Motivation on the Run

With the recent addition of MindMeister to the mind mapping field, sharing your mind maps takes on new dimensions. This new web-based application is easy to use, and covers the basic left-brained needs for mind mapping. It still has a way to go to fully engage the right-brain, but I see this getting better.

MindMeister (MM) is still in private beta, but I have twenty invites for the first responders asking for one.

Review

I like this product with my limited testing so far. It has an easy-to-use interface that is intuitive for someone with any knowledge of web apps. It’s responsive for the most part, but heavy use begins to strain the system.

I began my testing by uploading the Freemind map for the book review Change or Die. Utilizing the online tool, I finished the mind map and wrote the review article for MotR. I had to rearrange some of the arms and legs after the import, but the information was all there. This map was pretty simple, but MM handled it very well.

Next I started a much more complicated map for deep testing of the application. If you are used to Freemind or MindJet MindManager, you will quickly grasp the way to build maps. The command structure is similar for adding components and text.

Here are the positives for this application:

• easy
• intuitive
• web-based
• sharing only (read-only)
• collaboration

And the weaknesses:

• simplistic
• slow server response
• minor help files
• weak export feature

Explanation

Yes the process is easy, but many functions relied upon with the computer-based mapping tools aren’t here. It only creates simple maps without links, pictures, or formating options. It is intuitive, but if you need help, the files are weak.

The slow server response is irritating because it happens when you are in the zone adding frantically to the map, and everything comes to a complete halt while it communicates with the server. This lasted up to fifteen seconds most times and it happens frequently. This will probably get better when the product comes out of beta and server power is added.

Care has to be shown in stretching branches, also. If you try to open up a branch wider to make it easier to read, the branch will separate from the original connection and form a new branch. Fortunately, there is an undo button for such cases. I never did find a way to open up the view wider without making an entirely new branch. In fairness, one time I decided that one of the ideas needed to be its own branch and it was easy to make it happen.

If you want to export a map and take it back to your desktop application, you’re out of luck. MM exports as an rich text file or a gif, rather than the default extensions for MindManager or Freemind. It’s a one way trip.

The last issue I had was in the delete command. If you added a branch and later decided it was in the wrong place, it is hard to rid yourself of this pest. I would delete the branch and it would instantly return, but when I tried to delete it again, it stayed there and displayed an error message that the branch was deleted, yet there it was. I tried multiple times, then saved and closed and re-opened the map to find the deleted branch intact. Further deletions did finally have the desired results, but not easily. This problem happened a dozen or so times, all with the same difficulties for deletions.

Final Call

Overall rating for this product is good. It is a great introduction to mind mapping for beginners, and it serves well the purpose of having maps available from multiple computers.

I do see this product fitting into the application mix, though. The strong suit is collaboration. Depending on the complexity of the map, a team could work together toward a desired result, building a brainstorming map from different offices or countries.

My understanding is a plan for a free product and an premium paid product. I’m not sure which features would be lacking in the free product, but that will become evident soon.

[tags]MindMeister, Freemind, MindManager, mind mapping, web 2.0[/tags]