NovaMind

Ideas come and go and it's hard to keep track of them. That's why mind mapping software are for. They help you organize your thoughts in a pleasant, visual way. Nova Mind is one such program that makes writing on board obsolete.

The program is not free, but you can still download the 13 Mb installation package for a 30 day trail. If you buy it, activating it is done with a click on a button from the interface. The installation process itself will take bit of time because it requires .NET Framework 4 and the wizard will start searching for it and install it automatically if it doesn't find anything.

The interface has a really sleek design. It's options and toolbars are all arranged, according to their functions, on tabs on the window's top side, eliminating the need to scroll vast menus. The program let's you get straight to business. In the main part of the window you can already find a geometrical shape. This is your starting point. Type what you need in it and click the "topic" or "subtopic" button on the home menu found on the window's top side. This will create a new topic that will be linked automatically to the starting point. This is the basic thing you need to know in order to create your scheme.

You can move or change the size of any topic or subtopic by simply clicking and dragging. Changing it's shape involves right clicking on it and selecting a preset shape. If you want some additional notes to a topic, you can add a callout with a simple click on a button from the home menu. Also in the home menu you can find a "boundaries" button. This enables you to highlight one or more topics, making them easier to spot if they're more important or urgent. For a topic that's not directly related to the starting point, you can add a floating topic. This will not be linked straight away. You can create a custom link by clicking the appropriate button and simply drawing a line from one object to another.

The other tabs let offer other options that you won't use all the time. Some of the options found under "insert" seem to be the same from the home menu. From here you can also add text, images, attachments, hyperlinks or notes. The tools from the "map design" tab let you customize how your map should look. Simpler, sleeker, more or less color, it's all up to you.

The "file" tab will bring you to a menu where you can save, close, or open a project. Besides these basic options, you can also find some that allow you to import mind maps from other similar software, give you access to a gallery of already made maps which you can use as templates, print or export your map.

pro:
There are a lot of features to Nova Mind that enables you to make your map look however you want. The price is also right. It comes in Express, Pro and Platinum version, each with prices ranging from not so much to kind of steep. The sheer flexibility of this software will make your mind go nova. So to speak...

con:
You need to understand what a mind mapping software is and does in order to make sense of it. Here's the short version: you draw geometrical and not so geometrical shapes that reflect your thoughts and ideas.

Any thoughts or ideas you might have can be easily projected in Nova Mind. You can map out your plans in a simple, efficient and flexible manner.