mind mapping for efficient pm
DESCRIPTION
it is a Mind Mapping for Efficient P Management.TRANSCRIPT
Introduction
• Goal
– Introduce Mind Mapping techniques and tools to
improve PM Efficiency
• Your speaker is…
– IT Project/Program Management Practioner
– Mind Mapping Enthusiast
– Frequent contributor to Gantthead.com on the practical application of PM theory in the “real world”
– Adjunct professor at Lawrence Technological University in MI
The Problem
• Project managers continually juggle project management efficiency with project administration
• We know meeting minutes are a good thing
– Do we ALWAYS fill them out and distribute?
– Does anyone REALLY like administrative documentation?
– At your next team meeting, see who jumps at the opportunity to take meeting minutes
The Problem• Highly administrative
– Transcribe notes into a meeting minutes template
– Missing comments and poor interpretation
– PM wastes time with low level administrative tasks
• Low participant engagement
– Conversations have tangents
– Difficult to refocus the team on topic
There has to be a better way!
A Solution
• Mind Maps are a graphical network diagram with nodes, branches, colors and icons to help convey an
idea
• Simple picture view of an idea
• We hear words and translate them into picture in our
mind
• We draw pictures to convey ideas in simpler terms
Benefits
• Efficient and Effective– Facilitate the meeting and capture notes LIVE!– Supports non-linear discussions– Just need a laptop, projector or a WebEx– One PDF away from distribution
• Better Communication– People translate words into pictures– Easier to understand then sifting through paragraphs of text
• Better Engagement– Participants are intrigued by the visual technique– Comment on the notes as they are being typed– Less Blackberry Email Checking and Laptop Surfing
Mind Map Your Meeting Minutes
• The Agenda IS the Mind Map
• Facilitate the meeting AND capture notes as the meeting progresses
• Action Items
– Demonstrate assigning tasks and resources
• Distribute as a PDF or Export to MS-Word
Mind Map Project Scope
• Scope definition is often the result of brainstorming sessions
• Use a Mind Map to capture project scope, deliverables and requirements
• Scope definition is non-linear
– Mind maps easily support switching from topic to
topic
• Define initial tasks and resources
Export into MS-Project
One Click
Mind Map Project Status
One
Click
Mind Map Risk
Mind Map Your Next Interview
• There are plenty of applications to your career and development…not just PM execution
• For every job interview, I’ve created a simple mind
map with an elevator speech and scenarios
• 10 minutes before the interview I pull out the mind
map and review
• Interviewing can be nerve wracking
• Why not have a little help?
High Tech Option
• Mind Jet Mind Manager
• http://www.mindjet.com
• Fantastic set of features including
– Excellent usability
– Two-Way integration with MS-Office including MS-Project!
– Native Task Management built into Mind Maps
– Free Templates
Free Tech Option
• FreeMind – Free Mind Mapping Software
• http://freemind.sourceforge.net
• Open Source Software
• Basic mind mapping functionality
• Export to PDF, JPEG, and Open Office formats
Low Tech
• Good old Pen and Paper
• Use 3 colored pens
– Black = Facts
– Blue = Questions
– Red = Issues and Action Items
• Yes…you’ll have to scan the notes and email them
PM Articles on Mind Mapping
• A Better Project Map
– http://www.projectsatwork.com/content/articles/229167.cfm
• Mind Map Your Meetings
– http://www.projectsatwork.com/content/articles/235696.cfm
• Mind Mapping Risk
– http://www.projectsatwork.com/content/articles/232016.cfm
• Mind Map Your Job Interview
– http://www.projectsatwork.com/content/articles/235822.cfm
Books and Blogs
• Books by Tony Buzan
– How to Mind Map
– Mind Maps at Work: How to Be the Best at Your Job and Still Have Time to Play
– How to Mind Map: Make the Most of Your Mind and Learn to Create, Organize and Plan
• Blog
– http://mindmapping.typepad.com/
For more information
• Download the mind map for this presentation and other mind map templates at:
http://www.tacticalprojectmanagement.com
• Questions about Mind Mapping and PM?
I’m always looking for more success stories implementing PM with mind mapping!
Questions