Group items tagged

What is "best" depends so much on how you use mind maps. Some people use them for study, some for planning projects, some for organizing information, some for sparking ideas and facilitating brainstorming sessions, some for planning the writing of a report or blog. Some mindmap alone, others mindmap in groups. Most of us probably do all of these from time to time, so we need a quiver full of arrows to choose from, some free, some not so free.

All things mindmapping

List of resources at mindmap art

Describes the difference

A long list with links to mindmapping software

"The Visual Thinking Mind Map breaks down how the use of images, clear design and creativity can greatly improve comprehension and convenience in the world around us. In addition the mind map explores how visual thinking can be utilised to provide simple instructions, create user-friendly products and services and share knowledge and ideas. The full Blog Post via the download link below expands the ideas further."

The Emotional Intelligence Mind Map will help you to understand feelings and emotions. The Mind Map breaks down how emotions impact our daily life and work; including acknowledging and responding to our emotions and those of others, plus methods for confronting and processing emotions from awareness and discussion through to action. In addition the Mind Map highlights practices and techniques for taking charge of our emotions.

The Creative Intelligence Mind Map will help you to learn more about creativity and expand your brain power and life experience through greater connection with the world around you. The Mind Map breaks down enhancing the senses, brain boosting, methods of creativity and expanding knowledge, experience and originality. In addition, it covers the characteristics of creative learning and further developing your artistic abilities.

Mind-mapping.org has a good capability for selecting software by map type and operating system (click on the 'Refine software list' tab at the top right of its web page), and shows the price. Unfortunately, it doesn't allow you to filter on price or choose to see only the free ones. This article is therefore a quick list to current software that is free or has a free option. It excludes applications that have a time limit on their operation, for example, free trial software or web applications.

"Cacoo is a user friendly online drawing tool that allows you to create a variety of diagrams such as site maps, wire frames, UML and network charts. Cacoo can be used free of charge."

A concept map that links to articles on learning theories

"The Visual Understanding Environment (VUE) is an Open Source project based at Tufts University. The VUE project is focused on creating flexible tools for managing and integrating digital resources in support of teaching, learning and research. VUE provides a flexible visual environment for structuring, presenting, and sharing digital information. "

"Text 2 Mind Map is a web application that converts texts to mind maps. It takes a structured list of words or sentences, interprets it, and draws a mind map out of them."

With Lovely Charts' extremely simple and intuitive drag'n drop drawing mechanism, you'll be able to focus on what really matters. You won't have to draw boxes or arrows, and you won't have to worry about what symbol to use.