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In the first article “Mind mapping --- an easy to learn tutorial;, I have introduced what are mind map and mind mapping, how to do mind mapping manually and some tips on mind mapping. In this article, I will introduce a more convenient and vivid way to do mind mapping.

Mind mapping on the paper is an easy way of expressing our ideas. While it has some disadvantages or inconvenience: 1) The size of mind map will be limited by the size of paper, while generally speaking, we do not have enough size for our smart brain while using mind mapping skillfully;


2) Mind map on the paper cannot be modified, especially for the novice of mind mapping.

3) Sharing with others is not convenient. We have to give our manually drawn mind map to others. If you will give many persons, they have to share it one by one. For personal usage, manually mind mapping is enough, but for situations like discussing, making a presentation or decision ,etc. of course;

4) Difficult to keep for a long time. Generally speaking, we will not keep the mind maps in a very safe way to avoid damp weather and unexpected damage by you or your friends;

5) Not convenient to search and reviewing. Mind mapping will greatly
improve our creativity and ability of brain. Some mind map drawn before can be modified a lot if you think of it now. and with the number of mind maps getting larger and larger, you will find how to keep them in an easy-to-find way is time consuming. When you need a mind map, you will find you have to look for it in many folders, also time consuming.

Although manually mind mapping on the paper has some inconvenience, we like its free style of drawing and beautiful curve. I have done mind mapping for a long time and used some mind map software, such as mind mapper, mindmanager and imindmap etc. when imindmap is not published, I am always hesitate to do mind mapping on the computer because I don’t like the stiff line and I feel I have been deprived of the pleasure of manually drawing. In one word, it is a so big difference between manually drawing and mind map software other than imindmap. But since imindmap came out, all have been changed.

To use imindmap, you can feel you are just drawing, but not on the paper. The style on the computer is like that on the paper very much. At the same time, you don’t need spend time to draw beautiful images or colorful curves, all you needing to do are just some clicks using mouse.

You can download imindmap from http://www.imindmap.com/download/. Imindmap is a shareware, to use its full function you should buy it. Trial version does not provide the functions of exporting to other formats and printing, but still you can do mind mapping freely.

When downloading imindmap, you can download a trial license file using the link provided to your email. The installation is very easy.

Steps using imindmap

1) New a mind map. Open menu “file / new”, you will see a window. In the up-right of this window, select the central image as container for your central idea. In the down-right, you can add your central idea. After these steps, please push “create”.

2) Now in the center of main window, you will see the image you have just chosen for central idea .

Move your mouse to the image, you will find there is a big red dot, and at the same time, you mouse has changed its shape to hand. Press the left mouse button and move, you can draw a beautiful curve with pre-defined color.

3) Before we start drawing, we first see the buttons on the left bar of the main window. Do you want to realize a manually-drawing-like style? If so, press the second button

4) Back to the center, move mouse to the center of image and press the left mouse button. Then move to any direction you like, you can see a beautiful branch is created. Double click this branch, you will find a text edit for your typing. Typing a word you like and click on the other place of the main window, what you will see?

5) Do you want to add a image to this branch? First click the branch you want to add the image to, then Click on the right sidebar “Icon library”. Choose an icon you like and double click. You will find an icon is added to the branch, then you can drag it to the proper place.

6) Using the same way, you can also draw other branches to express your ideas, easy enough, isn’t right? Then how to adjust? When you click the branch, you will find some dots on it, drag the dots and you can change the shape of this branch. Move mouse to the end of this branch, you will find that a big red dot with a circle comes out. Dragging the red dot, you can draw sub-branches. Dragging the circle, you can change the direction of this branch. The same is for other branches or sub-branches.

7) Sometimes you will find some problems about the text you entered, such as: why they can’t be showed completely? Why are they arranged so ugly? The answer to the first problem is that the length of your branch is too short, drag it to a longer length, it will be ok. The second problem can be solved by click the buttons on the top sidebar.

Using imindmap is easy and exciting, after several exercises, you can be wholly absorbed in show your ideas. Now just beginning your interesting trip on mind mapping.

founder of site http://www.52success.net, which includes make money online and at home or during part time, lose weight, self development, health, close relationships

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Mind Mapping --- an Easy to Learn Tutorial Part2