What's this, You can use mind manager as a project management tool
How is this so... I don't see how a mind map would be usful for that especially in comparison to microsoft project
David Allen, I heard you use it as such. Is there anyone that wants to give an example about how it's used as a project management tool, there is no documentation on the web site..
Dwayne
What's this, You can use mind manager as a project management tool
Dwayne you have started a new post but I belive your question came from my post on the following thread http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6713
The link Les provided will give you information as to how I use Mindmanager to brainstorm and then import into Project.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
kewms
It's not either/or, it's using the best tool for the job. I wouldn't try to drive nails with a screwdriver, either.
Katherine
That is what I say in my earlier post, that for GTD type projects I either use a small form which includes the NPM based on Randall Fullhart's or for really simple ones I do NPM in my head. For large work projects as a project manager which go on for months have hundreds of tasks and lots of resources I use MindManager and MS Project.
Pixlz
Sometimes a screwdriver can drive a nail
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dwayneneckles
perhaps I am trying to drive a nail into the ground with a screwdriver, so lets forget about using MS Project with mind manager :D
My .02 cents/ opinion - yes you can use mind maps for Project planning - the Idea Mapping book explains it better than me
From "Idea Mapping" by Jamie Nast
Wiley - Publisher
pg.235
"Project Plan
Try creating a (mind)map to track all key components of a project. This will assist the entire project team by providing a visual reminder of upcoming deadlines, task priorities, problem areas, budget and client information to name just a few possibilities. Mindjet software would be another option for handling large amounts of data, and it can export the map to and from Microsoft Project if applicable.
It is in some of these more complex applications that you begin to experience the tremendous power, clarity, and timesavings you can gain by having a tool to house all the data in one place. Use the map to share the project status with others or during meetings."
And in one of Tony Buzan's recent books on Mind Mapping I recall reading he mentioned that mind maps were used to coordinate the restoration of power to New York City after 9/11.
I can see everyone's point of view on this though, as this is initially counterintuitive but personal experience would determine if you would like it.
I like it because the big picture master plan is all in one location and if mind manager is used it can be supplemented with links etc.
NovaMind - Mac os mind-mapper
To add to this discussion re the following:
"I'm trying to get a workflow going, I just discovered mind manager and though I use KinklessGTD... I like the visual nature mind manager offers.. a second question.. is it possible to run an entire GTD system using mindmanager... on the MAC OS"
Mind-mapping is in my view a wonderful front end to the GTD process. I've being playing with NovaMind [http://www.nova-mind.com/] (Mac OS version (which I'm about to purchase USD 100)) and it provides a lot of options for handling maps. To illustrate it can:
- create a outline (within the program)
- export to:
-- powerpoint
-- keynotes
-- omni outliner
-- etc
If your into hard core project management NovaMind also allows you to send your map to Merlin (a very good Mac Os project management s/w).
As to KinklessGTD, Omni (with the Kinkless developers help) is working on a new program called "focus" that is reported to be a specific GTD program. Release date is TDB ...
So in the meantime look at mind-mapping and give it a try you may be pleasantly surprised! I was (computer based mind-mapping s/w has come a long way).
Take a look at JCV Gantt Pro
Each different project is different in its own way, as Tolstoy might have put it. What some folks refer to as mini-projects may need nothing more than a short list of actions in the notes window of an Outlook task pane. MS Project certainly has its place for large projects where the efforts of multiple teams of people need to be coordinated and where budgets and timelines need to be carefully monitored. But the overhead in time and effort to log in all the data to make it work and in maintaining the system makes it prohibitive for most of the projects that most of us have to contend with most of the time. We're usually better off doing the work than feeding the system.
There's been some very good advice here but from comments by dwayneneckles elsewhere it seems that he deals with some projects that require careful projections and monitoring of the timeline. He may want to take a look at JCV Gantt Pro, an application that can be used standalone but has been designed to work hand-in-hand with MindManager to give MindManager some real project management muscle. It builds Gantt charts from project mindmaps and sometimes this can be a very useful thing to do. It can also monitor resources and costs, but without the complexity and overhead (or power) of MS Project. Another tool in the toolkit which can be quite useful in the appropriate situation.