I’ve found myself sketching out concepts using mindmapping tools more frequently these days. I first tried the idea about 6 years ago, and while I can’t say I was hooked, I found it useful. The first tool I used was freemind, and while it got the job done, it was only usable by me. Sending freemind files to most of my clients wouldn’t have worked – it’s a bit too clunky of an interface, and a bit too unusable for average people I’ve found.
I’d longed for a web-based version which I could invite people to on a one-off basis, for easy input/mods from them, but without requiring any install. Over the last year I’ve found a few which have fit the bill, although I’ve not committed to any one in particular yet.
Mindmeister is a nice looking, easy to use tool. It was one of the first ones I tried, and the collaborators who’ve used it with me have liked it a lot.
Mind42 is another I’ve used recently, and I’d originally tried it because I didn’t think mindmeister had a ‘export to freemind’ option. Turns out it does, but it’s a feature that is only for premium subscribers. Mind42 offers freemind format exports free of charge, which is certainly a nice touch.
Both of these tools use freemind-like keyboard controls, and while I had a little harder of a time getting used to the keycontrols in mind42, it also offered a nice menu of options on each node right there for the clicking. This would probably make it a bit more friendly for people new to the mind-mapping concept.
What other mind-mapping tools do you use?
