My personal take: I regularly use outlining software. So XMind and a number of other apps allow you to display your mind map as an outline.įrom here you can add or edit your text, including adding new nodes, indenting and outdenting them, and adding notes. Mind maps and outlines are very similar: they organize a topic hierarchically.
The themes and templates offered are attractive, and allow you to jump-start your mind map. My personal take: Mind maps can be created rapidly with XMind using just the keyboard-which is crucial when brainstorming-and plenty of formatting options are available. Here’s a mind map I created when planning this XMind review. …or to format the mind map in various ways.Įven the structure of the mind map can be modified so that you can control where topics appear relative to the main idea. Using icons in the top right, you can open a pane to add icons and stickers to a node… For example, you can show a relationship between two nodes by selecting them both (using command-click), then clicking the Relationship icon. There are icons along the top for doing the same with the mouse, as well as a few additional tasks. So creating mind maps with the keyboard is quite rapid with XMind. For example, if I select “Main Topic 2” by clicking on it with the mouse, pressing Enter creates “Main Topic 3”.įrom there, I just need to start typing, and the text is replaced. XMind: ZEN allows you to create new nodes without touching the mouse. Using the keyboard when beginning a new mind map allows you to get your ideas out of your head as quickly as possible, which is perfect for brainstorming. Your nodes can be structured in a hierarchy to show relationships. Each piece of information is called a node. Typically, a mind map is structured with a central idea in the center, with related thoughts and topics branching out from there. For example, here is one that maps out the Porsche voicemail system.Īnother demonstrates how you can get creative with healthy snacks.Īnd another-that looks more like a table than a mind map-compares iPhone models.
…or from a library of templates, where a sample mind map has already been created for you. XMind gives you a choice of selecting a theme… When creating a mind map, you don’t have to start from scratch. Note: the screenshots below were taken from XMind: ZEN, which was replaced with a newer version later on. In each subsection, I’ll explore what the app offers and then share my personal take. XMind is all about mind mapping, and I’ll list the app’s features in the following five sections.
#Serial xmind pro trial#
I hadn’t tried the new version of XMind before, so I downloaded the trial version to get to know it. Over the years I’ve used most of the major apps, including MindManager, MindMeister, XMind, iThoughts, and MindNode. Using mind maps on the iPad is a more tactile experience, and works well, though adding thoughts can be slower. On the Mac, I like to get my ideas down quickly using the keyboard and use the mouse to move ideas around and create some structure.
#Serial xmind pro software#
Now I use mind mapping software on both my Mac and iPad.
I also found mind mapping on paper to be a quick way to get started on a new article or project. I started with the open-source app FreeMind, one of the only apps available at the time. Why Trust Me for This XMind Review?Īround ten years ago, I discovered mind maps and realized how useful they are when planning and brainstorming. He popularized the concept in his book “Use Your Head”. Because it activates the right brain and makes it easy to show the relationships between ideas, it’s a useful practice for note-taking, brainstorming, problem-solving, outlining writing projects, and more.ĭiagrams have been used to visually organize information for centuries, and in the 1970s Tony Buzan coined the term “mind map”. No cloud sync between devices.Ī mind map is a diagram with the central idea in the middle, and related ideas radiating out like a tree. What I Don’t Like: Subscription-based model won’t suit everyone. What I Like: Mind maps are easy to create using the keyboard. You never know, XMind may offer the right balance of features and usability to sway you. I recommend you add it to your shortlist, then evaluate the trial versions of several apps to see which best meets your needs. There are more fully-featured apps (at a price) if you need them, and other alternatives offer similar features at a cheaper price, but also include cloud sync.
However, it is not substantially better than its competitors. XMind offers a smooth workflow, a responsive graphics engine, a distraction-free mode, and all the basic features you’ll need to create and format mind maps. By spreading ideas over the page rather than in a straight line, new relationships become apparent, aiding understanding. Mind maps are like outlines that engage the creative right brain.
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