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Here\u2019s a method I\u2019ve used over and over again to get my projects sorted out\u2014or to restart a project that has stalled out. It uses a rapid form of mind mapping to paint the big picture, find all the moving parts, and to then zero in on what tasks need to be done next. By the way, this process finishes by creating some tasks in your to do list, so the process assumes you\u2019ve got a 1MTD or MYN task list<\/a> already in place.<\/p>\n Mind Mapping is What? Mind mapping is basically outlining in a radial fashion, working from the center outwards, and it\u2019s a great way to brainstorm the overall goals and components of a project. It\u2019s also a good way to uncover missing parts of a project, and identify next steps. You\u2019re going to make a mind map starting at a very high level and working down to the next action task level for the project.<\/p>\n You can do this on a whiteboard, a blank piece of paper (the larger the better), or in mind mapping software like MindManager by Mindjet<\/a>.<\/p>\n General Principles of Rapid Mind Mapping<\/strong><\/p>\n The idea is to work fast and record thoughts quickly, in an unstructured free-form manner. Do not get hung up on getting the hierarchy just right, or including everything at first. When you stall out in one section of the map, draw your focus out and scan over the map as a whole and look for parts of the map that inspire you to generate more ideas, adding them as you go. It\u2019s the ease with which you can zoom in and zoom out quickly in a mind map that tends to generate ideas more fluidly, so do that a lot.<\/p>\n Detailed Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n Save the Map<\/strong><\/p>\n You\u2019ll probably save, update, and continue to use this map for a few days, weeks, or more, and then after that the project will have enough clarity and momentum that you can use more traditional tools (Gantt charts, Excel outlines, or other project plans). But this is a fantastic way to restart and dig out of a confused and neglected project. Every time I use this approach I\u2019m amazed at how powerful it is.<\/p>\n Software<\/strong><\/p>\n By the way, one thing nice about using software for this is it allows you to move things around easily and make room for new topics. And you never run out of room horizontally or vertically as your map grows\u2014important for very big projects. MindManager is what I have used for years, but there are other titles out there.<\/p>\n Good luck!<\/p>\n Michael Linenberger<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jan. 8, 2014 I bet you have a lot of incomplete projects hanging out there that you\u2019ve been trying to work on, when you have time. If so, then you are probably feeling a bit guilty about being behind on … Continue reading
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