I mainly use MindManager for managing my projects and recurrent activities. For projects, I use a WBS to follow-up the tasks, and for recurrent activities, I use tasks in order to schedule my job.
Pros
The different views: Map, tags, schedule, Gantt
The use of tags and personalized tags
The scheduling of tasks
Cons
I miss the possibility to modify a map via MindManager Go on Smartphone
I would like to be able to see my maps in schedule mode via MindManager Go
Likelihood to Recommend
MindManager is useful for a lot of usage: Projects, managing activities, taking notes... For creating a knowledge base I preferred using a file explorer with tags.
MindManager is used by individuals for planning and organizing information during meetings, in workshops and as standalone organizational assistance.
Pros
Fast collection of info - allows quick grouping of info without having to scroll.
Exports to MS Word - saves huge amounts of time by exporting to document for clean up.
Can be shared with non-license holders - allows sharing with all participants without worrying about license issues.
Cons
Options of map organization - would like to be able to lock in locations of items in the map, i.e. always show this item above that item.
Standard formats for certain levels, i.e. make all first-level items of a certain font size.
Likelihood to Recommend
MindManager is an excellent tool to aid in idea generation and information organization. Spend more time adding value and less time figuring out how or where to write the idea down.
VU
Verified User
Engineer in Professional Services (Mining & Metals company, 5001-10,000 employees)
It is being used by individuals and not for team work assignments. It depends upon the mindset of each individual as to whether the program suits their methods of working i.e. right or left brain dominant. Some staff can only work with lists and not the freeform abilities of MindManager.
Pros
Allows for "grasshopper" thinking and easy flow thinking capture
Planning trips to different parts of the company globally permits adaptation to fit each situation at all stages from planning to visit to reporting.
Works as an excellent database in a format that is easier to use and to trigger memory than working with lists.
Cons
The number of icons and images is well behind the major competitors such as iMindMap and it is falling further and further behind in this area.
The layout is not as informal as some of the competitors particularly with the layout and thickness of branches.
Printing of large maps can be difficult and an easier way of providing print options would be very welcome.
Likelihood to Recommend
Project planning is considerably simpler when created as a mind map where additional branches and twigs can be added easily.
Where a graphic front end is required the other forms of mind mapping are now well ahead of MindManager.
We use MindManager to facilitate discussions about improvement activities as well as for mapping out individual work streams of projects. It is extremely helpful to be able to just "dump" out all our thoughts or activities onto the Mind Map and then arrange them as needed. It helps us avoid going down a rabbit trail and losing out on key activities or ideas of others.
Pros
It is so easy to use to quickly capture and arrange information.
It does a good job representing lots of ideas and concepts so people can see and understand them.
It exports the information into others tools well when needed.
Cons
Past editions have had a few challenges in how the information is formatted when exported, but that continues to improve.
Likelihood to Recommend
It is a great tool for continuous improvement or business improvement efforts as well as for general product/initiative brainstorming.
VU
Verified User
Professional in Corporate (Mining & Metals company, 1001-5000 employees)
It is being used by some departmets. MindManager gives us the freedom to share team ideas, structure presentations, dissertation schemes, compile
the contributions of a work session to generate possible solutions for the
generation of scenarios and, even more, its organization and layout to share
with other users. In my personal experience, it´s been useful for planning web pages structures and for organanizing lessons for my pupils.
Pros
It has an awesome interface, which is prettyr desirable in this kind of apps.
MindManagers's friendly UI makes mind mapping easier.
It has a huge set of tools.
Excellent tool for brainstorming sessions.
Cons
It'd be very nice to convert the products in animations or, at least, make them interactive (yes, I know there are other apps, but still!)
Likelihood to Recommend
It is very appropriate for synchronous an asynchronous work of teams in brainstorms and for the organization of the products generated in very specific opinion exchange sessions, to extract the essence of each contribution. Likewise, for the hierarchy and presentation of agendas -either for study or for dissertations- it is ideal, as it facilitates the distillation of discourse and allow you to focus on the core points.
I see it less suited in business spaces where the brainstorm technique is still not handled properly, but it is not something inherent to the app but to the uses potentialities and profile.
VU
Verified User
Professional in Marketing (Mining & Metals company, 501-1000 employees)
