Take Buzan with a grain of salt -- but DO take him
I spent a solid 18 months creating mindmaps -- and they yielded no tangible (repeat TANGIBLE -- as opposed to creative/imaginative) results for me on any of the projects I worked on. I question, of course, whether I utilized the method properly, or whether I knew enough about them at all. But, regardless, here's what I feel, looking back on all the mindmaps I created (and I was actually pretty religious in following Buzan's advice) -- they are just that: maps. They can reveal thought processes, they can show you steps and ideas you hadn't considered or thought about. They can even show you how YOU think which is invaluable. But I do not believe they can help you get things done, anymore than a map can take you to a destination. You need some sort of locomotion modality to accomplish that.
(I'm going to take another look at the examples he uses in his books -- I'm curious to remind myself exactly what the mindmaps used for illustration had as objectives.)
As I take furtive steps in understanding the GTD approach, it seems (and I'm stating the obvious) very focused on tangible results. These two approaches -- one a method for enhancing creative thinking, the other a system for getting things done -- are perfectly complementary. We ought forgive someone like Buzan for the trespasses of hyperbole and not dismiss his whole agenda (which I don't think anyone here is suggesting anyway) simply because he clearly overstates things.
I spent a solid 18 months creating mindmaps -- and they yielded no tangible (repeat TANGIBLE -- as opposed to creative/imaginative) results for me on any of the projects I worked on. I question, of course, whether I utilized the method properly, or whether I knew enough about them at all. But, regardless, here's what I feel, looking back on all the mindmaps I created (and I was actually pretty religious in following Buzan's advice) -- they are just that: maps. They can reveal thought processes, they can show you steps and ideas you hadn't considered or thought about. They can even show you how YOU think which is invaluable. But I do not believe they can help you get things done, anymore than a map can take you to a destination. You need some sort of locomotion modality to accomplish that.
(I'm going to take another look at the examples he uses in his books -- I'm curious to remind myself exactly what the mindmaps used for illustration had as objectives.)
As I take furtive steps in understanding the GTD approach, it seems (and I'm stating the obvious) very focused on tangible results. These two approaches -- one a method for enhancing creative thinking, the other a system for getting things done -- are perfectly complementary. We ought forgive someone like Buzan for the trespasses of hyperbole and not dismiss his whole agenda (which I don't think anyone here is suggesting anyway) simply because he clearly overstates things.