Mindmap online: The advantages and the best tools at a glance

Reading time 5 minutes
Mindmap online: The advantages and the best tools at a glance

During school, almost everyone has come into contact with the technique of mind mapping. Also in professional life, especially for important decisions, a mind map online can be extremely helpful. Through the clear visualization of your thought processes and their connections, your creative and effective thinking is promoted. You work more purposefully and reach a result faster.

In this day and age, it is no longer necessary to draw mindmaps laboriously by hand and to realize in annoyance that the sheet of paper is not enough. The future is therefore: mind map online.

What is a mind map? Definition and areas of application

The English term Mindmap translated means as much as thought map, which expresses quite aptly how a mind map is structured. It is a cognitive technique that serves to visualize thought processes vividly and thus make them accessible.

For this purpose, so-called tree diagrams are used. The circled generic terms, if they are thematically related, are connected with each other via branches. connected. In this way, even complex issues can be broken down into their individual components. This is important to get an overview and to consider every aspect.

The decisive difference to classic brainstorming is therefore in the links between the individual aspects of a topic. Mindmaps can therefore be used in various fields of application, e.g. for various planning and organizational tasks, as a learning aid before exams or as a collection of ideas.

Interesting to know: The technique of mindmapping was developed in the 1970s by the British author Tony Buzan designed.

Creative thinking

Mindmap online: The advantages at a glance

The use of a mind map online has numerous advantages. If you have not yet discovered the mind map online for yourself, we would like to introduce you to its advantages below.

1. possibility of collaborative work

Collaborative working means that a document - in this case the mind map - can be edited simultaneously by several people. By working in parallel, the participants can directly complement each other with their ideas. This promotes creative innovation.

2. flexibility

In contrast to an analog mind map, a mind map online can be structurally changed and expanded at any time and without great effort. It is therefore not necessary to start from scratch when making changes. The clarity also remains guaranteed at all times.

3. accessibility

A mind map online is accessible to the project participants at any time. It can be shared as often as you like and thus serves as a common knowledge repository. Additions can also be made at any time, no matter where you are. All you need is a mobile device and the access data.

4. longevity

An online mind map can be easily archived so that you can return to it at any time. An analog mind map, on the other hand, will eventually disappear in the hustle and bustle of old office notes.

Popular online mindmap tools: A selection of platforms and their functions

It's not that easy to find the best platform for creating your mind map online. Therefore, we would like to introduce you to the five most popular tools and their advantages.

1. mindmap 2: cheap and targeted

  • free standard version up to 100 kilobyte
  • 6 months data storage
  • Export to various file formats (limited to 100 kilobytes)
  • Unlimited Gold account (single account: $2.99 per month; corporate account: $100 per year)

2. mindomo: the all-round carefree package

  • collaborative work on the mind map possible
  • Office 365 integration
  • Import of already existing mind maps possible
  • Export of the mind map in PDF, RTF, TXT, MPX, HTML or PNG formats possible
  • Upload audio and video files
  • Possibility of image web search + direct integration into the mind map
  • Availability of a web app, a mobile app for Android and iOS, and a desktop variant
  • Cost of 5,50 € monthly; for 13,50 € 5 guests can be invited
  • Team account from 16,50 € for three employees

3. wisemapping: free of charge and self-hosting

  • free tool for individuals
  • non-binding test possibility without prior registration
  • Import in Freemind format
  • Export as PDF, SVG or in Freemind format
  • only tool to host yourself

4. mindmeister: the most popular mindmapping tool from germany

  • free basic version for three mindmaps
  • well suited for beginners due to ready templates for copying
  • different view options
  • mobile app for iOS and Android
  • unlimited upload of images and files in the paid version
  • Export the mind map as a Word or PowerPoint document
  • Single account: 4.99 euros per month; Pro account: 8.25 euros per month; Business account: 12.49 euros per user per month
  • Creation of internal team groups, use of multiple team administrators and the ability to create external backups in the business account

5. yed live: free and functional

  • easy start due to ready-made templates (also especially for business and software development)
  • numerous design possibilities and options
  • free use (web and desktop)
  • Storage on Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive possible (no own cloud storage in the program)

Application areas for online mindmaps: Idea generation, project planning and knowledge management

As already mentioned, a mind map can be used online in numerous application areas. Already pupils are familiarized with the working technique for a good reason. When creating group work as well as when planning school events, a mind map online is of great use.

At universities, too, the mind map is a valued tool for finding ideas online, e.g. for term papers and theses. A mind map is the best way to summarize research that has already been done and to put it in the correct order.

In professional life, the mind map online has also arrived. For project planning, the technique is invaluable. Furthermore, a mind map online can be used to make collected knowledge accessible to the entire workforce. If new knowledge is added, the mind map can be supplemented with just a few clicks.

Online tools

Tips for creating an online mindmap: step by step

Creating a mind map online is almost self-explanatory with most tools. Depending on the tool, there are usually even ready-made templates available. Nevertheless, we would like to explain to you step by step how to create a mind map online:

  1. In the central field you write the main topic.
  2. In the second step, think about possible subtopics that will be arranged in the boxes around the main topic.
  3. Now the main topic is connected with the subtopics by branches. If possible, you should mark each subtopic with the program in a different color.
  4. Add further aspects relevant to the topic to the subtopics. These are highlighted in the same color as the associated subtopic.
  5. Repeat this procedure until you have captured all aspects of the topic. Add images, links, or additional files as desired.

Important: Especially with an online mind map, you can easily delete and change content. Therefore, you should first write down everything that spontaneously occurs to you.

Integrating online mindmaps into everyday work: optimizing teamwork and productivity

Mindmaps are ideally suited to optimize teamwork. The joint development of ideas and the lively discussion about the main topic inevitably lead to a lively exchange. Due to the given structure, this exchange is usually very productive.

Each employee brings his or her own individual perspective, which can be taken into account as an aspect of a complex issue. This gives rise to new ideas and solutions that an individual employee would not have found. That is why the use of online mind maps is already part of everyday work in many companies.

Privacy and security for online mindmaps

Data protection is always an important issue when using online tools. Therefore, it is advisable to use well-known providers. All the platforms we have presented to you adhere to the requirements of the GDPR.

Conclusion: Online mindmaps as a helpful tool for better organization and creative thinking

In our digitized times, online mindmaps are a useful tool for planning important projects, learning more effectively, or making thoughtful decisions. The principle of mindmapping is simple and based on picking up all aspects of a topic.

First of all: Write down what comes to your mind. If an aspect is irrelevant, you can simply delete it later. Mindmapping in a team, especially in a professional context, is even more effective. The more participants there are, the more comprehensively a topic can be illuminated with the help of the mind map. Companies in particular should therefore not do without the use of this practical tool.

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