Why Diagrams Matter in PKM: A Beginner's Guide

[@georgeboole3836]

Could you please share the excalidraw you made here? It would really help me to be able to quickly reference all these diagram types for future inspiration!

[@Hi-sc1dw]

Agreed

[@VisualPKM]

I've uploaded my diagram samples to here: excalidraw.com/#json=pwLtCkoKZVEkywvXNYjau,kbljw8nPClZPYrv5xJiSUA

[@danlandrum]

Good question re: what does PKM mean to the user. As with most words and phrases, usage defines the answer to your question. Usage changes over time. In my case, PKM means organizing ideas and contemporaneous notes in a way that creates expressible and actionable meaning. Note-taking is an essential part of my epistemic method, and Obsidian has become my most trusted tool. Your videos are master classes on visual note taking which for me is most useful in the organizational and presentational stages of working with my notes.

[@VisualPKM]

and which diagram type do you most frequently use when processing your notes? e.g. when you compare incoming new information to notes already in your Vault?

[@danlandrum]

I typically begin with blocks. Those blocks often get arranged into hierarchies or trees, which then get arranged into layouts. I tend to *think* in mindmaps, so processing in maps feels natural. An alien looking at my maps might think they're mostly unfinished works, which would be true, however this doesn't mean the work to which the map relates is unfinished. My goal is rarely to produce a map, rather, it is to process project information. When I get to the stage where decisions have been made and the next work steps are clear. I simply move on to those steps. @@VisualPKM

[@VisualPKM]

🎁 Download the diagram examples: excalidraw.com/#json=pwLtCkoKZVEkywvXNYjau,kbljw8nPClZPYrv5xJiSUA ✏ Sign up for the Visual Thinking Workshop: www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/ 🚀 Cohort 8 starts on 6 April 2024. 📔 We will process Atomic Habits by James Clear into a Book on a Page 🤝 Let's meet at the PKM Summit: pkmsummit.com/

[@wisdomseeker3937]

So glad to find your channel ❤

[@salemelatar7801]

Thanks zsolt, your works and channel are super useful. Could you share the Excalidraw file (or the exported image ) you used in the video?

[@VisualPKM]

I've uploaded my diagram samples to here: excalidraw.com/#json=pwLtCkoKZVEkywvXNYjau,kbljw8nPClZPYrv5xJiSUA

[@remix.ethereal]

It is a super work.Thanks zsolt.

[@PierreJohnsonOnline]

Great crash course on illustrations, and mainly diagrams. My question would be: how do you automatize certain useful types in Obsidian?

[@VisualPKM]

What do you mean by automation? The process of creating these diagrams is the thinking process itself. For clarity, I don't advocate for example that you should create a table for your SWOT, then generate a pretty quadrant diagram, but rather that you should ditch the table and add elements to your SWOT on a whiteboard, or whatever tool you use. I've done SWOT's on powerpoint slides as well... of course when I do a SWOT in Obsidian I will certainly use Excalidraw. I do sometimes use the prompt to mermaid diagram feature in Excalidraw (I talk about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2LZo4Z9d8eKndE), but once the initial flowchart is ready I typically re-draw it completely as I make sense of the information. In this video I did not talk about data visualization, I think that is a completely different story. Excalidraw has some super basic features for that (I talk about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmmxm6Ntj72Ml8k) If you need more than that, just yesterday I saw this thread on X related to that: x.com/Marco_Mindstone/status/1763651654669250927?s=20

[@bozhidarmanev6772]

Do you mind sharing your slides. I would love to copy some of the diagrams and keep them in a template that I can index creating a new diagram. Thank you

[@VisualPKM]

I've uploaded my diagram samples to here: excalidraw.com/#json=pwLtCkoKZVEkywvXNYjau,kbljw8nPClZPYrv5xJiSUA

[@kaneshkaTajik]

could you please add templates like xmind, so for example when we add a new entry into it excalidraw automatically extends the mindmap for us, now I do it manually and it takes time!? thanks

[@VisualPKM]

that is a nice idea. Thanks.

[@derEarl]

Thanks for this nice introduction. I liked the way you presented it very much. I am wondering how you made this animation in your presentation. Is there any plug-in or script?

[@VisualPKM]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKjKpXaofruYe7c

[@derEarl]

That is just awesome!

[@businessgeek1716]

When I see your impressive visual PKM system, I can't help but think how could I embed that into my system as well. Unfortunately I keep coming down to the same conclusion that for my needs and goals, visual elements add complexity without really improving neither my note taking experience, nor the quality of the insights from my vault. I can do just fine with a collection of simple but well formatted and interlinked text notes. I still have the feeling of missing out cool stuff that you already implemented in your vault, but at the same time I must have the feeling of authenticity about my vault - my vault has to represent me, my personality, my way of working with knowledge. It is what it is, I guess.

[@VisualPKM]

Thanks for sharing. Your comment triggered two parallel thoughts in my mind. 1) We are different and that is the beauty of life, that there isn't a single good solution. 2) It is hard to separate nature from nurture. Think about this: how much time (how many years net time) did you spend learning to read, write, getting to know literature, developing a vocabulary, practicing verbal and written skills... then think about the amount of time you spent learning and practicing visual tools and visual thinking. By visual I don't mean art class, but the art of thinking on paper with diagrams, illustrations, etc.

[@abelmaestrogarcia6650]

To tell the story of ruins that transform over 3,000 years, what kind of diagram? A timeline and right and left? Could you help me get started, I've been watching your videos for a long time, I've followed you on the sly, but it's time to learn from you, although I feel very lost, I have a tree-like brain, and I think that when I learn some of your knowledge it will make me better communicator, since traditional writing is too linear to express myself.

[@VisualPKM]

It depends on the story you want to tell and the medium you'll use to share your content. Is it just an account of historical dates, in this case a horizontal or vertical timeline might be the best. Are you telling a story with ups and downs? Then maybe one of the roadmaps or the spiral works better. In my experience it is super important to articulate the message you want to tell with your diagram. Before drawing the diagram try to write a single sentence that you want people to think after reviewing your diagram, and choose the type that best helps you convey that message.

[@wangyeelinpamela]

this was really helpful but the background music is really jarring