Why is the basic mind mapping tool so basic

  • 22 August 2020
  • 8 replies
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Userlevel 2

Hi all!

 

I really like the freedom of mind mapping in Miro. The fact that I can nearly through any file type on my board and connect everything together the way I want it is great for creative research.

 

However, sometime I need some structured mind maps too. Hence, I use the Miro mind mapping tool.

And there it is too basic. There isn’t even the option to make organigram style mind maps? What about adding icons to the subject boxes?

 

Maybe I missed the purpose of this tool and I am open to learn more on how I could do replicate mind maps the way I would build them in XMind or MindManager.

 

Thanks!

 

Tom


8 replies

Userlevel 3
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Hi, 

I am agree with @SaschaP on this, the MindMap feature is still really basic, also I would like to see nodes extending to all direction, as of now we can only use horizontal or vertical nodes, but when we create mind maps it would helpful to see it grow in add directions.

Thanks

Aman

 

 

So, two years later (as in two years later), Mindmaps are just as basic today as they were back then. 

I still can’t insert new nodes.
I still have to build maps either horizontally or vertically. I still can’t have both. 

 

Userlevel 2

Hi @Tolya Filippov !

 

Thanks for getting back to me and the awesome feedback about my channel. :)

 

Much more Miro videos are planned to be released. Hence, I am keen to get on your usability-testing interviews. I have a lot to say...haha :D

 

In fact, I am working on complete concept on how I do “Creative Research”. It is a way to do brainstorming and researching ideas and concepts with as little friction as possible. Miro is the software that allows me to get as close as possible to this state of creativity flow. This might need to be discussed somewhere else, but I think you should also approach the Apple Pencil / Other Stylus support. If you do this right, then you will have the go-to app for Creative Research and someone who will rave about it. Me. :D

Happy to talk about my concept in a video call.

 

Have a great day

 

Tom

Userlevel 4

Hi everyone in this thread and thanks for the great discussion!

@Tom Solid Thank you for the feedback and for your youtube channel, I’m a big fan!

I agree that the current Mind Mapping experience is very basic, and we are working on Mind Map improvements. When we have a new version ready we’ll start usability-testing phase, so we can meet on one of the usability-testing interviews :)

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Hi @Tom Solid ,

 

that is and was my question right from the beginning.

About 4 month ago I started a thread where I showed what kind of MindMapping features I like to see - Before I worked with miro I worked with iMindMap and before this I worked with MindManager …

Michael

Userlevel 7
Badge +12

@Tom Solid I agree, there are many features lacking in the current Mind Map. However, this is typical of an iterative design approach - build and deploy the minimum required in order to get feedback to incorporate into future releases.

If you haven’t already, I would suggest

  • having a quick look at the FAQs in the Mind Map help article as I see mentioned of features in the product backlog;
  • adding your votes/ideas to the numerous existing Mind Map Wish List items/ideas.

Cheers!

Rob

Userlevel 2

Thanks @Max Harper for this awesome reply!

I 100% agree with you!

Omni-Platform and Apple Pencil support made me hype Miro on all my platforms and even create an online course “Mind Mapping Like a Pro using Miro”.

In this course I focus on the mind mapping capabilities and as I said, I love the freedom. Just wanted to ensure I didn’t miss anything when explaining the mind mapping build in tool to my course attendees.

The lack of cross-platform available for any of the other mind mapping tools makes it a nobrainer to go for Miro!

If they keep up that pace in pushing out new releases I am sure that the mind mapping tool will get some love too. 😁

In general it just feels so displaced due to its limitations of rearranging the mind map. I guess this is the main issue I have right now that hinders me from using this tool at all.

 

Thanks again 

 

Tom

Userlevel 7
Badge +5

@Tom Solid    You’re right, the mind map is pretty basic in features, you’re not alone in this feeling… and I hope the likes of @Marina and other Mironeers might connect you with the product team to share insight into needed features. 

On another level, from what I can tell about Miro’s product strategy, dare I say, I think the answer to your question is kinda right there in your comment… 

 “...that I can nearly [throw] any file type on my board and connect everything together the way I want it is great for creative research.”

Miro has focused on that hard work to give you that experience: omni-platform, highly extensible and highly inter-operable with other apps and file types, collaborative/shareable, etc.  It seems they’ve prioritized this as the primary hard problem to solve over hyper-competing in the feature/use-case-space of mindmapping. From what I can tell, XMind and MindManager, like the beloved Omnigraffle/Plan/Focus before them, haven’t made the leap to omni-platform (including web-app), and in not doing so, they’re struggling to become more than personal productivity tools that export artifacts, but falter at enabling rich collaboration. They are awesome tools in their own right, and give people super powers, but kind of island them as super powers of 1 (this coming from a former castaway, once stranded for lonely super-powered years on my Omnigraffle island).   

Now that Miro has tackled that big hard nest of interoperability and collaboration problems, I imagine with but a little focus, Miro can improve up the mind-mapping tool… BUT they need your ( @Tom Solid ) help to see what you see in the other tools that you’d want in the Miro Mindmap tool. Then you’d have it all :) 

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