I'm looking forward to reading the results of Chuck Frey's survey on the use of mapping software. If you haven't taken part yet, please do - especially if you don't usually participate in these things. There is an ever-present risk that more widely held views never get aired, because it's always the usual suspects who speak up first.
A few of the questions caught my eye in particular; the applications of mapping software, the time spent using it, and the reasons that the use of mapping software might be held back.
Without trying to misinterpret Chuck's design goals, the list of applications for mapping software will reflect more on the job roles and responsibilities of typical users of mapping software, rather than the capabilites of the tool or even its suitability for that purpose. Incurable mappers will use maps for anything they can, even when it's not entirely appropriate. So this question profiles the users rather than the application areas of the software. To normalise this, you would have to establish whether the user (for example) undertook project planning as part of their job, and if they did, whether they used mapping software to support it.
Regarding the question on time spent per day using mapping software, I impolitely wondered what the unwritten second half was. "How many hours a day do you utilize mapping software..." "...instead of working?" or "...instead of acting normally?" or "...instead of using the right tool?" I'm not entirely serious, of course. But although the metrics will be very interesting, I think distinguishing work supported by mapping software from other kinds of work focuses on the tool rather than the outcome. It reinforces the misapprehension that using mapping software is an exclusive activity rather than an inclusive one, and that using mapping software is itself an end, not a means to an end.
The question on barriers holding back the adoption of mapping software will be difficult for users to answer. The people who genuinely know the answers to this will not be taking part. Ideally, users should poll their colleagues and submit those answers instead. It is entirely possible that as a dedicated user of mapping software, you are not truly aware of how others feel about it in your organisation. I note that Chuck's list of proposed objections doesn't explicitly include the #1 barrier that was identified in the MindManager Yahoo! Group survey earllier this year, but I guess he is trying not to lead the witness too much - since they're not exactly independent witnesses to start with.
So do take a moment to support Chuck's initiative yourself, and ensure that my input does not skew his results :-)
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