Reasons to use XMind in your mind maps

Before convincing you to use the XMind , you need to be convinced to use a mind mapping tool. But what is a mind map?

It is a visual representation of your ideas, usually structured in a tree format.

If you need visual support to learn and memorize or if you need to present any content visually to others, mind maps are for you. If you prefer lists or cards to study and take notes on, you may be more productive to take another approach. A traditional mind map looks something like this:

I'm a fan of mind maps, because I think they really work . Throughout all the years that I have used mind maps to teach or to present concepts to clients, it has almost always worked. As for the few times when mind maps didn't work, I imagine it was the wrong tool for the audience. If the audience is made up of people who are very focused on orality, I avoid visual presentations with animated transitions.

Today, however, this is the exception. Most people accept and feel cared for by explanations accompanied by diagrams. On the other hand, just the diagram without any explanation will certainly not work. This is one of the reasons why mind maps only work well when made by you . The same problem occurs if you try to read someone else's notes, because mind maps are still spatially arranged notes.

While it is possible to draw a mind map with pen and paper, apps have made this process enormously easier. This is because you don't need to know how to draw, you just need to indicate if the next step is a puppy (using the tab for this) or a sibling (using enter for this) of the last edited item. It is also possible to use the mouse to do this, but with the keyboard it is much more practical.

Bigglerplate is a site that maintains a List of mind map apps and he points to XMind as one of the most popular solutions. You can compare all the alternatives there, but here I will give my reasons why XMind is a very competitive solution:

• Your trial does not expire. The only difference to the paid version is some features that you may not need, for example, exporting in high definition and converting the mind map into a presentation.
• The desktop version works fine on Windows or Mac. So you don't need to be online to make your mind maps.
• Even within the same conceptual tree structure, there are several ways of displaying content. This is a unique feature of XMind and the reason why I can't use any other competing app.

• If structures are XMind's differential, it is also important that it has all the basic tools of the competition: links, sets, keys, notes, labels and balloons. This exists (or needs to exist) in every good mind map app.

• XMind has annual updates and has been constantly evolving. However, the last edition brought news that don't interest me so much: a new visualization and new ways of presentation.

For all these reasons, XMind is an irreplaceable app for me.

In case you don't confirm my opinion, there are several options recommended by Biggerplate: MindMeister (emphasis on online collaboration, but only three free maps); MindNote (very beautiful, but only for Mac); and, finally, MindManager or MindGenius (corporate options focused on project management at the price of more than USD 160 per year).

In addition to these, there are: Miro (good whiteboard tool that also has mind maps, but limited to three editable boards); Coggle (very beautiful and perhaps the best to share, as long as the mind maps are public); and Scapple (a kind of whiteboard aimed at Scrivener users).

From this comparison, it is clear that Exist Mind Map Apps That Want to Enter the Project Management Market . Usually they are very expensive and do not interest me. There are also diagram editing apps that occasionally serve to edit mind maps . I prefer the other way around: a mind map app that occasionally serves to elaborate a diagram.

In addition, there are Web apps with a focus on collaboration , which is not my interest. What I'm looking for is a simple way to organize my ideas before sharing what I think. If your need is similar to mine, XMind may be the best option. But the list of all the alternatives is very long and any omission here does not mean that the app is bad.

In fact, the complete list would be practically inexhaustible, especially if we consider that today mind map applications have started to compete in the segment of productivity and real-time collaboration.

I hope these guidelines help you position the apps you decide to try and their closest alternatives , because the search can really become long and confusing. Just look at the infinity of posts on the internet that intend to list all the available programs, without much contributing to your decision.

Good choice!