The Mind Mapping Software Weblog

Mead Corporation launches web-based mapping tool for students: MeadMap

According to a report on Web 2.0 blog Mashable.com, Mead Corporation recently launched a new web-based mind mapping tool for students called MeadMap. The technology for MeadMap is provided by Comapping, which entered into a strategic relationship with Mead to provide a web-based visual mapping tool for the education market.

The interface looks just like Comapping, with a ribbon toolbar and a main topic in a gray vertical pane on the left side of the workspace, with branches radiating to the right. Mead and Comapping executives say that the two Web 2.0 applications will become more differentiated in the near future, as Comapping continues to target business users and MeadMap becomes more customized to meet the needs of students. Mead has deep roots in the education market, and could give this new Web 2.0 venture some major traction. It will be interesting to see how MeadMap evolves in the months ahead!

If you'd like to play around with MeadMapping, the two companies have graciously agreed to provide the readers of this blog with a special promotional code that you can use to sign up for 6 months of access. Normal pricing is US$12 for 6 months, or US$20 for a year. The Mind Mapping Software Blog promotional code is MINDTYP01, and is good for the first 500 users. Click here to register for MeadMap.

Mind mapping software comparison chart now available - for a limited time only

During the last year or so, I have maintained an extensive chart that compares the features of 22 desktop mind mapping programs. Normally, I only make this available as a bonus report for my e-books. But because it has generated such strong interest from so many people, I have decided to make it available as a separate report, for one week only.

The Mind Mapping Software Comparison chart covers over 80 features and program characteristics - the most exhaustive summary of these programs you'll find anywhere. Categories covered include:

• Operating system(s) supported
• Program versions
• Map formats/views offered
• Topic features
• Map-level features
• Advanced features
• Tablet PC support
• Overall interface features
• Microsoft Office integration
• Export formats supported

This information-packed chart is regularly updated as new versions of these software programs become available. In fact, for the sake of accuracy, I ask each software developer to update its own listing with all of the latest information, rather than relying on me visiting each developer's website. Several developers also recommend new features to be added to the chart, ensuring that it's as accurate and complete as possible. The chart even contains links to each developer's website for your convenience.

Because I have offered this comparison chart as part of a premium e-book package, I need to attach a value to it, so I don't upset my existing customers. Therefore, you can purchase it for only $9.95 - but only for a limited time – one week. After Friday, May 9, 2008, it will only be available as a bonus report once again.

So if you've ever wanted to know what other mind mapping software programs are on the market and what they have to offer, now's the time to invest in this inexpensive yet comprehensive software comparison chart.

Click here to order it

"Visual thinking school" reveals how to solve business issues, communicate better - with pictures

Dave Gray, the CEO of XPLANE, has launched a multi-part "Visual Thinking School" on Squidoo. It consists of a series of "lenses" (resource pages) that together form a "mini-course" on various facets of visual thinking, including:

• An introduction to visual thinking
• Visual communication skills - how to make your messages more clear, concise and consistent
• Visual vocabulary - Learn about a set of elements, or visual "words" that make communicating visually possible
• Visual thinking tools - This lens is still under construction, but Dave's tools of choice are pencil/pen and paper.
• Visual thinking spaces - Some work spaces are more conducive to visual thinking than others. Dave shares some tips for setting up your workspace to support it.
• Sketching - All about learning to "see" visually - it's not as hard as you think!
• Signs, symbols and icons - These elements are ways to represent a complete thought in a simple way. Dave explains how to utilize them.
• Information design - This is the discipline of developing structures which allow people to find information that's relevant to them (e.g., website design and structure is a great example)
• Visual mapping - A way to think through complex problems or solve problems - visually. This mini-course does focus on mind maps, concept maps, flow charts and other techniques.

Dave is a pretty brilliant guy. Even though most of these presentations don't deal directly with mind mapping or mind mapping software, many of the underlying principles and concepts are here, and are explained briefly and clearly. I highly recommend that you check out these visual thinking resources!

Developer of Mind42 provides update, new features

After several months of silence, Stefan Schuster, the developer of Mind42, recently posted an update to his blog about this web-based mind mapping application. After working his way through some server issues, he has returned to developing new features for Mind42, which he hopes to move out of beta testing in the near future.

New in the latest build are these features:

• An improved map dialog, which now includes thumbnail previews of each of your maps stored on the web service.
• Image/PDF export, one of the most wanted features by users of Mind42. You can now export your maps to PDF or PNG (an image format).

