Welcome to the Iamdata Solutions Asset Management Newsletter - 9 May 2023
This may be a controversial subject. I know a lot of my creative friends love Post-it notes with a passion. But, as I'm a data geek, I'd like to suggest ditching the Post-it and consider the digital!
Councils engage in a number of mind mapping exercises to help organise ideas and collaborate effectively with each other and in some cases, with people outside the organisation. Some examples of mind mapping exercises may include:
Strategic Planning - to develop a strategic plan that outlines their vision, mission, and goals. They can map out their long-term objectives, the steps needed to achieve them, and the resources required to make them a reality.
Brainstorming - to generate new ideas and solutions to problems. They can map out different options and evaluate their pros and cons, allowing for more informed decision-making.
Stakeholder Mapping - to identify and analyse different stakeholders and their interests. They can map out the relationships between stakeholders, their level of influence, and how to effectively engage with them.
SWOT Analysis - to conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats), the council can map out each of these elements and use them to inform their decision-making and strategic planning.
If you’ve ever taken part in any kind of mind mapping exercise, you know the drill - you sit down with your team, ready to map out your ideas, and everyone reaches for the nearest stack of sticky notes. You start scribbling down your thoughts, slapping them onto the whiteboard, and before you know it, you're knee-deep in a sea of colourful squares.
This is where my mind explodes…. 🤪 💥
As much as I know people love the trusty Post-its, there are some downsides to this method. For one thing, those little coloured squares are notorious for falling off the board and getting lost under the table. This is what invariably happened to all my ‘sticky’ notes. I can only think that the stress of having to go through this sticky note exercise made my hands so sweaty that any sticky residue got washed off the 'sticky' note as soon as I touched it!
- And don't even get me started on the mess they make when you try to move them around.
- And above all else, as a data geek, it pains me to see all that data being collected on a medium that cannot be easily accessed or analysed by any system.
So, what's a creative team to do? Well, there are plenty of digital alternatives that can make your mind-mapping sessions more productive (and less sticky!) Here are a few of my personal favourites:
Miro
This is a collaborative online whiteboard that lets you create digital sticky notes and organise them into categories. Plus, you can invite your team members to join in and contribute in real-time, no matter where they are in the world.
Miro is an online collaborative whiteboard that allows users to create and share digital mind maps, diagrams, flowcharts, wireframes, and other types of visual content. It's a cloud-based platform that allows teams to work together in real-time, no matter where they are in the world. Miro is used by individuals and teams in various industries, including design, software development, marketing, project management, and education.
One of the key features of Miro is its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, which makes it easy for users to create and edit content. Users can add text, shapes, images, icons, sticky notes, and more to their boards. They can also customize the appearance of their content, such as changing the colour, font, size, and alignment.
Miro also offers a range of collaboration tools that make it easy for teams to work together. Users can leave comments, mention other team members, and chat in real-time. They can also invite others to their boards and set permissions for each user. For example, some users may be able to view and comment on the board, while others may be able to edit the content.
Miro also integrates with a range of third-party tools, such as Google Drive, Trello, Slack, and Jira. This allows users to easily import content from these tools and collaborate more efficiently.
In terms of pricing, Miro offers a range of plans, including a free plan for up to three boards and a limited number of users. Paid plans include additional features, such as unlimited boards, more team members, and advanced security features.
MindMeister
MindMeister is an online mind mapping tool that allows users to create and collaborate on digital mind maps in real-time. Mind maps are diagrams that represent ideas and concepts visually, using a central idea as a starting point and branching out into related subtopics.
One of the key features of MindMeister is its intuitive interface, which allows users to create and edit mind maps quickly and easily. Users can add text, images, videos, links, and other multimedia elements to their maps. They can also customize the appearance of their maps, such as changing the background color, font size, and shape of each node.
MindMeister also offers a range of collaboration features that allow users to work together in real-time. Users can share their maps with others and set permissions for each user. They can also leave comments and mention other users, allowing for more efficient communication and feedback.
Another key feature of MindMeister is its integration with other tools, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Evernote. This allows users to easily import content from these tools and integrate their mind maps into their existing workflows.
In terms of pricing, MindMeister offers a range of plans, including a free plan for up to three mind maps and a limited number of collaborators. Paid plans include additional features, such as unlimited maps, more collaborators, and advanced security features.
MindMeister is a powerful and flexible tool for creating and collaborating on digital mind maps. Its intuitive interface, collaboration features, and integration with other tools make it an ideal platform for individuals and teams who need to visualise their ideas and work together remotely.
Trello
While not specifically designed for mind-mapping, Trello is a great project management tool that lets you create boards, lists, and cards to track tasks and ideas. You can add due dates, labels, and comments, and even attach files or link to external resources.
Trello uses a board and card system, which allows users to create boards for different projects or areas of focus, and then create cards for individual tasks or ideas within those boards. Users can move cards between lists, which represent different stages of a project or workflow, such as ‘To Do’, ‘Doing’, and ‘Done’.
One of the key features of Trello is its simplicity and ease of use. Users can create boards and cards with just a few clicks, and customise them with different labels, due dates, attachments, and comments. They can also use power-ups, which are third-party integrations that add additional functionality to Trello, such as time tracking, automation, and analytics.
Trello also offers a range of collaboration features that allow team members to work together more efficiently. Users can assign tasks to other team members, add them as members to a board or card, and comment on individual cards to discuss ideas and provide feedback.
Another key feature of Trello is its mobile app, which allows users to access and update their boards and cards from anywhere. The mobile app offers many of the same features as the web version of Trello, including the ability to create and edit cards, add attachments, and comment on cards.
In terms of pricing, Trello offers a range of plans, including a free plan for individuals and small teams, and paid plans for larger teams and organizations. Paid plans include additional features, such as more power-ups, more automation options, and advanced security features.
Trello is a flexible and intuitive project management tool that's ideal for individuals and teams who need a visual way to organise their tasks and projects. Its simplicity, customisation options, and collaboration features make it a popular choice.
For those of you who love your Post-it notes, I understand I’m inviting some controversy and I’m sorry that I can’t share your enthusiasm for Post-its as a medium for mind mapping exercises. However, I must admit I do use Post-it notes at home regularly….You may not approve, but I think the good old Post-it is perfect to identify the frozen left-overs in the freezer! 😊
Whether you're a die-hard Post-it fan or looking to branch out into the digital world, there are plenty of tools out there to help you map out your ideas and collaborate with your team. And hey, who knows? Maybe one day we'll all look back on our Post-it days with a nostalgic chuckle and a sense of relief that we no longer have to spend an afternoon shuffling Post-its around a board to visually organise information and ideas. In my view, using a medium that can digitally capture the information and helps to clarify thinking, improve memory retention, and stimulate creative thinking - and where the data can be easily analysed is the way to go.
I have worked on many different projects with my Local Government clients, from designing and developing Power BI Reports, to building SQL Server databases for spatial data, to managing and maintaining the GIS and the Asset Management systems. If you'd like to discuss how we might work together, then please email me at ➡️ jill.singleton@iamdata.solutions
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