Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Free Idea MapsTowards Agile Mapping

Federico Gobbofederico.gobbo@uninsubria.it

Dipartimento di Informatica e ComunicazioneUniversita degli Studi dell’Insubria

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Cognitive mapping history: origins

Information visualization studies and started in the francophoneworld in the late 1960s (Bertin, Piaget) and indipendently in theUK by Tony Buzan.

In the 1970s cognitive psychologists and US-scholars started tostudy psychological implication, applying concept maps intoeducational settings (Ausubel, Novak). Tony Buzan took PhD atthe London School of Economics and then put ‘radiant thinking’and ‘mind mapping’ under copyright.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Cognitive mapping history: now

In the late 1980s and in the 1990s mapping software entered thearena esp. for educational purposes – i.e. for creating lecture notesor for active studying – but not only: brainstorming, timemanagement, life self-coaching, information management, etc. TheInstitute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) developedCmapTools, MindJet released MindManager for Buzan’s mindmapping.

After 2000 a lot of clones spread out, but always along the twomain models – concept mapping (IHMC) vs. mind mapping(Buzan). Notable exception is the Compendium Institute, whichdeveloped a third way, i.e. conversational or dialog mapping,enabling groups to build shared knowledge – revealing collectiveintelligence.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Why cognitive mapping?

Empirical evidences. Our brain process complex informationconveyed visually in a very effective way, we typically identify visualpatterns easier than not-visual (e.g. words as concepts).Forthermore, visual images can overcome language barriers.

Knowledge elicitation. Information visualization doesn’t merelycommunicate ideas but it actively, organizes, concises, and clarifiesinfo chunks (Dawkins’ memes) revealing hidden patterns, gaininginsights and discovering new ideas and relations.

Cognitive mapping is the ability to see and move through the “bigpicture” (Gestalt) as well as into details: thinking is considered asa complex adaptive system. i.e. informations grow and changemaintain accuracy and relevance.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Assimilation and learning in cognitive psychology

Concept mapping started in 1972 in a research program about howchildren represent knowledge. Ausubel’s cognitive psychology,spread from Piaget’s, has at the core the idea of assimilation.

New concepts and propositions may be assimilated only if they finda place into existing concept network, i.e. individual’s cognitivestructure. In general, the introduction of a new concept inplies areconfiguration of the concept network for assimilation.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Concept map for collaborative and distance learning

Members of a social group share the Zone of ProximalDevelopment (ZPD, Vygotsky 1978), i.e. a social space wheredialogue and cooperation can effectively support learning withminimal aid from a tutor. Teachers are similar to coaches.

Concept maps started as a tool to externalize the cognitivestructures behind ZPDs. Ausubel distinguish two ways to learn:rote learning vs. meaningful learning.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Learning in the constructive learning theoryRef: Novak-Canas (2006) on the theory and how to construct concept maps

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Maps, concepts, propositions and tagged arcs

Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representingknowledge.

• A concept is a ‘perceived regularity in events or objects, orrecords of events or objects, designated by a label’(Novak-Canas 2006).

• A proposition is meaningful statement obtained connectingtwo or more concepts using linking words.

• Linking words are represented by tagged arcs.

A basic concept map

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Hierarchical fashion and cross-linking

In concept maps, general concepts are at the top of the map andless general concepts are arranged hierarchically below.

Cross-links are links that put into relations concepts in differentsegments or domains.

Note that in the previous map there were no cross-links, and themap itself was very simple indeed.

A concept map on concept mappingRef: Novak-Canas (2006) on the theory and how to construct concept maps

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

It works in well-structured knowledge domains

Learners evaluated by their concept maps are engaged intomeaningful learning, Concept proved very helpful to avoidmisconceptions in science and mathematics in education.CmapTools was used to prepare NASA material on Mars before themission.

The epistemological foundation in concept mapping is semanticatomicity: with about 100 atoms you may have a great number ofmolecules; with appox. 460,000 words in English you may expressa lot of sentences; analogously, with a not-too-great set ofconcepts you may express a lot of maps.