It's nice to see that Mind42 continues to move forward. After a strong start, this collaboration-focused visual mapping tool appeared to be dead in the water. That's the problem, I suppose, when the developer is one person - he or she may get sidetracked by other priorities for a period of time, and then the application languishes for a while...

MindMeister 2.0 launches with numerous enhancements

Developer Codemart GmbH announced the launch of MindMeister 2.0 yesterday. MindMeister has been one of the most popular web-based mind mapping tools since its introduction in 2007. This new version of the application includes many new features, plus a new Team Edition. Here's a summary of what's new in MindMeister 2.0:

• Task support: Topics can now contain task information, such as priority and percentage complete.
• File attachments: Premium users of MindMeister can attach files to map topics.
• WunderLink performs a Yahoo search and inserts the number one search result in your map. Why would you want this? It could be a terrific way to bring new creative stimuli into your mind map - sort of an idea catalyst - cool!
• WunderNote performs FreeBase (a competitor to Wikipedia in the collective human knowledge space) look-ups based on the name of the currently selected topic, and inserts the results in a topic note.
• Sub-sharing for maps: People you have approved to collaborate on a map can now invite others to edit it. Of course, this is an option you can turn off if you're not comfortable with it!
• Formatting and navigation enhancements: You can now apply text styles selectively to child ideas. MindMeister 2.0 now offers improved formatting of first level branches, and the ability to expand and collapse map levels.
• Note and link enhancements: The notes editor is now larger, and offers more text formatting options. MindMeister 2.0 adds a links widget in the sidebar, plus a "Show popular links" command for more idea stimulation.

The Team Edition of MindMeister, previously available as a web service, also gains some new features. For example, you can brand the login page with your corporate logo. You can also access your team's MindMeister workspace through a branded subdomain (such as acmecompany.mindmeister.com). You can also import your team list into MindMeister Team Edition using a CSV file, which should help you to get your team collaborating faster than ever with this robust, web-based mapping tool.

I can see that I'm going to need to spend some serious time with MindMeister 2.0 to find out how all of this cool new stuff works. I'll let you know what I think of it some time next week, I hope!

MatchWare launches OpenMind 2 for Mac Edition

MatchWare, the developers of the excellent OpenMind 2 for Windows, recently launched a Mac OS X version of their flagship mind mapping software program. It appears to have all of the features and functionality of the Windows version, including export to Microsoft Word, HTML websites and an interactive Timeline view. OpenMind Mac Edition is priced at $279 USD; the program is available at select Apple retail stores or directly from MatchWare.

Mindjet debuts beta version of shared workspace tool for MindManager

For the past several weeks, a select group of MindManager users (including yours truly) got to participate in the first phase of a private beta program for Mindjet Connect, a new online collaboration tool that will allow MindManager 7.2 users to create secure workspaces and share their maps and attached files with others. Mindjet just announced that the non-disclosure period for Mindjet Connect has just been lifted, so I can finally tell you about this exciting new tool.

You start by downloading a MindManager 7.2 update, which installs a Mindjet Connect sign-in button at the bottom of the program's workspace. You can use this button to login and create a new workspace, invite others and set several levels of access control for them. When you're connected to the Mindjet Connect server, a new Mindjet Connect tabbed window appears; you can easily toggle between the Mindjet Connect window for workspaces and MindManager for mapping.

The Mindjet Connect window contains a ribbon toolbar similar to MindManager 7, which provides a convenient set of tools for creating new workspaces, adding users, and managing documents and maps. Users can be invited to participate in a shared workspace via e-mail. You can designate users as owners, who have full rights for access management and adding and editing content; authors, who can only add and edit content; and readers, who can only view content. The toolbar also offers two online meeting tools: an instant meeting that is similar to a WebEx or GoToMeeting session, and online chat.

You can easily create new documents using the Mindjet Connect window, or import them from your PC. MindManager maps, Microsoft Office documents and other files that have been created or uploaded to a workspace are displayed in a clean, easy to understand tabular format.

MindManager maps created using Mindjet Connect or imported to a workspace are shared maps; that is, multiple members can edit the same map at the same time - in other words, real-time collaboration - cool! When you're "co-mapping" a map, Mindjet Connect gives you a visual indication of the other members who are viewing or editing the map.

The chat function of Mindjet Connect functions very similar to other instant messaging applications, appearing in a separate window. The Instant Meeting application enables you to share your screen with other members of your workspace. Within this collaboration tool, you can communicate with each other via text chat, voice or video transmission. It also provides whiteboarding tools, which you can use to mark up the map that is shared on the screen.

