Website Creation Rule #1: Think First (cont'd)

In the previous post , I created the general skeleton for my new freelance writer's website. Now I'm going to add some content.

The first thing I want to do is to start composing the messages I want to appear on each page. In the first post, I made a list of the major areas I work in, each of which will be its own page on my new site:

• Media Campaigns
• Social Media Campaigns
• Content Creation
• Influencer Programs
• Customer Evangelist Programs

Create Content Right Inside the Map

I want to start sketching out my ideas for each page. So I create a "Note" that is automtically attached to each branch of the map:

I work my way through the list, making notes of what I want to say on each page. When I collapse the Notes window to reduce clutter on the screen, all that remains is just a small icon:

I can also put in icons to let me know at a glance how far along I think I am in getting to final copy for each page:

Add Links to External Content

The other thing I want to do is add links to examples of my writing. I do that by opening up a browser, navigating to the examples, then just dragging the URL onto the appropriate :sub-branch" branch of the "Content Creation" branch:

The beauty of using ConceptDraw MINDMAP to design your website is that you can:

1. Aggregate all these different kinds of content into one document.
2. Add icons that communicate information without words, making the document more compact.
3. Get a broad overview of how you're designing the site.

See Your Site as a Whole Entity

As you look at the overall map, it's easy to see what's missing from the site. You can go back into the map and create placeholders for other pages you know will be on the site, as well as any thoughts you have on content.

The use of visual icons just makes the map more concise and maybe a bit more entertaining and fun to create than a regular outline or list:

Try it Yourself!

These two posts give you just a brief overview of how to use mind mapping to design your website. The ways writers can use mind mapping is just about endless. Get a trial version and play around with it!

Using ConceptDraw MINDMAP to Gather Requirements

After writing an article about using ConceptDraw MINDMAP to gather requirements, I got in contact with the Requirements Networking Group: Where Requirements Gatherers Meet. "RQNG" has lots of whitepapers, articles, and podcasts about everything from Agile to data warehousing to requirements security. Feel free to download a PDF of the article: Visually Mapping Requirements: An uncommon approach that just might make your job easier.

Ye Olde Fashioned Questionnaire

A post on the Sielevel Software blog talks about using questionnaires to make sure project assumptions are correct. As I'm sure you've discovered, using mind maps is really an excellent way to ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to project planning. Maps are especially useful in early-stage planning for this very reason. By projecting a map on the wall, participants can make sure that there are no misunderstandings or misconceptions about the project.

But I liked this blog's idea of using questionnaires as the last step in the project planning process. Here's the example they give:

Please validate each of the statements below by answering “Yes” or “No”.
1. Customers with a classification of “REV” are NOT charged any Federal Taxes.
2. Customers with a classification of “REV” are ALWAYS required to pay Local Municipality Service Taxes.
3. The tax rate charged for Local Municipality Service Taxes for Customers with a classification of “REV” is ALWAYS the same as the rate charged for ALL other Customers.
4. Etc., etc.

If you're building maps together with a client to plan a new project or product, this step may not be necessary. But it might be useful if there is any question about the work at hand.

Using ConceptDraw MINDMAP to Gather Requirements

Here is about an 8-minute video on using ConceptDraw MINDMAP to gather and organize requirements. It touches briefly on adding priorities and task information to requirements.



You can also find this video on YouTube.