How to make a mind map online?
Still wondering what is a mind map? Let's shed some light on it. This technique lets you create engaging diagrams illustrating key ideas, concepts, or information. It's basically a visual hierarchy that starts from a central concept and then branches out as new ideas expand.
A diagramming software facilitates a digital way of structuring information, and collaborating with others around it. You can use a mind map tool for brainstorming online, organizing, planning, learning, decision-making, note-taking, and more.
Create your visual diagram online in two ways: by starting from a template for a quick and easy setup or by building one from scratch for more freedom.
1. Start from a template
Mindomo is an easy-to-use digital mind map maker that helps you brainstorm and represent ideas in a visual format. Start from the “Create” button in the dashboard.
Then, choose a mind map template by browsing the use cases lists displayed on the left side of your screen.
Explore various use case categories for inspiration, or use the search bar to find what you need. The design and structure of the information are already in place – all that’s left is for you to fill in the placeholders.
Here are the top 6 most popular templates:
2. Build your diagram from scratch
Didn’t find what you needed in our 100 mind map ideas list or template gallery? You can create a diagram from scratch and build your hierarchical structure. Brainstorm and add comments, documents, images, videos, audio files, icons, or links to gather all information in a compact layout.
Here is a step-by-step video explaining how to make mind maps from scratch:
3. Download or Share your diagrams
Once you’ve started working on your diagram, you can share it with collaborators for further real-time editing.
Share the diagram link or add their email details in the diagram’s Sharing section for easy access. Premium users can export their designs in 20+ formats, including PNG, Microsoft Word, Excel, PDFs, other diagram file formats, etc. A printing option is also available.
Why Use Online Diagrams?
Complex ideas need a simple structure to be successfully presented and easily understood. The best way to do so is by using an online tool.
Compared to the traditional, hand-drawn diagrams, by using Mindomo, you can:
➤ Keep up the pace with the way your brain works. The diagram canvas is infinite, you can add as much information as you want without this being too overwhelming. Just collapse branches to get a clearer overview.
➤ Make diagrams as visual as possible. Apart from the variety of colors and shapes to choose from, all one click away, you can also embed images and videos from the internet, documents, links, notes, and other data.
➤ Access all information anytime, anywhere, from any device.
➤ Instantly share your diagrams for real-time collaboration. This means that you can work on the same diagram, at the same time, with people that might be in different parts of the world. Kids can work on team projects from the comfort of their homes.
➤ Easily edit the colors, shapes, sizes, and fonts to match your evolving vision.
➤ Quickly drag and drop topics for a more flexible organization.
➤ Create slideshow presentations directly from the diagrams. This is time saving since you skip the secondary presentation tool and copying information from one place to another.
➤ Convert your visual frameworks into other diagrams like a concept map, Gantt chart, or outline.
➤ Quickly find specific content using the full-text search function.
To sum it up, using online software like Mindomo beats pen-and-paper brainstorming. Whether you are organizing information visually for project planning or creative brainstorming, Mindomo offers a diverse range of diagramming options.
What Makes Mindomo Stand Out?
Mindomo, your go-to mind map website, provides all the features you need to build beautiful and practical diagrams.
Quick and Intuitive
Mindomo ensures a smooth and simple diagram creation process. Formatting options and keyboard shortcuts are one click away. You can drag and drop any topics to quickly reorganize the idea flow. There's an entire template collection to ignite your creativity.
Available Anywhere, Anytime
Mindomo works on multiple platforms:
- PC/laptop (Desktop software for Windows, Mac, Linux, and cloud version);
- mobile device (Android, iOS).
Enjoy flexibility and remote work without any hassle.
Real-Time Collaboration
Shift from “my diagram” to “our diagram” by collaborating with other people. Share and edit diagrams in real time with friends, team members or external collaborators. Use the built-in chat and comments section to improve communication.
User-Friendly Interface
Mindomo's interface is clean and pretty familiar. Key features are accessible from any topic (click, then use the arrow button in the top right corner) - color, font, shape, size, style, tasks, etc.
Online-Offline Synchronization
Mindomo is more than a web-based software. You can use it both in the browser and offline (the Desktop and mobile apps). You can continue working even when you lose your internet connection. Once the connection is restored, you can sync everything with just a click.
Built-In Presentations
Presentation mode simplifies your workflow and eliminates the need for multiple apps. Easily showcase new ideas from your diagrams in a slideshow presentation format (similar to Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint).
Seamless Integrations
For any personal or business scenario, make the most out of your versatile working space as Mindomo integrates with your Google, Office 365, Facebook, Yahoo, and Windows Live accounts; G Suite, Microsoft Teams, and Evernote; Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and FTP for daily backups.
