Sep 13th, 2007
Visual Thinking Skills: Analysis Skills
Many people have a difficult time sitting down at a computer or with a piece of paper and creating a visual representation of ideas that are running around in their minds, or of information that is coming into their sphere of influence. There is very much information on the web right now about how to get started with mind mapping or some other visual mapping technique, but not very much beyond the basics. It is this gap between green-field theory and everyday practice that makes visual thinking impractical for many people. I have been using visual mapping tools and techniques for many years, and thought that I would share some advice about hurdles that I’ve overcome or am struggling to clear.
The two major categories of skills that are useful in developing a set of tools and a visual language to express yourself and your ideas in are analysis and composition. I’ll begin with the analysis skills, because this tends to be the area that people need the most help with.
Some of the major analysis skills I’ll be discussing are:
- Decomposition
- Semantics
- Embedded Action
- Implied Results
- Audience
- Purpose
- References
- Grafting Knowledge Trees
I’m hoping that these will be helpful to many readers, so please stay tuned as I continue composing them.
Wow, Arthur. This is a great idea, it is really hard to find information beyond the basics (which I’m also guilty in my blog :)… ).
I’m really looking forward this series!
awesome, arthur, thanks for your help on the mindjet forum, i look forward to this series…jws