"We have spent a significant amount of time on this subject. We are highly passionate about human-computer interface stuff and this challenge appeared to be right in the middle of it.
Before we started this project, we had a feeling (based on the many years of developing and reviewing mindmaps with learning objectives with people all over the world), that we should look further into how people were actually working with mindmaps. We then observed quite a few users both in terms of their mapping process in general. We also analysed more specifically how the use of a computer facilitated building - and reviewing - the content and semantic structures in the mindmaps. The conclusion was striking: people were more confused - and less efficient - when they were building or trying to review a part of a map that had the topics going from left to right.
We have a hypothesis that the reason is tightly related to the fact that we read from left to right: Topic organized from left to right gives a much faster overview of the semantic structure - probably because you can physically see the topic in less eye spans."
Through my many years using maps to illustrate concepts to business colleagues I thought not so much about how I got there, but rather the end result ... several other points were made that goes to address why this app feels and acts so differently ... are you primarily right or left brained, do you get concepts with color and organic layouts or are you more fo
r presentations that flow more linearly ... I have found that though organic, art filled, maps do convey a message and can be a quick take ... but in a business setting, it can distract from getting the message across ...The shot at the right is a map from the Australian Buzan Center Web Site (Tony Buzan is the acknowledged father of mind mapping ... as you can see this is a wonderful depiction of thoughts and what a mind map should do ... Conceptually vivid this for a whole brained person makes a very visual presentation ...
Now I have taken several of the key branches and transferred to a simple mind map using the new comapping website (took 5 mins max) ... this is the type of layout for presenting concept in a business setting that I use ... there needs to be more emphasis and relations than this, but just the feel is illustrative of the point being made ...
I have linked the Q&A, there are many points that are made in the design of this ... I think the points are a valuable insight into thoughts on thinking ....
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