Why Diagrams Matter in PKM: A Beginner's Guide

hey everyone it's jolt here ever wondered why diagrams matter in PKM why should anyone in the PKM community care about diagrams you know at first I thought talking about diagramming Basics might be a bit boring but then I realize something I see so many poorly made diagrams that we need to talk about this so I decided to take the risk and created this video today I'm diving into why I believe diagramming is crucial I'll show you how diagrams can represent time Arrangement and context and what makes a good diagram let's kick things off by understanding what PKM is about for me it's about understanding the world like organizing Concepts and constantly challenging my worldview but it's also about productivity creating new content and working with reusable Lego blocks what does PKM mean to you share your thoughts below now you might be thinking isn't PKM just about writing and linking well sure writing is a big part of it but I believe we sometimes Overlook the power of visuals writing is thinking yes but let's not for forget that a picture speaks a thousand words pictures are powerful because illustrations catalyze spatial thinking even our language is spatial think about phrases like the reach for a lofty goal or the future lies up ahead they paint a picture don't they however not all pictures are created equal some clarify ideas and shape our thinking while others just add to the mess so what makes a good picture in PKM well it's not just about a Statics functions matter to good PKM illustrations focus on one idea per illustration and use a mix of text and images plus ideally you should be able to draw it on a napkin when talking to a friend at Starbucks now onto the different type of illustrations there are five main types image plus text text only diagram scene and image only today we are diving deep into the world of diagrams but if you're interested in concept visuals be sure to check out my video on the topic you'll find the link in the description below but what diagrams are relevant to PKM of course of course there are the eight thinking maps by David Hurley but let's save that for another time I recommend you check out my eight thinking maps playlist the link is in the description instead let's explore diagrams based on different frames of reference let's kick things off with time timelines are fantastic tools for grasping the past present and future whether it's for project timelines daily schedules or self-reflection they've got you covered they help us answer questions like when is something happening and how long is between this and that now let me show you my collection of timeline samples I've gathered 15 different examples over the years from horizontal to Vertical road map to Journey views and even calendar and G chart formats we've got circular and spiral layouts along with ones that illustrate the flow of events now let's dive into the next category Arrangement these diagrams give us insights into the placement of objects their relationships and overall structure for instance we have the blog diagram and brace map for sorting and categor in ideas then there's the hierarchy diagram and tree map for things like organizational charts we also have the floor plan which serves as a visual representation of spatial arrangements and lastly the layout diagram offering a clear picture of information organization on a page or website each type serves its unique purpose in organizing and presenting ideas effectively and finally let's explore context these diagrams are pivotal for comparing ideas grasping environments and facilitating decision making they act as navigational tools through complex Concepts shedding light on various aspects for instance they help address questions like which option holds more promise or where should we Channel our efforts among the 12 examples I'm showcasing here we have the Continuum to understand tradeoffs the quadrant diagram such as the SWAT analysis and the Boston box both instrumental in strategic planning there's also the sign diagram for understanding feedback loops and System Dynamics alongside with the circle map for contextual exploration the Double Bubble map and Van diagram to compare and contrast and the bubble map for attribute visualization additionally we have the Mind map and concept map for understanding domains and the decision tree for visualizing decision points on a related note I have a dedicated video on making smarter decisions check the link in the description below finally we have the influence diagram for exploring stakeholder relations in closing let's look at what makes a good diagram as outlined by Abby covert in stock good diagrams have visual elements like scale shapes lines labels and keys however they also extend beyond the Statics to consider intention audience and scope it's not just about pretty pictures it's about conveying information effectively in my experience keys are often overlooked or confusing especially when there's a series of diagrams with changing notations my recommendation is to establish simple conventions for line types colors shapes labels Etc this is particularly crucial for reusing diagrams across multiple documents in your PKM and please remember to include a key whenever possible to improve Clarity so there you have it a crash course in diagrams for PKM choose one and give it a shot today share your experience in the comments below and if you found this video helpful don't forget to hit that like button thanks for tuning in and I'll see you in the next one and hey if you stock around till the end you're awesome take care

Channel: Zsolt's Visual Personal Knowledge Management

Views: 4,548

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Id: MGsplHhwoc8

Length: 8min 4sec (484 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 01 2024