Top Picks: Coolest Brainstorming Applications
Jun. 14th, 2007 | by Kaly |From basic all-accessible (students, PR folks, etc) multi-person live brainstorming dashboards TO feature-rich, techy diagram creation tools.
Basic Mind-Mapping Tools
(1) ImaginationCubed - awesome looking, simple to use, live brainstorming tool. Invite your partner and share single dashboard to create mind maps. Draw, add objects, type, etc.
(click to enlarge)
Features: Demo
- live collaboration
- send maps by email
- replay your steps
- save/print maps
- background grid on/off
(2) Bubbl.us - lets you quickly create custom bubble mind maps and share them with colleagues for further refining.
(click to enlarge)
Features: Demo
- create/save/print/share/collaborate on maps
- embed maps elsewhere (blog, web profile, etc.)
- export maps as XML, HTML, or as image (JPEG, PNG)
- interactive Drag’n Drop interface
- keyboard shortcuts, mousewheel zoom
(3) Mind42 - cool mind mapping tool for creating highly customizable organization charts. Each chart node can be colored, converted to an image, supplemented with a custom icon, link, attachment and more.
(click to enlarge)
Features: Demo
- sharie and collaborate on notes
- embed maps elsewhere
- print maps
- integrated live chat (Google Talk)
- keyboard shortcuts
- Drag’n and drop interface
- export maps (as Freemind, Mindmanager and RTF)
More Powerful Mind-Mapping
(4) Mindmeister - slightly more flexible alternative to the above mentioned mind42: more styling/formatting options, more diverse collection of embeddable icons, provides handy sidebar next to the mapping dashboard, and more.
(click to enlarge)
Features:
- free account is limited to 6 mind maps
- share and collaborate on mind maps
- print maps
- integrated Skype conference call
- embed maps into your blog or website
- drag’n drop interface
- keyboard shortcuts
- import maps (from FreeMind and Mindjet’s MindManager) / export to an RTF or a GIF image
(5) Mindomo - feature-rich mind mapping tool. Probable the most comprehensive one, check out screenshot and demo below.
Features: Demo
- free account is limited to 7 private and an unlimited number of public maps
- share and collaborate on maps
- keyboard shortcuts
- drag’n drop interface
- import MindManager and FreeMind type maps / export to maps to TXT, MMAP, RTF, PDF, JPG, GIF and PNG formats
- print maps
(6) Gliffy - extremely powerful techy-oriented diagram creation and collaboration tool, create anything from basic flow-chart diagrams to well-documented troubleshooting guides.
- free account is limited allows you to 3 private and unlimited number of public diagrams
- share and collaborate on mind maps
- embed maps elsewhere (blog, wiki, etc.)
- export mind maps as SVG (Microsoft Visio, Adobe Illustrator, and Macromedia FreeHand)
- interactive drag’n drop interface
- print maps
- map edits history (instantly revert map to earlier version)
- keyboard shortcuts
[UPDATE] Awesome related links contributed by Vic
- Bubble-Mind
- Kayuda (concept mapping more than mindmapping)
- Mapul
- Comapping (kinda rigid, forces left-to-right mapping)
- Webofweb (prob. the oldest still surviving - mayomi came first but has sunk from sight)
- Glinky
And in the area of more general diagramming tools, there’s
- FlowChart
- CumulateLabs (Cumulate Draw)
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There are quite a few of these very useful on-line, web-based mind mapping and concept mapping tools. I can add to your list if you have time for more exploration:
bubble-mind.com
kayuda.com (concept mapping more than mindmapping)
mapul.com
comapping.com (kinda rigid, forces left-to-right mapping)
webofweb.net (prob. the oldest still surviving - mayomi came first but has sunk from sight)
glinky.net
And in the area of more general diagramming tools, there’s
flowchart.com and
cumulatelabs.com (Cumulate Draw)
All of these, I think, have a free option - sometimes for a limited number of maps. Some are still in public Beta.
Regards
Vic
http://www.mind-mapping.org
The master list of mind mapping &
information management software
@Vic
WOW… That got to be the most informatory comment ever. Thanks lots, it’s awesome, adding them to the post
Great commentary but I think it is also worth mentioning Comapping (www.comapping.com). It is far more useful and easy to use compared to traditional mind mapping tools. Provides a much better overview for a mind map that one wants to revisit many times which also makes it easier for collaboration.
Plus the smooth navigation its amazing. I haven’t seen such smooth program in a web 2.0 application before.
@mahvish
Thanks for the insight. It seems to me, that each of the tools was designed with a specific problem in mind. While one is more suitable for wiki style collaboration, the other provides more flexible styling features and so on.
you miss one my friend. freemind is quite a nice mind mapping tool.
[...] Full Article: Top Picks: Coolest Brainstorming Applications (makeuseof.com) [...]
@ siyahid
Thanks for letting me know.
Although, can you do us a favor and post a link here. Is it a web-based tool?
[...] DrawAnywhere - yet another web-based brainstorming tool: create/share/collaborate on flowcharts, process diagrams, organizational charts, etc. [...]
Just came across this post. Thanks for mentioning Gliffy and for the high praise. We appreciate it. Let us know if there are suggestions or feedback we can implement. Thanks! debik(at)gliffy(dot)com
[...] desconocido wrote an interesting post today!.Here’s a quick excerptJust came across this post. Thanks for mentioning Gliffy and for the high praise. We appreciate it. Let us know if there are suggestions or feedback we can implement. Thanks! debik(at)gliffy(dot)com. [...]
[...] Coturnix none@example.com wrote an interesting post today!.Here’s a quick excerptdesconocido wrote an interesting post today!.Here’sa quick excerptJust came across this post. Thanks for mentioning Gliffy and for the high praise. We appreciate it. Let us know if there are suggestions or feedback we can implement. … [...]
[...] Supinie wrote an interesting post today on Comment on Top Picks: Coolest Brainstorming Applications by …Here’s a quick [...]
[...] video screencast here. Interested in other brainstorming applications? See our round up on Top Brainstorming Applications. Filed Under: VoIP ¦ Instant Messaging ¦ Collaboration (No Ratings Yet) [...]
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Thank you for the list of useful resources.
I have been trying to get brainstorming list and here you are helping me.
I am actually planing to redesign the website and hence was trying to use some brainstorming tool.
abeen
http://www.imavista.com