Map markers let you focus on topics that matter, separating the signal from the noise.
Over the last week, we’ve reviewed what map markers are, how to add them to topics, and how to select topics using the power select feature.
Today, we’ll explore a method using the power filter to show or hide topics based on their map markers.
Power filtering using map markers is an effective when you:
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Brainstorm: Markers can prioritize and organize ideas from brainstorming sessions. Add all your ideas onto a map, tag them with appropriate map markers (e.g. priorities), and then display the top priorities removing the distracting lower priorities from your view.
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Manage projects: Use markers to prioritize assignments as well as track status and due dates for projects. Your filters can focus you on top priorities, items at risk, show tasks assigned to you or other team members, show items that have been completed or are still incomplete, etc…
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Deliver presentations: Deliver multiple presentations from the same map to different audiences with different information needs. I’ve used markers on a large master map to control which branches and topics are displayed for a specific audience group. For instance, I can keep an executive summary branch and then choose the content for the audience (e.g. sales, marketing, product, etc…). I keep all the data in one map but quickly customize it to show the ‘right info’ to the ‘right audience’.
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Export data. I’ve also used markers to filter out and hide information that I did not want to export. I applied a filter to display topics that I needed to export and then sent the data into Microsoft Word or PowerPoint.
Show or Hide Topics that Match Specified Markers
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On a map with map markers applied…
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On the View Tab, in the Filter group, click on Filter
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Click Power Filter
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In the Power Filter options, select the Marker(s) that you want to show or hide
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Check Expand branches to show all matches if you want branches that contain matches to expand automatically.
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Click Filter, and then click Hide Matching Topics or Show Matching Topics.
Here’s a time-saving tip: If you use filters frequently on your map, you can save the criteria as a query. This lets you apply a filter without having to open up the Power Filter options and take the time to reset the criteria. Save your queries in advance and then follow steps 1 & 2 above. Next, click Show or Hide to apply the filter query on your map. These queries are saved with your map so the next time you open it up, you can use it to show or hide information with just a couple of clicks.
Remove Filters
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When a filter is active the Remove Filter command in the View tab, Filter group and on the Status Bar becomes active.
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To remove the filter, click Remove Filter.
Keep the questions coming! Let me know what’s on your mind or what’s confusing you about markers. I’ll try to address all of them in the upcoming posts for this series.
Related posts:
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.
Great synchronicity here! I had just finished up requesting this type of feature with one of our designers. The functionality doesn’t exist yet but I put in a request
Thanks!
I only discovered map markers a few days ago through reading your latest posts on the subject. It’s a really powerful feature and I’ve been using it extensively over the last few days. I was wondering if there is any way to assign hot keys to map markers (e.g. Alt+CTRL+1 for “Priority 1)?