Comments on: Mind Mapping and User Experience http://designingux.com/2008/11/mind-mapping-and-user-experience/ Usability, Design, Navigation, Interfaces, Information Architecture, Accessibility. Sat, 10 Apr 2010 23:07:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: erica http://designingux.com/2008/11/mind-mapping-and-user-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-68 erica Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:27:01 +0000 http://designingux.com/?p=87#comment-68 I've been trying to mindmap on paper, OneNote, Visio, and other tools for awhile. I've even considered programming my own mindmapping software, or dropping a lot of money on a LiveScribe and similar, cheaper pens - but usually they use proprietary extensions that don't play nicely anywhere else. I was planning to get one soon anyway till I found MindManager. Since it exports to better formats including interactive PDFs (that blows my mind) with a simple click, it's a clear win for my use. That said, LiveScribes seem to have audio recording as well which makes them much better for user experience testing, where mindmanager wouldn't do so well there. In a perfect world I'd have both :) I’ve been trying to mindmap on paper, OneNote, Visio, and other tools for awhile. I’ve even considered programming my own mindmapping software, or dropping a lot of money on a LiveScribe and similar, cheaper pens – but usually they use proprietary extensions that don’t play nicely anywhere else. I was planning to get one soon anyway till I found MindManager. Since it exports to better formats including interactive PDFs (that blows my mind) with a simple click, it’s a clear win for my use.

That said, LiveScribes seem to have audio recording as well which makes them much better for user experience testing, where mindmanager wouldn’t do so well there. In a perfect world I’d have both :)

]]> By: erica http://designingux.com/2008/11/mind-mapping-and-user-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-67 erica Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:21:47 +0000 http://designingux.com/?p=87#comment-67 Oh, very true, Bert. You can get most of the same functionality with other applications that are cheaper - part of it though is that although cheap option X may have 3 functions you need, and cheap option Y may have 3 others you need, you probably can't port the map between them. I mean, if I had to, I would just patch it together by using more than one piece of software. But MindManager does it all in one spot and makes it so easy. That's why its worth the $$, if you can swing it. It's one of those things that, if you try it, you WILL want to buy it. Oh, very true, Bert. You can get most of the same functionality with other applications that are cheaper – part of it though is that although cheap option X may have 3 functions you need, and cheap option Y may have 3 others you need, you probably can’t port the map between them. I mean, if I had to, I would just patch it together by using more than one piece of software. But MindManager does it all in one spot and makes it so easy. That’s why its worth the $$, if you can swing it. It’s one of those things that, if you try it, you WILL want to buy it.

]]> By: Bert Heymans http://designingux.com/2008/11/mind-mapping-and-user-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-66 Bert Heymans Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:25:55 +0000 http://designingux.com/?p=87#comment-66 I had the same experience on Twitter, it felt a bit weird to be honest. I don't know what to think of it. I like the app, words in subbranches are put nicely close to eachother and making interrelations is done better than in any of the other tools I've used. But the price, meh ... I had the same experience on Twitter, it felt a bit weird to be honest. I don’t know what to think of it.

I like the app, words in subbranches are put nicely close to eachother and making interrelations is done better than in any of the other tools I’ve used. But the price, meh …

]]> By: Stéphane Bergeron http://designingux.com/2008/11/mind-mapping-and-user-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Stéphane Bergeron Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:40:30 +0000 http://designingux.com/?p=87#comment-49 I'm really happy you had a good experience with MindJet and that you like Mindmanager. It has become one of my truly essential tools. No company ever gets it right all the time but MindJet really tries. Btw, one of the nice communities you should check out is the MindManager Enthusiasts Network on Ning. Nice bunch of people from different backgrounds there: <a href="http://mindmappers.ning.com" title="MindManager Enthusiasts Network on Ning" rel="nofollow">MindManager Enthusiasts Network</a> I’m really happy you had a good experience with MindJet and that you like Mindmanager. It has become one of my truly essential tools.

No company ever gets it right all the time but MindJet really tries.

Btw, one of the nice communities you should check out is the MindManager Enthusiasts Network on Ning. Nice bunch of people from different backgrounds there:

MindManager Enthusiasts Network

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