Q&A: How does 3D compare with 2D mind mapping or concept mapping?

The underlying idea in 3D Topicscape is similar to these two techniques, but the presentation is very different.

As with a 2D mindmap or concept map there are nodes and connections between nodes. But instead of lines showing those connections, their locations show their relationship. These are 2D and 3D equivalents:

Now, if I were making and using a mindmap with as few nodes as that, and I didn't expect it to grow much, I'd probably use a 2D mindmapper. It's when maps get big, or when they are being used to organize files, say, that 3D mindmaps become important. If you don't want to use both techniques, though, 3D Topicscape has much more mileage in it, as it can scale up indefinitely, offers cloning (one node appearing in more than one place without copying) and lets you store as many files in a topic as you like.

To see the difference for a large mindmap, take a look at this plan and research map for a real-life consulting project that was mapped both ways (click on the links or images to see more):

First in 2D

then in 3D

A mindmap is a tree structure except for the curved lines that are often used to show additional associations. A concept map on the other hand need not be, though it often has some hierarchy. It may have many relationships that are not parent-child. 3D Topicscape can handle both. Small 2D concept maps drawn to express a specific piece of knowledge, like this one about ecology:

But if you are researching a new subject, gathering information, recording how each topic is related to others - creating knowledge, in fact - things can quickly get out of hand in a 2D sheet. Then the value of 3D becomes plain as you uncover an ever-expanding landscape of knowledge and no longer bump against the edge of the sheet, or find it necessary to scroll, slide and collapse parts of the map.

Topicscape offers extraordinary support for the gathering of files, notes and web pages for research and study, with its ability to save files in its topic cones (nodes), save web page archives (.MHTs) in a background queue and easy cross-linking. The capability to describe relationships is usually important for concept maps as well and that can be done with Topicscape: The connection phrases appear in 3D blue panels floating between the cones they describe. This example is from the Student Edition, but Pro can also show association descriptions (click to see larger image).

The result of this flexibility and expandability is that knowledge is that much easier to capture without the worry of software limitations. By working in a 3D landscape, Topicscape calls on our innate "sense of place" to help you recognize where you are and find what you want quickly.