TED^x Boston could have been a bit overwhelming. OK,it was a bit overwhelming. Luckily I have a trick up my sleeve for situations exactly like TED^x, where I’ll be bombarded by a large amount of data in a short amount of time. There is no way that I would be able to take standard, linear notes that would capture the richness of the experience. So, just as I did throughout undergrad part II and grad school, I mind mapped like crazy, prompting many an onlooker to comment.

Other folks have posted their own summaries of the day’s proceedings so I will not duplicate their work. I will link to them, though, at the bottom of this post. Please, take a look at the map I’ve created, and use it as I do, as a way to make concrete the shape and structure of the day, the interrelationships and resonances, the confirmations and contradictions between the ideas presented. So many of them are so compelling, I’m sure that many of these memes have infected my brain.

Please note, the mind map linked to is very, very large. Below the map is a translation of the map into a linear outline, all courtesy of Freeplane, an open source, java based mind mapping tool. I’m mostly happy with it, though it could stand some improving. For example, I could not find the spell check feature they swear is in there.

Anyway, the map is linked below. Have fun!

TED^x Boston Mind Map

TED^x Boston Mind Map

The map is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution – Noncommercial – Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Please let me know what you think.

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And now those Promised blog links.

• Ali Powell
• Bill Ives
• Kurt Eng
• Georgy Cohen
• The Twitter Feed
• The Facebook Page
• Flickr Photos
• HashAlbum
• Georgy Cohen
• Pete Bell
• Cesar Harada

More as I come across them.

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I was not the only person drawing like mad during the presentations. Graphic Facilitators from Collective Next were busily illustrating the key ideas in each presentation. They were displayed en masse at the post-conference reception.

Today I spent all day at TED^x Boston. My brain is full of intriguing ideas; some I agree with, some of which I’m not too sure of, all of which have me thinking. Thinking more than usual.

If you know me, that’s a lot of thinking.

What is TED^x Boston? For that matter, what is TED? Well, you could just follow the link, but I’ll tell you. TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. TED originally stood for Technology, Entertainment, Design, but the conference has grown in scope far beyond that.

What then is TED^x? TED^xis a new program that enables local communities such as schools, businesses, libraries, neighborhoods or just groups of friends to organize, design and host their own independent, TED-like events.

If you know me, you know that I’m a mind mapper. For me it is the fastest way for me to record notes in high density, along with recording connections amongst and between ideas. Plus, the physical act of diagramming improves my recall. Re-drawing my notes improves my recall even more, in addition to allowing me to tease out even more connections / references / reflections / refractions / contradictions in the idea space presented and represented.

That’s why I’m not going to say anything more about TED^x Boston until this coming Sunday. The mind maps I generated are so huge, that it will take that long for me to straighten them out. They’ll be an integral part of my next post.

Until then, Keep Thinking. Share those Ideas.