Developing concept maps with Scrintal
I’ve recently gotten involved in creating concept maps. These can be thought of as high-powered mind-maps. They include more important information than mind-maps while still retaining the ability to display that information in a graphic format.
Here is a definition for a concept map. I found it using a search box.
Concept map refers to a visual organizer that can enrich students’ understanding of a new concept. It is similar to brainstorming and mind mapping, since it challenges students to articulate the essential concepts or ideas. However, unlike brainstorming and mind mapping, concept mapping defines how these essential components relate to each other. It results in maps that are structured and complex, but also more informative.
My first attempt at a concept map dealt with the business issues that authors must face once they have a book published. I started by sketching out ideas using my iPad, the Freeform app and a pencil. I use this combination of tools quite a lot. In fact, I do most of my planning this way. The screen shot below indicts that I had to go through several attempts before I got a sketch that worked for me. These can be considered as first drafts.
As I sketched the purpose of the map came clear. It would start with the usual ‘dead’ time that happens when writing the manuscript. This occurs when the editors are hacking it up and usually lasts a month or more. The endpoint would be in developing a profit & loss statement, the ultimate indication of a business’ success. This path meant that the concept map would also have to deal with publishing and marketing issues, not just business issues. This is depicted in a few of the sketches.
I used the final first draft to construct the concept map. Now, I needed an app to allow me to construct a usable (i.e. readable) version of the map.
Canva, Mira, Lucidchart and others have premade concept map templates. While good for getting ideas on how to construct a map, they also limit one’s thinking and creativity. You spend so much time and energy modifying the template that you can actually forget what you are trying to accomplish. That’s why I decided to use Scrintal.
Scrintal consists of a blank canvas that allows full rein to your creativity and can handle any unusual thought processes. With Scrintal, there is no need to spend time deleting extraneous information from a template: there isn’t any. You just start adding cards.
One important feature of concept maps is arrows to connect the ideas or issues, each one of which is an individual card. With concept maps. It is important to indicate the flow of the process, hence the need for arrows.
With Scrintal, you just drag the mouse between two cards and they are connected with an arrow. This arrow can go in either direction or both directions. Another important feature of the maps is that the links (arrows) must be labeled. This is another Scrintal feature that is easy to implement.
Once I had the map sketched out I color-coded the cards to define the various sections of the map. The codes are: orange: writing; blue: business; yellow: publishing; green marketing.
The completed map can be found here: https://beta.scrintal.com/b/author-business--concept-map--0hs8q
Now that this project is complete, the thought occurs to me: What do I do with it? I realized that many people looking at the map would find it ‘scary’. How do I make it un-scary? I considered making an ebook out of it but finally decided on a video about the author’s business issues. The completed map will provide an outline for the video. That project is underway.
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