The knowledge portfolio by NASA for MArs ExplorationRef: Novak-Canas (2006) on the theory and how to construct concept maps

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

How to build a concept map

1. Start from a Focus Question, i.e. it should cleary states theissue as an open problem or topic. Prefer “how” and “why”questions (descriptive and explicative) to “what” or “who”ones (prescriptive and classificatory). If the problem/topic isvery hard, let an expert in the field prepare an “expertskeleton” map.

2. Then build a list of concept as a parking lot, as a set ofPost-its. Avoid “sentences in the boxes”.

3. Organize your concepts in domains (horizontal axis) and ingenerality (vertical axis) and define the relations betweenthem.

4. Refine your concept map adding cross-links.

5. Eventually link your concept map with previous ones, so todemonstrate that your understanding is not limited to a singleconcept map, i.e. build a Knowledge Model (Canas 2003).

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

How to build a concept map

1. Start from a Focus Question, i.e. it should cleary states theissue as an open problem or topic. Prefer “how” and “why”questions (descriptive and explicative) to “what” or “who”ones (prescriptive and classificatory). If the problem/topic isvery hard, let an expert in the field prepare an “expertskeleton” map.

2. Then build a list of concept as a parking lot, as a set ofPost-its. Avoid “sentences in the boxes”.

3. Organize your concepts in domains (horizontal axis) and ingenerality (vertical axis) and define the relations betweenthem.

4. Refine your concept map adding cross-links.

5. Eventually link your concept map with previous ones, so todemonstrate that your understanding is not limited to a singleconcept map, i.e. build a Knowledge Model (Canas 2003).

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

How to build a concept map

1. Start from a Focus Question, i.e. it should cleary states theissue as an open problem or topic. Prefer “how” and “why”questions (descriptive and explicative) to “what” or “who”ones (prescriptive and classificatory). If the problem/topic isvery hard, let an expert in the field prepare an “expertskeleton” map.

2. Then build a list of concept as a parking lot, as a set ofPost-its. Avoid “sentences in the boxes”.

3. Organize your concepts in domains (horizontal axis) and ingenerality (vertical axis) and define the relations betweenthem.

4. Refine your concept map adding cross-links.

5. Eventually link your concept map with previous ones, so todemonstrate that your understanding is not limited to a singleconcept map, i.e. build a Knowledge Model (Canas 2003).

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

How to build a concept map

1. Start from a Focus Question, i.e. it should cleary states theissue as an open problem or topic. Prefer “how” and “why”questions (descriptive and explicative) to “what” or “who”ones (prescriptive and classificatory). If the problem/topic isvery hard, let an expert in the field prepare an “expertskeleton” map.

2. Then build a list of concept as a parking lot, as a set ofPost-its. Avoid “sentences in the boxes”.

3. Organize your concepts in domains (horizontal axis) and ingenerality (vertical axis) and define the relations betweenthem.

4. Refine your concept map adding cross-links.

5. Eventually link your concept map with previous ones, so todemonstrate that your understanding is not limited to a singleconcept map, i.e. build a Knowledge Model (Canas 2003).

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

How to build a concept map

1. Start from a Focus Question, i.e. it should cleary states theissue as an open problem or topic. Prefer “how” and “why”questions (descriptive and explicative) to “what” or “who”ones (prescriptive and classificatory). If the problem/topic isvery hard, let an expert in the field prepare an “expertskeleton” map.

2. Then build a list of concept as a parking lot, as a set ofPost-its. Avoid “sentences in the boxes”.

3. Organize your concepts in domains (horizontal axis) and ingenerality (vertical axis) and define the relations betweenthem.

4. Refine your concept map adding cross-links.

5. Eventually link your concept map with previous ones, so todemonstrate that your understanding is not limited to a singleconcept map, i.e. build a Knowledge Model (Canas 2003).

A parking lot spread from a focus question...Ref: Novak-Canas (2006) on the theory and how to construct concept maps

..and an expert skeleton mapRef: Novak-Canas (2006) on the theory and how to construct concept maps

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Evaluation

With over two decades of research experience, concept mapsproved to be effective in constructive learning settings, esp. abouthard science topics. E.g. in Italy Giuseppe Valitutti is translatinginto Italian the World of Science books with pupils of elementaryschools.

