I wanted to take a moment to thank David Allen of the Mac 20 Questions podcast. First, of course, I would like to thank David for an informative podcast. Not a show goes by that I don’t learn something new or pick up a new tip. If you are looking for a source from interesting and practical Mac and iOS info, give the Mac 20 Questions podcast a listen.
Beyond that I would like to that David for his recent contest and my win of the superb mindmapping software MindNode Pro for Mac OS X and its counterpart product MindNode Touch for the iPad. Both of these software packages were provided to David by Markus Müller – the developer.
I had been using the free version of MindNode for a few months, but was thrilled to be given the opportunity to use the Pro version as well. Among other features, the Pro version adds such things as embedded hyperlinks, wi-fi sharing of the mind maps to the Touch version and enhanced printing. I find Markus’s software intuitive, easy to use, and of the highest quality. That goes for the free version too, so you should definitely give it a try.
Mind mapping isn’t for everyone, but I started using the process recently to map out website designs, the flow of training presentations, and even the features of software development. Not only has this helped me visualize my own tasks, but I am then better equipped to explain those tasks to my clients and partners. For a lot of people, the graphical representation of a mind map conveys a great deal more information than a simple outline or flowchart.
The Mind Node products are all designed for the Apple platforms of Mac OS X and iOS, but there is plenty of software out there for the Windows user as well. Additionally FreeMind is written Java so there are version of it for many different platforms and MindMeister is web-based. And don’t forget, you can also do mind mapping with a simple pencil and piece of paper.
If you are doing any mind mapping, either paper or software, I would love to hear your experience. I am a newbie at the practice so am very open to any tips or tricks. And if you have a favorite program for creating mind maps, would welcome a review of it too.
