Normally, day-to-day wise, I’m not a mindmap kind of guy. However, come exam time, they’re one of the only things that work for me. I was pretty excited to hear that the new version of Mindmanager was on its way. Mindmanager 6 was the most complete software I have ever used. It is extremely hard to come up with a feature that they had missed without resulting to the impractical like, it doesn’t make coffee. So, without further ado, lets look at the new Mindmap Pro 7 from the ground up.

Well, first things first. It still doesn’t make coffee. Thankfully though, it hasn’t lost any functionality over the previous version. This new version utilizes the new ribbon interface which you can find in Office 2007. The ribbon interface is a replacement for the standard and formatting toolbars which sat at the top of your document and held all of your buttons. The ribbon interface now is a tabulated system which organizes your buttons in much better context. Microsoft likens the change from toolbars to ribbon as being similar to a physical change of office. This is a good analogy of how it feels because while the buttons are much tidier it is very hard to find some tools until you are familiar with it. The ribbon format does do a much better job of aesthetically organizing the abundance of Mindmanager features.

Mindmap Basics

A mind map is a diagram that you can use to express topics which (generally) expand from a central point. They’re great for representing ideas, words and tasks and are fantastic for aiding in study, decision making, organization and problem solving. Research has shown that mindmaps are a great way to organize information because they are very similar to the cognitive map that your brain creates when you learn information. Mindmaps organize information in a very logical way which makes it a great tool for studying.

Tony Buzan, who literally wrote the book on mindmaps suggests using the following foundation structures for Mind Mapping:

1. Start in the center with an image of the topic, using at least 3 colors.
2. Use images, symbols, codes, and dimensions throughout your Mind Map.
3. Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters.
4. Each word/image must be alone and sitting on its own line.
5. The lines must be connected, starting from the central image. The central lines are thicker, organic and flowing, becoming thinner as they radiate out from the center.
6. Make the lines the same length as the word/image.
7. Use colors – your own code – throughout the Mind Map.
8. Develop your own personal style of Mind Mapping.
9. Use emphasis and show associations in your Mind Map.
10. Keep the Mind Map clear by using radial hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace your branches.

Mindjet MindManager Pro7 makes making mindmaps simple. You can add arcs using insert or add nodes by pressing enter. Once you have used it a few times, you find that the interface is quite easy to use and that huge mindmaps can be made quickly without being messy at all.

Mindmanager has a huge range of styles which can be applied to maps in many different ways. A huge amount of freedom on how you connect your nodes allows you to express your information the way you want it. You can also choose from many different predefined formats which can make your maps look swanky in a single click.

How does Mindmanager satisfy the important points of mind mapping as set out by Tony Buzan?

Most maps start in the center of the page (though you don’t have to) and allow as many branches as you want. These can be easily colored and styled to however you want. You can pick the color from the palette or from an extended color picker offering at least 3 as recommended by point 1.Number 2 is also easily covered, a huge library of icons, pictures and background images can be accessed from a panel that appears on the right. The database is large and well organized so you don’t spend more time looking for pictures than you do writing your mind map. The maps are very clear and can be balanced with a click of a button. The default layout is perfect for satisfying points 3 and 4 with point 5 also being a default setting. The software resizes the bubbles automatically depending on the size and shapes of the surrounding bubbles and also depending on what information you have inside the bubbles. Hence, putting a big image doesn’t ruin the flow as the balancing button will take it into account (6) though I couldn’t seem to find a way to write text along a connecting arc. Points 7-9 are all personal style choices, Mindmanager is so flexible it is easy to find your own groove. Finally, 10 is easily covered through Mindmananager’s huge range of applyable styles, not constrained by just the radial style but including many tree type diagrams.

Mindmanager also has great review functions for editing and proofreading the work of yourself or others. Mind maps from Mindmanager can also be exported, converted or transported to many other formats and applications including Word 2007, JPG, PDF, email, text…the list goes on. Mindmanager’s plugin feature is also very powerful and already a number of useful add-ins for functions you didn’t know you needed are available for registered users.

How does MindManager work with a Tablet?

Its clear that there are plenty of features in Mindmanager to make great mindmaps but what you really want to know is how it goes with Tablets: It’s great. Inking some text just requires you to click to pen mode (in the bottom right corner) and away you go. Gestures are used to create and manipulate nodes. I had good success with the gestures, they worked reliably and the tablet help panel was very useful in getting me going and showing them clearly. Unlike some other of my favorite programs, Mindmanager doesn’t get confused with vista navigational pen flicks and in program gestures. Topics and text can be simply written in an appropriately sized box which pops up when you create a topic. Handwritten text can be converted to type with a button from the tools tab and from what I tried, it seems pretty reliable. Written type is not pressure sensitive in writing mode (which I prefer and love in Onenote) but it is when you’re inserting a sketch. I couldn’t get the erase to work on my m200 but haven’t tried it on any other computer so I wont list it as a con until someone else backs me up. Colors and styles all get applied without problems though I didn’t use any in the quick example.

In essence, if you need to take quick topic based notes or record the ideas at a brainstorming session, I doubt that there are any better ways of doing this. Inking is also great way to give your mindmaps a personal feel and gestures allows maps to be manipulated quickly and reliably. Up to now I never really bothered with ink mindmaps because I didn’t have a use for them but after seeing its ease of function it is definitely something I will try.

MindManager for Students

The theoretical advantages of mindmaps include the ability to recall information better. Studies showed a 10% increase over baseline for recall in undergraduate students. When applying that to an exam, everyone can use 10%. Obviously though, mind maps won’t be for everyone and mind maps can’t be applied to everything. They are definitely worth a go if your looking for a new way to study and record information. They are also ideal for brainstorming sessions.

Mindmanager isn’t the only mindmapping program on the web. There is Freemind which is under the GNU as well as a comprehensive list over at Wikipedia. Freemind is the best of the rest, especially since it is free. If your looking to give mindmapping a go and don’t want to spend any money on software then download freemind but if you are going to be doing any serious mindmapping or need the advantages of icons and colors to help you learn than Mindmanager pro 7 is well worth your money. You can get a trial from the Mindjet website and a lite version is available.

Pros:

• Comprehensive features
• Polished product
• Add-ins are good
• TabletPC functions are well implemented

Cons:

• Written text not pressure sensitive
• No way to write text along a connecting arc
• Fairly expensive ($349 from the online store)

Conclusion

Mindmaps are a great way to study and you can’t go past MindManager Pro 7 as a mindmap maker. It’s close to flawless, I had to think pretty hard to come up with the cons and even then they’re fairly trivial. The software is miles ahead of the competition and is on the same level as Office 2007 in terms of aesthetics, form and function. Its expensive but miles ahead of its competition and I would have to recommend it as a great study tool for students.

Tony’s Book on Mindmaps - Buzan, T. (1991). The Mind Map Book. New York: Penguin

Other posts that may interest you:

1. On The Lookout: RecallPlus to Add Ink
2. Request: Forced Study Application
3. Write any papers? InkGestures for Word is now released!
4. What’s in Robert’s ‘back to uni’ software box?
5. Study Smart With Your Tablet