In-Tray

The most important folder in your e-mail program is most likely the Inbox that collects incoming e-mail.

One of the most critical issues in project management is working with incoming elements.

Many experienced mappers have a map named In-Tray, and use it like an Inbox. This map holds information that comes from different sources: a phone call, a letter with directions for some project, notes from meetings, ideas, thoughts, and so on.

The purpose of this map is simple and very important. It collects incoming information and tasks. For example, you are working on a task or project when someone calls you and discusses another project. To record ideas or new tasks, open the project in MindManager and store the information on its In-Tray branch. It is easier to drop information into an In-Tray map and analyze it when you have time, just like when you process your e-mails.

Create an In-Tray map with a Central Topic named In-Tray and drop your incoming information into it. Regularly open it and check all the new tasks. You can immediately complete some tasks (< 2 minutes) or move the tasks and information to related project maps.

All your project maps should have an In-Tray branch, and it has the same function as the In-Tray map. This branch will store incoming tasks/information related to a project. When working on the project, you first look through the In-tray items and decide what to do.

The keyword In-Tray will collect the In-Tray branches from all projects during data collection. You may work with them directly in the collection map or go to the topic link's source map.