Hi, Welcome to post about Microsoft Office Mind Mapping Tools. With this, you can make your mind map more easy and efficient. Mind map is actually easy to make, especially if you are familiar with the visual organization. However, there are also some challenges when creating mind map because you have to organize all of your information in a clear way.
Have you ever tried using mind map in Microsoft office? Mind mapping software generally helps to lay out the different topics, come up with new ideas, organize one’s work in an orderly manner, and more. Also, mind mapping can be used to visually communicate your ideas in a more interesting format.
What is a Mind Map?
Mind maps are perfectly used in many situations like a brainstorming session, which enables you to present ideas more effectively.
FreeMind
FreeMind is a free open source mind mapping software for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It is a featured software designed to let you represent your ideas and thoughts in the form of mind maps. This software can be used for the creation of both simple as well complex mind maps. The tools to generate mind maps are quite straightforward and easy to use. Hence, you wouldn’t face any problem using this software. Let’s see what are the main highlights of this software.
Main Features:
- To draw a mind map representing your ideas, you can insert topics as Parent Node, Child Node, Sibling Node, Encrypted Node (password protected topic), Cloud, etc. You can link nodes or topics with graphical link.
- Each node can be depicted with a particular icon such as question, important, priority, traffic lights, phone, list, email, etc. These icons are present within this software.
- It provides Layout View and HTML Code View to edit a topic/ node.
- You can enter simple text, hyperlinks, images, and other types of content to your mind maps.
- It provides an Import option which lets you add a directory structure, MindManager X5 maps, linked branches, etc., to the current map.
- The mind map and its content can be formatted using options like font formatting, node shape (bubble or fork), node color, node background color, edge color, blinking node, etc.
- You also get various easy navigation features in it, like Move to Root, Node Up, Node Down, Unfold All, Fold All, etc.
- It lets you export created mind maps in a good number of formats including HTML, XHTML, OpenOffice Writer document, PNG, JPEG, PDF, SVG, TWiki, Java Applet, Flash, etc.
- You can also encrypt an entire mind map to prevent any unauthorized access to it.
- This software has a multi-tab interface. So, you can work on multiple mind maps at once in it.
Additional Features:
Some handy tools to manage complex mind map diagrams are also provided in it, such as Split Nodes, Join Nodes, Change Root Node, Sort Children, Share Map, Join Map, Attribute Manager, Assign Attributes, etc.
FreeMind is one of the best open source mind mapping software. It also acts as a proper knowledge base software which lets you store interconnected knowledge items in the form of mind maps. Although it contains lots of features and tools, it is quite easy to use too.
Coggle (Web)
The moment you start a diagram in Coggle, you’ll see the central node of a new mind map, along with an enticing plus sign to get started adding new nodes and ideas. Each time you click on the plus sign to create a new child node, Coggle will automatically choose the direction, placement, and color of the new node. But you can always drag the nodes around to rearrange things into a format that fits your layout a little better. Or you can right-click on them and select Choose Style to change the color, or if you’re on the Awesome plan, the line style and thickness of the connections.
If you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts during your mind mapping process, there’s a cheat sheet of keyboard shortcuts in the bottom-right corner of the canvas. Click the green X icon to hide it and the green question mark icon to bring it back.
One of our favorite features is that Coggle lets you format your mind map items and messages with Markdown, so you can get as fancy as you need to while adding your text, images, and links to the canvas.
If you want to bounce some ideas off a colleague, you can go ahead and add them to your mind map, carry on a conversation in the messages sidebar, or go into full-screen presentation mode to take a step back and do more high-level ideation.
Coggle Pricing: Free for up to three private diagrams; $5/month for unlimited private diagrams and extra mind mapping tools (like additional shapes and color control).
ClickUp
ClickUp is a mind mapping software for planning and organizing your projects, ideas, and more through mind maps.
ClickUp’s mind mapping features allow you to draw relationships between projects and tasks, visualize workflows and project or task structures, and easily create and manage tasks directly from your visual roadmap.
Create powerful free-form diagrams, use nodes as reference points for work to be completed, and then convert nodes into tasks. Users can create and link tasks within a mind map using drag-and-drop functionality. Share your mind maps with your team and other collaborators for collaboration in real-time.
ClickUp offers native integrations with Slack, G Suite, Dropbox, and many more tools, as well as over 1,000+ integrations through Zapier.
ClickUp’s free plan is robust and includes all primary features. The unlimited plan starts at $5 a month per user and offers additional functionality.
Pros
- Free plan comes with 100 mind map uses
- Frequently updates with new or improved features
- Easy to convert map nodes into tasks
- Many additional diagram/chart options to choose from, incl. Gantt chart & Kanban
Cons
- Unlimited mind maps limited to Business and Enterprise plans
- Mobile app can be a bit slow
- Edit permissions are not available with the free plan
GitMind
GitMind is an easy-to-use online mind map tool. With it, you can visualize complicated concepts, generate new ideas, make lists with task priorities, and prepare for the presentation. Type in the topic name, and click Insert Node.
