MindMap: how to work with it, and what are the features of XMind and IThoughts services

The main advantage of electronic MindMap is that such maps are built quickly and edited easily. In them, you can even have time to outline the stream of consciousness of ideas, which is often difficult to grasp due to the large amount of information. Let's talk about XMind, the most convenient of the free programs, and a little about beautiful software for IOS, the IThough service.

MindMap Editing Features

If you don't like something in the final version, it's easy to fix. Take the branch that needs to be corrected and drag it with the mouse (cursor) to the appropriate part of the map.

The flexibility of editing lies in the fact that you can always make a more beautiful, neat and complete map from a draft primary version.

Personalization in MindMap

Symbols are something that helps a lot when there is a lot of information. MindMap has a selection of icons to help distinguish one part of an idea from another. In addition, almost all MindMap editors have the ability to add photos, pictures and other images. They can be attached to a specific branch:

If you need to connect the disparate points of your MindMap,  use the arrows to make logical connections:

What else can be added to MindMap? Use ready-made blocks of text, hyperlinks, attach documents. Thus, from a simple mind map, your MindMap document becomes a repository of ideas and information.
Another plus of electronic cards is that they are convenient to store. If you have to allocate space in your office or closet for A3 paper maps, then the MindMap file, in addition to being stored electronically, regardless of the amount of information, also weighs a little. And if you don't trust physical external drives and don't want to store information on your work computer, create an account in the cloud.

Cloud storage

Minimizes the possibility of losing MindMap files. In addition, if you write each note with the expectation that you will use it in the future, then the best place to store it is hard to imagine. After all, in the cloud, your MindMap files will be available wherever you are. Most importantly, don't forget to sync your devices and accounts to access your smart cards.

MindMap software

There are many programs for working with mind maps: Mind Manager, Free Mind, X Mind, Mindomo, MindMeister and others. But we are not supporters of articles from the series "50 mind maps that you will not read to the end and that you will never use." We recommend and write reviews only of the software that we use ourselves with pleasure.

X Mind – an overview of the service for creating mind maps

XMind is one of the most downloaded programs at the time of this writing. And there is something to download it for:

Why we like XMind

1 First, X Mind is a multi-platform service. Friendly with Windows, MacOS, unix systems also supports version of this application.
2 Free limited version is suitable for 90% of tasks. Despite the fact that the free version does not include some beautiful skins and tools for corporate work. But "for myself" X Mind is enough.
3 The program X Mind has no problems with the speed of work.
4 Nice interface

Good paid software for IOS – IThoughts service

This is a great program. It is paid, but very pleasant. This program is also good because it understands most smart card formats and saves files in different formats. So if necessary, IThough can even be used as a converter.
More pluses? The IThough program can work “with the cloud" and with “dropbox”. And if you are already working in XMind, then X-files can be easily opened and saved in this program.

A few more words on how to create maps:

In fact, creating beautiful, meticulously designed cards is not at all necessary. You can use this tool in different ways:

• Just sketches of thoughts. When you create a "quick hierarchy" for a flood of ideas. It works well if you work with paper maps.
• Pedantic work on each branch of the thought tree. Finding the best wording. Only here it becomes possible to get too carried away with “naming” and forget about the essence.

Note: So that the time you spent reading the article was not in vain – install XMind or any other program right now, and sketch out a summary of some nearest lecture, task or project. You can also do vacation planning, all the work with cards is limited only by your imagination.