Speed Matters!

I’ve been using ‘the ribbon’ interface for well over a year now but sometimes I simply miss the old way of working with MindManager (and Office) menus. The feature that I miss most is the ability to adjust the menus and build toolbars that were custom to my needs.

Now, I rely heavily on the Quick Access Toolbar. The Quick Access Toolbar displays a set of commands independent of the currently displayed Ribbon tab.

You can customize the Quick Access toolbar by adding or removing commands, changing the position of commands, and adding separators between commands. Why go through the trouble? Adding commands give you 1-click access to frequently-used commands, regardless of which ribbon is displayed at the time.

How to Adjust Your Quick Access Toolbar

1. Click the arrow at the end of the Quick Access toolbar and select the commands that you want to add or clear those you want to remove. If you don’t see the command you want to add, click "More Commands" to open the Customize Quick Access Toolbar dialog where you can add other commands.
2. You can quickly add ribbon commands to the Quick Access Toolbar by right clicking on a command on the ribbon and choose "Add to Quick Access Toolbar".
3. To change the toolbar’s position, click the arrow at the end of the Quick Access toolbar, and then click "Show Quick Access Toolbar below the Ribbon".

My Quick Access Toolbar

I use the quick access toolbar to complement the short cut keys that I frequently use. So, what’s in my toolbar?

• Basic file management items like new, open, print preview, save, save as and undo / redo
• Format & view controls like growth direction, format painter, filter, detail, and collapse map
• Topic editing controls like add attachment, task info, draw relationship, icon & text markers, map parts & numbering
• Finally, balance & fit map — I use these less frequently but prefer to have quick access to get to them fast when I need them

How about you? What commands are in your quick access toolbar?

About the Author: Michael Deutch is Mindjet’s Chief Evangelist, content contributor for the Mindjet Blog and the Mindjet Connections newsletter. Get more from Michael on Twitter. 

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MindManager provides a rich set of features to create meaningful illustrations of your ideas, plans, and strategies. Each individual’s mind map is a unique reflection of their interpretation of the world, colored by their own experiences, insights, and style. And while everyone’s output may vary, the maps are built using the following ten basic elements:

1. Central topic: typically the key theme or title of your map
2. Main topic: main ideas that define the topic
3. Subtopic: details about the main topics
4. Callout topic: supplementary information about a specific topic
5. Floating topic: additional general information about the topic; sometimes used as a parking lot for uncategorized ideas
6. Relationship arrows: visually link related topics
7. Boundaries: highlight branches within your map
8. Markers: Icon (and text) tags that allow you to code your map topics
9. Notes: store additional details about your central, main, or subtopic
10. Hyperlinks and attachments: link to web sites, other topics, and files directly from your topics

Beyond the basic elements, there are many ways to personalize your map’s appearance. Start looking at how you are using fonts, adding images, and leveraging colors.   

About the Author: Michael Deutch is Mindjet’s Chief Evangelist, content contributor for the Mindjet Blog and the Mindjet Connections newsletter. Get more from Michael on Twitter. 

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Put away those sticky notes forever! We’re closing out ‘National Small Business Week’ with a bang! This wraps up a week of useful resources and mind maps for businesses to develop their strategies, plan their projects, and deliver exceptional results.

First, here’s a look at this week’s posts:

• 15 Free Courses for Small Businesses
• 11 Steps to Peak Performance in a Financial Downturn
• How to Create a Strategy Map that Works
• Article Roundup for Small Businesses

Next, a collection of seven free MindManager maps to use in your business:

1. Set Your Organizational Goals & Objectives
2. Build Your Marketing Strategy & Launches
3. Plan Your Website Improvements
4. Capture & Organize Client or Project Requirements
5. Analyze, Understand, and Resolve Complex Problems
6. Track Everything You Need in Project Dashboards
7. Make the Most of Your Meetings

Have a great weekend! And, if you’re in the U.S., have a great holiday weekend.

About the Author: Michael Deutch is Mindjet’s Chief Evangelist, content contributor for the Mindjet Blog and the Mindjet Connections newsletter. Get more from Michael on Twitter. 

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People running small companies and everyone working for a small firm face tough challenges. A shrinking economy, growing competition, and the constant pressure to perform! Here are a few helpful articles that provide tims and resources for everyone trying to do more with less!

• Plan B: An SMB’s Guide To Making Do During The Recession If you have to tighten your belts and save some bucks for the really important stuff (e.g. like Mind Mapping software), here are 17 suggestions to save money during the recession.
• Kick Back and Relax Yes, you heard me. Sounds counter-intuitive, right? Take a break and be more productive!
• 40 Places for Freelancers to Learn More about Business Freelance Switch highlights 40 places where small businesses and entrepreneurs can learn more — without investing thousands in an MBA. The resource list includes web sites, blogs, books, magazines and online courses.
• 10 Business Plan Gaffes You Don’t Want To Make Benjamin Tomkins of the Small Biz Resource blog shares Tim Berry’s list of top 10 business plan mistakes. Interestingly, #10, dead scrolls, was a point I made earlier this week and mentioned how mapping can bring your plan to life! How many of these points are mitigated by using mind maps?
• Two More Small Businesses Making Twitter Work I had thought Twitter was great for either big businesses or virtual businesses. Creative business owners are proving me wrong!
• Are You Collaborating Creatively? Last, but hopefully not least, I was interviewed about Mindjet and collaborative mind mapping by SmallBizTechnology.com.