For educational users, Mindomo facilitates seamless integrations with popular learning management systems (Blackboard, Desire2Learn, Moodle, etc.). Similarly, integrating visual templates with business apps like Office365 and G Suite enhances productivity for business users.
Images and Videos
If it is a visual framework, feel free to add suggestive images and videos. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” they said. Add photos and videos from your computer or search the web directly from the app. Mindomo also has an impressive image gallery you can choose from.
Links and Notes
Your diagram should be straightforward, consolidating all information in one place. Incorporate links and notes for additional data or research findings, ensuring organization and easy access to details while keeping your diagram canvas clean and fresh.
Custom Icons
Find a range of icons for everything imaginable. Add them to your topics to convey a clear-cut meaning or to highlight different aspects. Imagine you have a diagram about healthy relationships and want to mention warning signs that indicate unhealthy or manipulative behavior. You can add red flag icons to highlight these. Use icons to filter topics for quick access.
Lifetime Free Accounts
Most apps provide limited-time free trials. When you sign up at Mindomo, you create a lifetime free account with three free mind maps. To unlock premium features, you can always try the paid subscriptions under the no-questions-asked, 30-day refund policy.
Variety of Import and Export Files
Add meaningful resources by importing files from your computer and favorite cloud storage service (Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox).
Make your diagram accessible with the broad spectrum of export options. You can select from a diagram format (Mindomo, Freemind, MindManager), Microsoft Excel format, and other common formats like PDF, Microsoft (Word, PowerPoint, Microsoft Project), Text, OPML, image, HTML, Markdown, and more.
Organized Projects
Manage and organize projects effectively in folders. Sort your diagrams in folders to get easier access later on. A dedicated folder, "Shared with me", automatically includes all diagrams shared with you. As a premium user, create as many folders as you like.
Playback History for Clear Overview
The "Playback history" feature allows you to review the diagram creation process, change by change. You also get a detailed view of the persona who made the change, the time it was made, and what the change consists of (added or removed content, styling updates, new comments or tasks, etc. ).
This functionality facilitates an accurate assessment and is equally valuable in an educational or business setting, even more so when collaboration is involved.
Full-Text Search
You start with a central and several subideas, but your diagram will expand over some time as more information occurs. If there are other contributors with their insights, then the information becomes even more complex.
Don't waste precious time looking for content - type the word or phrase you are looking for in the Search box.
Advantages of Using Mindomo
Mind maps are super effective - they:
The process of creating such a visual layout imitates the way our mind works. So, because of its structure, your brain comprehends the ideas more easily, seeing the overview as a mental image. A plain text, on the other hand, must be interpreted first. Afterward, the brain creates a mental image. In short, mind mapping makes a subject easier to understand.
■ Boost Imagination: Mind mapping fosters creativity. This technique uses keywords and images to create new associations in your brain, helping you generate fresh ideas. It is one of the fewest techniques that boost your creative thinking to this extent.
■ Improve Memory: Visual learning is considered the most effective way to memorize information, and mind mapping, in particular, is a very efficient study technique. In fact, research on diagramming shows they can increase learning and study efficiency by up to 15%.
Color coding, shapes, pictures, or keywords are brain triggers. This is why it’s easier to remember a diagram showcasing new concepts branching from one another than memorizing plain text.
■ Increase Efficiency: Many companies use mind maps for business because they are excellent tools for organizing, managing, and planning projects. They help structure ideas, even in complex situations, providing a clear overview of the subject.
Who Can Benefit from Using Mindomo?
1. Content creators Creative professionals, such as writers, designers, and marketing specialists, can use diagrams for brainstorming.
2. Managers Managers can easily solve problems and upgrade their project planning by using diagrams to organize ideas, and sharing them with their team while monitoring progress.
3. Business persons Powerful software for mind mapping can optimize business strategies, boost team collaboration, and streamline daily tasks and meetings.
4. Teachers Teachers can structure courses or brainstorm online for assignments effortlessly by using a template. Check out the most popular mind map examples for students.
5. Students Mindomo is great for learning. Students and teams can use it for online note-taking, studying, preparing for an interview, and brainstorming an essay. For more inspiration, browse our list of 40+ mind map ideas for students.
6. Consultants Using a visual diagram makes it easier for you and your customers to discuss and analyze ideas.
7. Researchers Keep all the research information in one place, regardless of the format (links, images, videos, documents, text, etc.)
8. ANYONE focused on personal growth Mindomo offers free account options, so why not use it for personal purposes? You can use them for planning travel, summarizing books, or fostering personal development.