Concept mapping is not an easy task, as everything in the map ismeaningful. Furthermore, defining the parking lot of conceptsbefore their relations may be difficult for people used to thinksimultaneously in a “concepts-in-context” way.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Dialog maps as solutions to wicked problems

Compendium is based on the conversational or dialog mappingapproach and derived from Issue-Based Information System (IBIS).Horst Rittel developed IBIS in the 1970s as a method to solvewicked problems.

Unlike tame problems, in the case of wicked problems the problemsolving approach doesn’t fit.

Links (arcs) may be tagged as in the concept map approach.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Dialog maps as group support

Dialog mapping is particulary useful in groups, i.e. supporting thecontinous dialogue among stakeholders in the problem in order toreframe.

Every misunderstanding or disagreement should be reframed as anissue or in an inquiry, avoiding the Answer Reflex (the loopquestion-justification).

The Answer Reflex...

Question Justification

...is broken by Ideas...

Question Justification

Idea

...and Justifications become Arguments!

Question Argument

Idea

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

How to reframe Questions...

As in the concept map approach, conversations in IBIS start froma root Question, which may be decomposed in sub-Questions.Questions should be:

1. clear, short, neutral (no “not”), unique (no “and” and “or”);

2. of the “wh” type or “how” (no “yes/no” questions);

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

...placing Ideas...

Ideas are proposals for resolution of Questions. They should bepractical and small (Ideas Network).

They are linked to Questions.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

...in order to obtain Arguments

Arguments may either support (Pros) or object (Cons) Ideas.

Arguments are linked to Ideas.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Questions, Idea, Arguments“The Bohr model of the rhetoric atom”

• Questions

• Ideas

• Arguments• Pros• Cons

Look at the right-click menu: nodes are typified

Pros and cons of dialog mapping through CompendiumA dialog map on dialog map evaluation

Compendium GUI prefers multiple mapping instead ofexpand/collapse

This screenshot was made by the author in order to choose thebest cognitive mapping software for ESSAP 2006

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Mind mapping is fast and easy

A mind map is a tree structure of keywords and they relations. Ithas a radiant shape and is much more rich in colours, pictures, anddrawings compared with concept or dialog maps.

Human brains recognize shapes and drawings better than wordsand numbers, so if you want to remember ideas give them a goodlook.

Be evocative.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Mind mapping is fast and easy

A mind map is a tree structure of keywords and they relations. Ithas a radiant shape and is much more rich in colours, pictures, anddrawings compared with concept or dialog maps.

Human brains recognize shapes and drawings better than wordsand numbers, so if you want to remember ideas give them a goodlook.

Be evocative.

Mind mapping is a “human universal” (Brown, 1999)A mind map by Charles Darwin on evolution (Buzan-Buzan, 2000

A mind map may be well drawn...A mind map about the ideal job (Buzan-Buzan, 2000)

..or without words!A mind map about love (Buzan-Buzan, 2000)

A mind map about study tipsThis mind map was made by MindManager

A mind map about Taiji modelsLook at the important role of colours

A mind map template for meetingsThis is a template of MindManager

Meeting[keyword+date]

Purpose

Participants

Distant participants1.2.3.

1.2.3.4.5.

Time/Place

DayExact timePlaceAgenda

1.2.3.4.5.

Action items

1.2.3.4.5.

Parking lot

1.2.3.4.5.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

The risk with mind mapping is information noise!

A mind map has a loose syntax and semantics. Unlike concept anddialog maps, nodes hasn’t any a-priori type and their position inthe map is meaningless. Moreover, arcs are not taggable, andrelations are nodes as well.

The risk of mind mapping is to add useless informations in themap itself, e.g. colours that have more than one meaning. This isparticularly true in collective maps.

A bad mind map about a book reportWhat mistakes did the mind mapper make?

This is not a mind mapA chart can be useful, but it’s not a mind map!

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Radiant thinking

• Mind mapping begins from a central idea.

• Then related ideas radiate out from the center as branches.They are called Basic Ordering Ideas (BOIs).

• Some branches give birth to minor branches, as minor themesor particular and detailed ideas.

• Like neurons.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Radiant thinking

• Mind mapping begins from a central idea.

• Then related ideas radiate out from the center as branches.They are called Basic Ordering Ideas (BOIs).

• Some branches give birth to minor branches, as minor themesor particular and detailed ideas.

