Mindmapping Meets Web 2.0

I have always been a big fan of graphic organizers and mind mapping for brainstorming and presenting information. I find it a lot easier to get my ideas down using these tools as compared to straight outlining or creating lists. This past week I was invited to be part of a Private beta test for Mindmeister, a new online mind mapping application. Mindmeister lets you upload your Mindjet MindManager Mindmaps or you can create your own from scratch right within the browser. The program feels fast even though it is coming off the server. There are limitations in terms of the number of icons that are available to use and the fonts. Other than that it is a really useful tool that also allows for collaboration. You see I could easily invite others to both View or Collaborate on my mind map which is really an exciting feature. Imagine all of the possibilities as you are planning your project. When you are finished using Mindmeister you can Export your mind map to a RTF file or to GIF file format. This is really a very cool tool and gives you access to a graphic organizer when connected to the web. It will be interesting to see how this tool develops and the new features that are added based on the early feedback from users.