I've seen mind maps presented as the output of brainstorm sessions, and I was never that impressed with the technique, but one of the sessions at ETech made me reconsider. Mind mapping can be very useful for getting the creative juices to flow, and it's more powerful when used by an individual than when used by a group. However, the end result is highly personal, and truly meaningful only to the person who created the mind map.

That said, Tony Buzan's book isn't very good. It's poorly written in the sense that the authors tell you what they're going to say, say it, and then tell you what they've said, in every single five-page chapter. It's unbelievably repetitive. Also, Buzan is very quick to take credit for inventing a technique that's been around forever, and that rubs me the wrong way. Mind mapping isn't nearly as great as Buzan tries to make out, but in spite of that, it's a useful tool.