I love mind mapping, but I have always found the software that was created for that sort of thing to be seriously lacking. Well, I have found a web app that does a great job with it, and it is still in private beta (if you want an invite me know, I was johnny on the spot and got in).
The is Mind Meister, and some of its key features include:
1. Sharing with Friends: because it is housed on the web, you can share your mind map with someone else and have them jump in on the brainstorming, LIVE! The site says that you can see changes made in real-time as you collaborate with people on it. Almost like a white-board meeting that doesn’t require everyone to be in the same physical location!
2. Integration with Skype: since it supports real time interaction/collboration between people, it also supports Skype conference calls through the interface somehow. I haven’t had a chance to try this out yet - but maybe soon!
Here is a excerpt from the site talking about the real time interaction:
When two or more users open the same mindmap at the same time you are in brainstorming mode. Every change you make - be it adding new ideas, deleting bad old ones, or rearranging them within the branches - will be replicated instantly to your fellow editors’ screens via the MindMeister server. Through colour-coded effects they will see what you did and vice versa, no reload necessary. And, if you need to talk to them directly, just click on their name in the footer and start a Skype conference call.
This is still in a private beta like I said above, but I have 19 invitations left… first come first serve!
