Personal Brain is magnificent for linking thoughts, ideas, concepts, relationships. Once you start creating your maps it is a snap to connect what they call “child” thoughts to a topic and include attachments such as mind maps, documents, spreadsheets, hyperlinks.
The joy of using personal brain comes in when you are needing to do rapid jumping from thought concept to thought concept. I use it for mapping new information and resources related to research I am doing, my own learning objectives, training, as well as my personal interests. I include links to documents on my hard drive – as well as embed things like mind maps right into my Personal Brain file. It is speedy and quick and the only 1 draw back for me is that it does not print out well – and yet, for it’s performance on-screen – I haven’t found anything as fun to use – or as quick.
For me – besides the fun – I can “link” concepts from varied different sources together and quickly move from one to another. This isn’t as easy to do in systems like MindManager and the like – because for the most part in those programs you want to attempt to keep each map relatively small – and you are better off just to use multiple maps. With Personal Brain – Your file can be as large as you want it – and you don’t experience “information overload” like you can in other mapping programs.
This is not for everyone, but for those who are collecting large amounts of knowledge or information who want to access it quickly – Personal Brain can be a great resource.
I use other mapping software programs – and all have their own benefits. Busan’s imap system – has the most organic feel – and most closely relates to the manual way of doing a mind map – The ability to manipulate, draw, use colours quickly – is so much like using coloured markers – it makes the whole process alot of fun.
If you haven’t tried a mind mapping software before – and if you want to give imap a try – The Buzan folks have a free 7day trial and if you are reading this post before 31Aug08 – they also have a limited time offer you may want to have a look at.
Brain is excellent for doing non-treed mind maps. Me personally, I am a daily user of MindManager – which helps me organize using a treeing format. But for my own personal learning of complex subjects I use a non-treed mind map.
If you want to watch an excellent use of non-treed mind mapping and you have 15minutes to spare- give this video a look (its in 5 sections of about 3minutes each)- and see how you could use this kind of brain approach – is could be an excellent format for story telling.
Learn more about The Brain Mind Mapping Software – you can go to their main website at www.TheBrain.com
What It Does: FreeMind is mind-mapping software. Mind Mapping software can be used as a productivity tool.
Keep track of projects, tasks, links to files, keeping track of small notes, brain storming tool, using colours to differeniate, an organizational tool. Aid to help with right-brain creativity.
The Marketing Blurb: Visualize Your Thinking and Organize Your Work The Product Link:Visual Mind
What It Does:
Stand alone software, 30day free trail available
What it does: Does the mind mapping thing -You will want to have a look at Visual Mind’s product comparison chart before you purchase – to make sure you all the tools you need – pay particular attention to the export functions. To have the most flexibility – choose the business version.
What they do have that is a nice add-on is a program called the realizer – it helps you do “chunk” sideways brainstorming, and you can get this kind of tool elsewhere for no cost – so this may not be a big priority.
