic reach over information mapping.

To see more about Olympic's MindManager Solutions, click here>

To view the MMDevX add-in portal, click here>

To visit the mind mappers ning group, click here>