The bottom line is that this new collaboration tool significantly extends MindManager's capabilities into some exciting new areas. The Mindjet Connect workspace appears to be robust, well designed and fairly easy to use.

Users of mind mapping software have been asking for years for more tools that will enable them to share their maps with others and collaborate more easily. In the last year or so, developers of web-based mind mapping tools have answered this call, but we haven't seen much movement from the major developers of desktop mind mapping software. It's great to see that Mindjet has decided to move aggressively into the world of online collaboration!

Mindjet hasn't announced a release date or pricing for Mindjet Connect; the next step is for the developer to expand its beta program to additional MindManager users. It will be interesting watching this new tool evolve into its final form!

MindPlan integrates mind mapping, project management to an unprecedented level

I recently discovered a mind mapping program for Lotus Notes that integrates project management tools to an extent that I have never seen before. MindPlan was created by a German developer, Haus Weilgut, and it makes project management tools like GANTT charts, milestones, resource allocation and progress tracking an integral part of the application, not an afterthought.

I wasn't able to run the trial version of MindPlan on my laptop because I don't use Lotus Notes, but I did download a very impressive PowerPoint "demo" (click on the "MindPlan Usage" button) that does a surprisingly good job of highlighting the program's main features. Here are some of the things that impressed me the most about MindPlan:

• You can start to develop an outline of your project plan in a mind map view that appears to be well designed and easy to use. A right-hand panel contains a very helpful tab called "your next steps" that makes it easy to understand what you can do at each step of the project definition and management process. Each task is a hyperlink; when you click one, a dialog box pops up on screen that enables you to carry it out. This is a very nice usability enhancement that should be appreciated by new users!
• You can insert pre-defined map segments with a single mouse click. The PowerPoint demo shows a "project structure" branch being added to a sample project map, which already contains sub-topics for project concept and planning, realization (implementation) and project closure. Nice!
• The task and activity dialog boxes are quite comprehensive, with multiple tabs that let you do everything from noticing a task's estimated duration and who is responsible, to attaching supporting documents.
• An integrated GANTT editor lets you view your developing project in a tabular view, with all topics and sub-topics in a hierarchical outline view.
• As part of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) process, costs for activities are accumulated and consolidated numbers are compiled at each topic and sub-topic, making it easy to see total estimated costs for a project in a very visual presentation.
• At the top of the workspace, tabs provide access to numerous views and reports, including resource allocation, milestone and date overview, activities that are exceeding their target duration or where actual costs have deviated from estimated costs. These views provide a depth and clarity of reporting that is really quite impressive!
• Nearly all projects require meetings of team members, so it's not surprising to see that MindPlan provides tools for adding meeting planning details (an agenda, send meeting invitations via Lotus Notes, etc.) to your project maps. MindPlan can automatically calculate meeting duration from the estimated times you have entered for each agenda item.

If my brief description of MindPlan's notable features sounds intriguing, then I recommend that you download the PowerPoint demo (available as a ZIP file). This page also contains 2 Flash presentations that are designed to familiarize you with the program's key features.

The only disappointment, in my opinion, is that MindPlan is only designed to work in Lotus Notes environments. Hopefully, Haus Weilgut will expand support for other operating systems in the future!

XMIND 2008 v2.3 features MindManager integration

Mango Software has just announced the launch of XMIND 2008 version 2.3, which enables XMIND users to import maps from MindManager, as well as export XMIND maps to the native MindManager file format. According to the updates page, apparently XMIND could import MindManager files before, but not without some problems. The process has been improved, so map layout, relationships, boundaries and other map enhancements can be reliably imported into XMIND, with all of the details intact.

XMIND 2008 v2.3 also features some enhancements to the map filter. By default, no map markers or labels are selected by default, so your entire map is displayed. Clicking on a map marker or label immediately filters your map's contents to show only those topics that are so marked. Selecting additional marker or label continues to add them to the filter. Clicking on the "remove filter" button returns you to a full map view.

Finally version 2.3 contains some improvements to map printing, including measuring margins by metric (mm) or English (inch) measurements.

For more information about this major update, please view the XMIND news page.

Cayra announces map viewer service

Cayra.NET, a developer of a new mind mapping/concept mapping application, has just announced the availability of a Cayra maps online viewer. At first, I thought this was an application that allowed anyone to view Cayra maps, even if you don't have the program. But in reality, it appears to be an online repository, where you can post and share your maps with others.

You can easily upload your maps here, but I had a hard time figuring out where the main map library page is that lists all of the maps uploaded so far. Apparently you must share at least one map in order to view the file library.