Check out 7 steps to make mind maps

Mind maps are one of the best ways to organize ideas and plan actions. With it, you can get an idea out of your head and start the process of making it a reality. When making mind maps, you will be more clear about the steps you should follow in any plan you are working on. Be it learning a new dish through cooking apps or a project to generate extra income.

When you start making mind maps, you will notice that creating them is not difficult. However, it may still be that you have some doubts or even ignore some tools that you can use.

So we set up this guide with the necessary steps to make mind maps and never stop a project because you don't know which step to take next.

Stay with us for a few more minutes and learn how to make mind maps below!

1. Meet MindMeister

There are several websites that allow you to make mind maps for free. They can be both to coordinate your company's actions without having to log into team meeting applications all the time or to organize your study tasks. There is no lack of apps for online mind maps.

Among the various options available, MindMeister is the reference in the area of ​​mind maps. Easy to use and with a good collection of ready-made models, you can start producing your own maps in no time.

Therefore, in the first step of this guide we will ask you to access MindMeister and register on the app.

Do not worry! It is free and you can register using your email, Google account or Facebook profile.

For this tutorial, we will create the online mind map on the web, which can be accessed by internet browsers. But remember that MindMeister is also available on Android or iPhone!

2. Discover the different models available

As soon as you complete your registration on MindMeister, you will have access to several models, according to your goal. This means that you can use it both to organize the subjects you must study for ENEM and to work from home and earn money.

So take the time to check out the different models available. Just hover your mouse over the model and choose To view to see a preview of the mind map.

3. Choose your first model

Now that you have a good idea of ​​what a mind map is and have checked the different models, it's time to choose which one will be your first.

Browse the available models and when you have your favorite, just click the button Use.

4. Create your first topics

For this guide, we will use the template Lined up, the first that appears in the list. If you have never made a mind map, we recommend that you also choose it, if only to follow the steps and then proceed to make mind maps with the model you liked best.

By default, whenever you open a new template, the central topic is named New Mind Map. Change that name to your project's name. In this guide, we will name ours as AppTuts.

To open a new topic, which is a branch of your project, press the key Tab on your keyboard. Now, give this branch a name. Repeat this step – always clicking on the central balloon before pressing the Tab – and name each topic until it covers all the goals and tasks that your project needs to achieve.

5. Create the second level branches

Now that you have the central objective and its branches, it’s time to create the branches for each goal. The user can create as many levels as he wants, but remember that simple and clear goals are easier to achieve.

The process is the same as the previous step, just pressing the key Tab. This time, however, you need to click on the goal where you want to create the second level branch. To create a branch of the same level, just press the key Enter.

See how the mind map looks with another level of ramifications.

6. What can you put in the topics?

You don't have to stick to MindMeister's original formatting. If it did, it would be much better to check out other apps to create mind maps.

As this is not the case, you can make several aesthetic changes to the topics and branches, making it easier to read. It is also possible to include images or files in the topics present.

You will learn how to do both in the last two steps of this guide. Next, see what you can include in the topics when making mind maps.

• 1. Emojis: there’s no problem putting emojis on mind maps, unless it’s against your company’s policy!

• 2. Images: MindMeister has a collection of images that can be placed to illustrate topics. In the premium version, you can send images directly from your computer.

• 3. Videos: YouTube videos can also be used to illustrate the topics in your mind map. In the Pro version, you can also send files from your PC.

• 4. Comments: reminders or text evaluations that will only appear on the mind map when you click on the topic where it was inserted.

• 5. Links: it is possible to place links to external pages.

• 6. Files (Pro version): exclusive of the paid version, with it you can attach any file on your computer.

• 7. Task management: by clicking on this icon, you can define the goal as a task to be performed. Simply set a due date, specify the priority level and assign it to a team member if you don't use MindMeister alone.

7. Customize your mind maps

You do not need to use the same background, nor the same text formatting in the topics you opened when making mind maps.

In the same panel that you saw in the previous image, you can also customize your mind map, selecting the background or text color, increasing or decreasing the size of the letters and even putting them in bold or italics, among other possibilities.

In the same way as we did in the previous step, see below a numbered image of the panel and see what each item means right after.

• 1. Font size: set the font size of your mind map.

• 2. Bold or italics: add this formatting to the letters.

• 3. Brush: change the color of the selected topic.

• 4. Source: change the font, color and background of the chosen topic.

• 5. Format: change the border format of the chosen topic.

Keep learning how to make mind maps in practice!

Making mind maps does not require any training or specialization. In practice, you will discover how to create and customize your own models yourself, as well as use the tools to optimize your planning.

As we showed throughout the article, MindMeister has a free and paid version, which unlocks more functions and allows you to make unlimited mind maps.

Start creating your own mind maps now and never be without knowing the next step of your project by clicking on the link to use MindMeister!