Add context to your maps with customized icon and text markers to align teams and accelerate processes.
Customizing markers is both useful for maps that you create for yourself but possibly more important for maps shared across teams. These markers create a common language and can be used to support a consistent process across teams that interact with maps together.
I illustrated in earlier posts (see related links below) how to use markers to select and filter maps. Establish predefined queries to make it easy for team members to quickly focus their attention to the areas that are relevant to their function on the team.
There are several ways to customize map markers. They include:
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Rename markers
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Set marker group to be mutually exclusive
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Add or remove icon markers
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Add or remove text markers
Today, we’ll cover the first two and tomorrow we’ll explore the latter.
Rename Markers: Add relevant names to your icon markers. When anyone opens the map and hovers over the icon, the name of the icon will be displayed. You can also add a legend into your map to help others understand the iconography.
- To rename markers, open up the Map Markers pane.
- Right click on a marker.
- Select ‘rename’ and enter the new name.
Set Marker Group to be Mutually Exclusive: This option lets you decide whether or not you can have more than one icon from the icon group on a single topic or not. If the icon group is set to be mutually exclusive, you can click the icon marker on a topic and it will change to be the next available marker in the group.
For instance, task priority markers and task complete % are always mutually exclusive. If you have a marker set to priority one and you click the marker on the topic it’ll move to be priority two. Other icon marker groups can be set to be either mutually exclusive or not. For instance, the flags can either force one flag per topic or allow multiple flags on a topic.
To change the exclusivity of an icon or text marker group:
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Open up the Map Markers pane.
- Right click on the marker group.
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Select Mutually Exclusive.
If there is a check mark next to the Mutually Exclusive option, then it is set to be mutually exclusive. If the option is grayed out, then you cannot change the option (e.g. task priority markers and task complete % are always mutually exclusive).
If you’re new to this series, you can catch up here:
- Map Markers: What are they?
- Map Markers: How to Codify Maps with Icons & Text Markers
- Map Markers: How to Use Markers to Simplify Map Editing
- Map Markers: Focus on What Matters Most
Now it’s your turn! Add your questions and comments about Map Markers below! I’ll continue to address them in this series.
About the Author: Michael Deutch is Mindjet’s Chief Evangelist, content contributor for the Mindjet Blog and the Mindjet Connections newsletter. Get more from Michael on Twitter.