• Like neurons.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Radiant thinking

• Mind mapping begins from a central idea.

• Then related ideas radiate out from the center as branches.They are called Basic Ordering Ideas (BOIs).

• Some branches give birth to minor branches, as minor themesor particular and detailed ideas.

• Like neurons.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Radiant thinking

• Mind mapping begins from a central idea.

• Then related ideas radiate out from the center as branches.They are called Basic Ordering Ideas (BOIs).

• Some branches give birth to minor branches, as minor themesor particular and detailed ideas.

• Like neurons.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Advantages of paper-and-pencil mind mapping

It’s easy. Take a A3 sheet of paper landscape and write the topic,problem or subject in the center. Then place the BOIs and goalong.

They are perfect for single-user mapping, where you don’t sharethe map itself – they may be even confusing to others, but clearfor you.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Disadvantages of paper-and-pencil mind mapping

It’s not easy to copy and share. It’s not easy to correct errors –more important ideas should be close to the center. In fact, youoften don’t recognize BOIs at the first glance.

On the contrary, electronic maps may even be route maps toresources as well (other maps, music, videos, etc.)

We choose FreeMind as the best software tool: it’s free (GPLed),cross-platform (Windows, Linux, MacOS, etc.) but above allflexible.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Known mistakes made by beginners in mapping

More than one. The main mistake – in every cognitive mappingapproach – is not to analyse ideas, i.e. put more than one ideas ina single node (for example, put a whole sentence in a node, insteadof chunking).Wrong type. A common mistake in dialog maps is to put aQuestion in a Idea or using a Question node for judgements (falsequestions).Class error. A common mistake in concept maps is to put a nodeeither too high (abstract) or too low (concrete) in the map itself.Importance. A common mistake in mind maps is to put a nodeeither too distant (less important) or too close (more important)to the center.

A plethora of software tools for mappingHow to choose the best for Agile mapping?

Ockam’s solution: use paper and (a lot of) pencil(s)Kent Beck explains XP with a mind map

But what about collective free idea mapping?

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

FreeMind is our choice this year

In Retrospectives, I ask to you to collect critiques (Pros and Cons!)of Freemind.

Paper-and-pencils mind maps are ok in single-user modeKent Beck explains Developer Accountability

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Free idea mapping as an Agile practice

One of the core values of Agile is Interaction, i.e. a mind shiftfrom “writing (documentation)” to “talking (conversation)”.

Free idea mapping is a proposal to capture user wish as a whole,before restrictiong written information in tangible small cards –User Stories as mementos of user interaction.

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Agile mapping should be antifundamentalist

In my personal experience, a surveilled mind mapping approach isthe best in knowledge elicitation.

“Surveilled” means antifundamentalis, i.e. mind mapping withinjections of the concept and dialog approach as well, e.g. withFocus Questions as BOIs radiating from the central topic/idea anddefining Pros and Cons as well, aware of ZPDs in leading groups.Sometimes “expert skeleton” maps proved effective.

Gathering and modeling

GoalUser stories

Idea map

Requirement Modeling

a bridge between customers and team members

divergent thinking convergent thinking

Agile planning

Requirement Gathering (User Wish Elicitation)

Use free idea mapping to get customers into Agile directly

ESSAP started with a map brainstorming...

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Two project proposals

Let’s try to visualize thinking with a free idea map on-the-fly, withme as your customer-on-site.

Both web applications DICOM need...

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

First: Examinando

“I want to manage dates of lectures, courses and exams with areservation whiteboard. Teachers should see a calendar before datebooking, and a content administrator should confirm thereservation or propose more dates. We want to avoid overbooking,i.e. more than one exam for the same student classes in the sameday!”

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Second: Academia

“Scholars go to conferences and (summer) schools. We want aweb application in order to manage the whole fluxus ofinformation: call for papers, deadlines, review process (e.g. sendan anonymized copy of docs to the reviewers, etc.), session chairs,parallelism for sessions, (extended) abstracts, registration (fromdietary requirements to foreseen arrival and departure dates, infosabout the venue, last-minute important news, until the publicationof proceedings, and the call of the next year edition.”

Introduction Concept maps Dialog maps Mind maps Pitfalls Agile intersections Conclusions

Thanks

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