XMind

Brainstorming and Mindmapping!

Today, we’re glad to share a special GTD template created by Mr. Adnan Adam Onart, working at Boston University.

The template is composed with 6 sheets which are linked with each other. Mr. Adnan also shares with us why he made this template,
GTD or Getting Things Done, the action management method, invented by David Allen, has a large following world wide. The applications for implementing it abound: From tiddlywiki’s to thick client softwares. You can also see many versions of its workflow in print or on the WEB. The advantage of using XMind for GTD is the combination of the workflow operations with its pictorial representations. The direct manipulation of the tasks on the screen creates some intuitiveness which is not easy to come buy with flat or hierarchical list system. I wish to keep the design of the map simple, free from unnecessary icons or markers. But this template comes to you as Version 0.3. As I’ll start using it, I may be adding new features or making improvements. I’ll be happy if I could also have your feedback and suggestions for future evolution.

If you’re interested, please download GTD.xmt.  After downloading it, you can directly double-click and open it with XMind,  Or open it from menu,  ”File — New — New from Template…” and select this template.

It is obvious that Visual Think really can do something helpful to Project Management. XMind, as a great Visual Think/Brainstorming Software, can also benefit our Project Management via its friendly design, many powerful but easy-using features. In the coming several blogs, we’ll focus on how to make full use of XMind in managing projects.

Of all the features that XMind owns, Taskinfo, Gantt View, Powerful Filter, Map Merge, Presentation Mode, Fishbone Chart, Spreadsheet chart, Multiple Sheets/Workbook, Brainstorming mode/Timer* do play important roles in Project Management. Here goes the first one: Taskinfo and Gantt View.

When running a project, there are numerous things need to organize, such as: steps in the whole project, business requirements analysis in measurable goals, financial analysis of the costs and benefits, task assignment, task priority and so on. Therefore, how to get all these things done is not that easy.

Now, you may need XMind, a visual think tool. Suppose that in Executing Stage of a Project, drawing a mind map is very necessary to carry out all the things planed to do, such as business requirements, functions as it was intended, acceptable quality standards of the product, time and budget constraints, and all others aspects. Then we need to list all tasks, and each task has a start and end date, has its own priority and progress. It’s time for us to use Taskinfo. We can select the task and choose the start/end date, priority, and progress percentage for a certain task in the Taskinfo View, and even add the person in “Assigned to”*.

Everything is in order. Click “Show Gantt Chart” under View menu, we will easily check all these tasks and detailed information. Gantt Chart in XMind is a special Viewer illustrating a project schedule, showing the timelines of the tasks, ordering all tasks with their priorities. When does this task start, when does it end. Which tasks are urgent, should be done at once, which have not to. What’s the progress of a task. Moreover, moving a mouse to a task, we will see who are in charge of it in the future. Here, we can understand fully at one glance. I guess it will be a better idea for us to use this view to communicate/discuss with other members than just watching it by ourselves.

Apparently, you may be aware of that Taskinfo and Gantt View can do better performance when they work together. That’s definitely true. Finally, it seems that arranging and managing your tasks is not that hard.

How Effective and valuable approaches for Project Management, would you like to have the experience by yourself? Just do it, don’t be hesitate. Whatever you think of them, please make your voice heard.

*The features, Brainstorming/Timer and Assigned to, will be available in the coming version.
**Taskinfo and Gantt View are both available in XMind Pro only.

Recently, there have been some conversation about XMind tips with other mind mapping experts, like Philippe Boukobza. One interesting tip is to work with Gmail, Google Docs, Twitter, and etc in XMind. It uses XMind inside browser, and hyperlink. Plus the Taskinfo and Gantt View feature, we can implement David Allen’s Getting Things Done™ methodology more easily in XMind.
At beginning, we can easily drag-and-drop or add the hyperlink to a topic. Here we introduce below applications: Gmail, Google Docs, and Twitter. Because these are necessary tools in our work. Gmail is used to contact with customers. Google Docs is used to share the files inside. And Twitter is a great tool to communicate with some friends and XMind users.

Here were some screenshots and usages:
Twitter.com: I’m a heavy twitter user. Here, I can search some useful information, communicate with my friends who I never see before, accept suggestions from XMind users, and etc. All these information can let my plan or summary rich.

Gmail: Gmail is a powerful tool. By using Tasks and labels, we can organize work easily. At most time, I will map the plan and list tasks in XMind with more information(end date, priority, process). Here, we can read, write emails, and add detailed tasks soon.

Google Docs: What I do is to add my Google Docs account to a special topic. Of course, we can add an individual Google Docs file URL to a topic. Then we can edit the files and collaborate with others.

We believe this tip can enhance our productivity. Are you just using this?