I know I don't catch every time someone might react in a way that could hurt someone else's feelings, but when I do catch a post that is potentially unhelpful, I speak up, just in case.

I hope that my doing so may have helped to encourage a bit more discussion of the pros and cons of mindmapping which led to Mike's mentioning the post-it idea.

I see that as helpful discussion because you all found a way to adapt something that didn't work for someone into a way that might make it work.

The mindmapping method is a brainstorming tool. It sidesteps the problems inherent in making lists or working in a serial manner. It encourages recall of key items by tying into your ability to associate items with graphics and colors. etc

It isn't meant to depict a flow of events or a path to a goal. It IS meant to allow you to capture ideas and link them one to another in a free-form way.

When freed of the limitations of drawing on paper, it can become quite powerful. I started using Mind Manager when I found myself in a position in which I was responsible for creating workplans and writing proposals for work that no one in my group had ever done before. By using the software, I was able to cut the time I spent by a minimum of 25%.

In writing, I find it useful to map out ideas about a character, to map out potential ideas for a plot, for a scene, etc. Please note that I use 'map out' in the sense of creating ideas and lumping them together into categories, and not mapping out in terms of a chronology.

In the software I can click on an element of the mindmap and bring up a notepad to write in, a brief scene, a few words, etc. After creating the mindmap, I can, if I wish, and with just a few mouseclicks, create an outlined Word file with all the mindmap elements and any text that I added as notes. Or, if I wish, I can create a hyperlinked, menu-driven website just as quickly and easily.

So, for me, the software works well.

Another method that I often use, when I am trying to teach my clients some brainstorming techniques, it to use Post-it(TM) notes on a wall. It is quick, cheap and easy.

Again, for writing, my opinion is that this technique is useful for brainstorming and arranging items into loose associations, not for outlining a plot.

Hope this helps.