About the Author: Michael Deutch is Mindjet’s Chief Evangelist, content contributor for the Mindjet Blog and the Mindjet Connections newsletter. Get more from Michael on Twitter. 

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Here’s another great resource based on a template in the U.S. Small Business Administration web site. Download this interactive MindManager Peak Performance -Action Plan to help you survive and thrive through an economic downturn!

Use this MindManager map to:

• Perform a reality check with a self-assessment
• Understand your financials and adjust plans for the new ‘economic reality’
• Identify new product, service, and technology opportunities
• Find ways to attract and retain the right staff
• Improve your customer service
• Optimize marketing strategies
• Capture and prioritize other ideas from all of your stakeholders

What maps are you using most to improve your business?

About the Author: Michael Deutch is Mindjet’s Chief Evangelist, content contributor for the Mindjet Blog and the Mindjet Connections newsletter. Get more from Michael on Twitter. 

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In celebration of ‘National Small Business Week’, here are 15 free online courses offered by the US Small Business Administration to help small businesses get started, get smart, and get profitable.

Also, to jump start your efforts, here’s a free MindManager Business Plan template and interactive PDF map. Why is a MindManager map one of the best ways to write and organize your business plan?

• Dynamic: The best plans are not meant to be written, filed, and then forgotten — they are living and evolving documents.
• Visual: Maps provide the big picture view of your business and strategy and let your illustrate the power of your plan by highlighting relationships, priorities and more in a visual, interactive format.
• Fast: It’s fast and easy to link all the files and websites that support your plan.
• Concise: Using keywords instead of paragraphs, you add the information that matters without getting caught up in worrying about grammar.
• Accessible: Share your plan in a variety of formats including the map itself, interactive PDF files, or export it to Microsoft Word or PowerPoint (using MindManager 8).

Sign Up Now — Free Small Business Webcast: Mindjet is hosting a free webcast for Small Businesses on Tuesday at 10AM PDT where special guest Mark Knowles, President of Smart Solutions, shares how he creates meaningful change at his small business. Here’s a great opportunity to hear and learn from another customer! Click here for more information.

Free Online Courses for Small Business:

Starting a Business:

• Guide to Starting a Business
• How to Prepare a Business Plan
• Franchising Basics
• Technology 101: A Small Business Guide

Surviving in a Down Economy:

• How to Win Customers in a Slowing Economy
• Business Planning Guide
• A Guide to Winning Federal Contracts

Business Management:

• Going Global: A Primer on Exporting
• Disaster Recovery: A Guide for Small Businesses
• Introduction to Accounting
• Managing the Digital Enterprise
• Strategic Planning & Execution

Marketing:

• Marketing 101: Guide to Winning Customers
• Marketing for Small Businesses
• Conduct a Marketing Analysis

About the Author: Michael Deutch is Mindjet’s Chief Evangelist, content contributor for the Mindjet Blog and the Mindjet Connections newsletter. Get more from Michael on Twitter. 

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It’s been quite a week here at Mindjet. Lots of projects in the works and needless to say, many, many maps!

And, next week doesn’t look like it’ll be any slower — but, we are celebrating! Well, sort of. It’s National Small Business Week!

If you’re working at a small organization and wondering how you can be doing more with MindManager, check out our webcast for Small Businesses on Tuesday at 10AM PDT where special guest Mark Knowles, President of Smart Solutions, shares how he creates meaningful change at his organization. Here’s a great opportunity to hear and learn from another customer! Click here for more information.

Now, for the news…here are some recent articles about Mind Mapping and Mindjet:

CIO Magazine: Kristin Burnham discusses how mind mapping tools should be at the top of anyone’s personal productivity list. Brad Isaac, CIO of Breslow Starling Frost Warner notes how he uses Mindjet for project management, and how you’re able to address layers of a “complex project in a visual manner and it only takes moments.”

The Productivity Show: I was recently interviewed about Mindjet, mapping and productivity on The Productivity Show podcast. I haven’t perfected the art of describing something as visual as mind mapping on a podcast, but I’m working on it. It was a fun call.

Gantthead.com: Two great project management articles recently appeared in Gantthead.com by Dr. Andrew Makar: Mind Mapping for Efficient Project Management and Mind Mapping Your Microsoft Project Schedule.

KMWorld: Judith Lamont, a senior research analyst and writer for Knowledge Management World, took a look at Managing Critical Knowledge in Higher Education

Check out more Mindjet News and Events

About the Author: Michael Deutch is Mindjet’s Chief Evangelist, content contributor for the Mindjet Blog and the Mindjet Connections newsletter. Get more from Michael on Twitter. 

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