After reading Professor Wheaton's comment on my post about conceptual modeling, I did some additional research into the term to refine my definition. While mind mapping and conceptual modeling are similar, Prof. Wheaton was correct in stating that they are not "synonymous".
Conceptual modeling is more of a process than a model. You begin by restating the intelligence question, and defining your task. Once you have gained a deeper understanding of the question, you can begin to build a model based on information you already know. This basic frame will allow you to determine what information you need. Research is done to build upon this model, and is constantly being improved to build a better model. Having this basic understanding of knowledge about your question and task allows you to conduct better information collection.
While mind mapping and conceptual modeling are not identical, mind mapping applications can still be of great help when attempting to create a visual model. With that being said, I took a look at many of the applications people suggested to me via comments.
I was extremely surprised by the quality of Comapping. The demo on their site was easy to use and quick. I really liked the layout, which is very similar in design to the new Microsoft Office suite. The application does allow collaboration, although I was not able to try it out in the demo mode. The major downside of Comapping is that it is not a free service. There is a 30 day trial available, after which it costs $11.99 every six months. While this is not an extremely unreasonable price, it may be a deal-breaker for most with so many free alternatives available.
I also checked out Yugma, a very useful Web 2.0 application. While its mind-mapping functions were nothing special or above the ordinary, the other functions of the application could prove very helpful. Yugma is more of a web conferencing application, which supports skype integration along with whiteboard support. Definitely worth checking out if you are needing a way to conduct meetings or conferences over the internet, but there are better applications for mind-mapping out there.
As the theme of this blog is Web 2.0, I was trying to avoid desktop mind-mapping software, like MindManager. While many of these programs are definitely among the best, it would take more than a mention to do them justice. I will be focusing on web applications for the purpose of this blog, although your comments and suggestions, as always, are welcome.
Over the weekend I will be doing research into the world of wiki. I'll be compiling a list of the best free online wiki services available, along with a look at their EULA (end user licensing agreements) t0 see how they protect the privacy of their users. Later in the week, I'll be taking a look at how the IC is currently using wiki software internally, especially the CIA's Intellipedia. Feel free to leave me any suggestions, questions, or comments that you have - your input is truly a great help to me.
- Chris
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4 comments:
Chris, I'm really impressed with the work you've done already for this blog. I have book marked it and will definitely be checking back regularly. Keep up the good work!
Chris: Fred Hassani is the point man to talk to about Intellipedia. Another angle to possibly check out is the State Dept's 'Net-Centric Diplomacy' which is basically a portal front end customized to filter/sort the daily reports from the various embassies, among other things.
Chris - i'm working on a paper on the same topic - thanks for your insightful posts - i may have some questions for you at some point - not sure how to get in touch but i'll keep this bookmarked.
anonymous - feel free to contact me anytime. My email is culric71 -AT- mercyhurst.edu
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