Mind mapping features [closed]

Question

I work with Mindomo, a mind mapping software.

If you ever heard or even used mind mapping, what features should a software like this "must have"?

If you want to play around with it, I can give away some free premium accounts :)

Answer 1

Necessary/useful features of a MindMapping software?

Some ideas:

"Full navigation and editing" possible with keyboard shortcuts (without the mouse!!) is for me the most important thing for brainstorming, etc., that means:

• create/delete/edit nodes
• move nodes
• navigate to a node
• select nodes

• show/hide child nodes or entire branches

• search feature (full text)

• create filter criteria and show/hide nodes according to the criteria (best, if criteria can be saved and easily loaded/switched)
  • adding hyperlinks to files/urls to a node
  • creating links between nodes
  • add comments to a node, which are hidden to save space (but can be viewed if necessary)

Customizable style sheets for nodes are really helpful to create consistent layout. Adding icons or images to a node can help making the mindmap nicer and more "brain-compatible".

For my work, it was also useful to be able to add LaTeX formulae to a node.

Further interesting features are * import to add information from other sources (e. g. a list of words/lines to create a new node for each one) * export to create the structure of a document or presentation based on the mindmap or maybe a html page

Answer 2

For me most essential features are: keyboard-friendly input and navigation, auto align and ability to export in different formats (image, pdf, text).

Answer 3

• good integration with host operating system (drag-n-drop, copy-paste, etc)
• good graph layout which keeps the right amount of space between nodes, and updates the layout as you change the nodes.

Answer 4

I am embarked upon a quest for a concept/mind mapping program even as I type this. The holy grail of my quest:

• Works on Linux.
• Attractive, but not overly fancy.
• Nodes as closed shapes, rather than text just sitting on a line.
• Ability to do concept mapping (no hierarchy, lots of cross-connections).
• Keyboard shortcuts.
• Local storage in non-proprietary file format.
• Ability to sync with mobile devices over a data cable (or SD card), rather than just over server sync.
• Snap-to-grid for rearranging map.
• Filtering (for example, show just the nodes connecting to a selected node).
• Ability to link to local files. (Don't need a ton of room for comments within a node if I can just link to a Markdown file.)

Answer 5

First of all, I agree with the features Martin is suggesting, and being able to do (just about) everything with the keyboard is critical for me as well.

I think the most important things for me that I would like to see in mind mapping software are things that make it as much like doing mind mapping on paper as possible. For example, the following:

• Freeform placement. Many mind mapping apps automatically align nodes in groups or circle them around the parent, but one of the reasons I love mind mapping is that I can put things wherever I want them.
• Hierarchical maps with easy navigation. If I have a map with a central node, Projects, and child nodes ProjA, ProjB, etc, I want to be able to have the ProjA node link to a sub-map where ProjA is a central node.
• Easy cross-device sync for desktop version of app, optional desktop sync with webapp/cloud service.
• Free-form shapes/drawing in maps. I like to use the space creatively when I mind map, it's half the benefit of the technique. I want to be able to draw my own lines between nodes, draw my own circles around nodes, color things, etc.

Here is a picture of how my use of mind mapping has progressed since I started using the technique to take notes in my classes. Give me software that lets me do things like the rightmost page, and I will throw money at you.