A surprise in Chuck Frey's mapping software survey

Chuck Frey of Innovation Tools has published the results of his mapping software survey, and fascinating reading it is.

There were two things that stood out. First, a sizeable proportion of the respondents reported that they used their mapping software for less than an hour a day. This is significant because it shows that this is the first survey to really reach out beyond the "power users" circle. There has always been doubt that surveys only attract the kind of people who like to do surveys. I think this figure shows that Chuck has gone beyond that into more representative areas.

Second, and something of a surprise to me, was that although the average increase in productivity as a result of using mapping software can be estimated at around 20% from the results, only 1% of users considered that to be a primary benefit of using mapping software. So we acknowledge that it substantially increases our productivity, but we don't regard that as a much of a benefit! But isn't that the core of many marketing strategies in this field? Or marketing strategies in general? Time to stop and think.

Read Chuck's full survey results here.

Comments

[Jeff H]

Nick:

I think folks would utilize mapping software even more if there were additional resources that show and teach them how to use it at a "deeper" level; how to integrate it and use it on a DAILY basis -- not just for the infrequent "barinstorming" sessions (yes, I'm guilty here! :)

Cheers.

Jeff

[Tomi]

I read the survey and I would like to share my opinion why mind-maps are not accepted so intuitively as they are supposed to be accepted.

More often than not we offer mind-maps to other people not by making them create one but rather by asking them to take a look at one.

When we are creating the map - for the purpose of outlining a text, making a plan, brainstorming or whatever, the radial fashion makes the process easy, because it does not restrict the mind to develop only one idea at a time. We can jot down many different ideas and their sub-ideas almost simultaneously. It takes actually no effort to switch from thinking about one of the sub-ideas into thinking about another because we have a look over the whole - we have the whole structure before our eyes and navigation is easy.

Reading, however, is a whole different matter. Reading happens easy when there is clear order, clear sequence. Reading, unlike composing, does not happen in that frantic, chaotic manner of discovery, to which the radial format is applicable.

The solution to this is simple - when presenting your mind map to somebody just change the mapping direction of the central idea from radial to "right", "left" or "down". All advanced mind mapping programs have this function. Also make all branches in one colour. Too many colours distract the reader.