Choose Insert subnode to create sub-branches. And click the Relation line to show any relationship between ideas. You can assign a task priority, progress meter, flag, and more with the built-in symbols. To add a symbol, select the target node and click Icon from the toolbar.
At each node, click the Attachment button to insert links, images, and comments. There are many export options available, including TXT, PNG, PDF, DOCX, and SVG.
Unique Features
- Variety of themes, including classic, colorful, and business templates. Click the Style button to customize node spacing, background color, line, border shape, and more.
- Arrange the mind map in seven different layouts and reset them at any time. Click the Layout button and change it to mind map, logic chart, tree chart, and fishbone.
- View, edit, and export the mind map in outline mode. And share the mind map you created with a link or collaborate in real-time.
Mindmeister
MindMeister was built to facilitate collaboration for mind mapping and brainstorming, with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. You can collaborate in real time, discuss changes over live chat, exchange ideas and even view the change history of a mind map. You can access projects via mobile devices as well as online and offline, safe in the knowledge that your data is stored securely with data encryption and daily monitoring. Since MindMeister is cloud-based, there is no need to install any software or worry about upgrades. Price: Personal accounts start at $4.99 per month, going up to $14.99 for a business account.
MindMup (Web)
MindMup is an easy-to-use mind mapping app—and you don’t even need an account to get started.
The toolbar at the top provides quick links to all the basic needs of mind mapping, from changing the color of each node to adding detailed text and file attachments. But it’s the ability to publish and share your mind maps that sets MindMup apart.
While many mind mapping tools require at least an email address, MindMup allows anyone to create and post public mind maps. Free mind maps are automatically deleted after six months, but if you’re using it for a quick brainstorming session, that does the trick. If you want to sign up or save private maps, you have to pay $2.99/month for MindMup Personal Gold.
MindMup Pricing: Free for public maps up to 100 KB; from $2.99/month for MindMup Personal Gold that includes larger, private maps and collaboration.
Milanote
Milanote is an easy-to-use concept map maker to organize your ideas and projects into visual boards. Far from a basic mind map maker, Milanote allows you to add rich media to your boards when you create a conceptual map (images, videos, links), and create as many levels of hierarchy as you wish to go deeper into topics.
This drag and drop interface on this diagram designer lets you put your work side by side on an infinite virtual pinboard. It handles notes, links, images and files. It also has a library of templates to make it easier to start new projects faster.
You can also collaborate in real-time, making it perfect for brainstorming workshops with remote teams.
Overall, it’s an easy-to-use diagram maker that helps you collaborate and brainstorm new ideas.
Milanote’s free version lets you add 100 notes, images or links (with no time limit). Milanote PRO gives you unlimited storage from $9.99/month per person.
Pros
- Easy to save links and make notes
- Ability to link boards to one another
- Good combination of notes, boards, images
- Lean, lightweight, and fast UI
Cons
- No live sharing without sign-up
- Only 100 elements on the free plan
- No way to hide comments without deleting
Canva
Canva is a web-based graphic design app that makes it easy to create mind maps. Equipped with ready-to-use templates and toolset, you can use this app for educational presentations, business pitches, corporate proposals, and project planning.
Enter the term ‘mind map’ in the search field, and within a few seconds, you’ll see a variety of templates. The built-in tools let you insert elements like shapes, frames, arrows, gradients, and more. You can even modify the text, photos, and background. The export options include PNG, JPEG, GIF, and PDF.
The free account gives you 5GB of free storage space, access to 2,50,000 templates, image uploads, and collaboration with team members in real-time. Check out the pricing page for more details.
Unique Features
- Embed the mind map in any file. Then, share it on social media or email right from the app.
- Insert pictures, embed videos, links from the web or Twitter, and GIF to make the mind map informative and catchy. Use symbols, color codes, speech bubbles, and icons for informative presentations.
- Manage your design pages from inside the editor. You can add pages, rearrange them, and add notes for the presentation.
- Present your reports, discuss brainstorm sessions, pitch decks, and more. Click the Present button to get started.
iMindMap
iMindMap was developed by Tony Buzan, who popularized the term “mind maps,” and refined and formalized its diagramming process and guidelines. iMindMap is designed to be visually stimulating, with curved branches, bright colors and sharp images to help unleash your creativity. You can take full control over your map with a customizable drawing experience, or let iMindMap create the whole map for you. There are freehand, styling and text options so you can create a unique project. It’s simple to brainstorm, refine, plan and craft an animated presentation. Price: Home and student edition is £49 (~$79); the Ultimate package is £149 (~$240).
Conclusion:
Office mind mapping tools allow you to draw a map of the different areas of the office. There are different people responsible for different tasks which can be mapped out into an office mind map. That’s what makes mind maps so powerful, that you can work on a project from many different angles.