Mind mapping has become my default method of organizing my personal thoughts and planning business tasks. My preferred desktop application is Mindjet Mind Manager, and it serves me well, but I thought I’d check one of the more popular web-based equivalent – MindMeister.

First impressions were good. I appreciated the working demo they placed right on their front page, so you can try it without the inconvenience of having to register. The site also has a short video demo/tutorial that explains most of what a would-be user needs to know. Once you’re ready to take the plunge, signing up is easy because the site allows using your existing Open ID accounts (Yahoo!, Wordpress, etc).

The AJAX-based user interface is well-thought out. It’s clean and intuitive – definitely simpler than Mindjet Mind Manager, without negatively affecting its usefulness. The map itself dominates the screen, flanked by menus on top, bottom, and a sidebar. As always, the mind map starts with a central idea that branches out in all directions in various levels, depending on how detailed you’d like to go (for more on mind mapping techniques, click here). Adding nodes to the chart is a cinch, and manipulating the mind map is just a matter of dragging items to their desired place.

The sidebar features the Navigator, which shows you exactly where you are on the map, gives you the ability to zoom in and out, to go to the center, or to switch between maps. It also has the controls for basic text formatting, as well as the icons which you can place beside each item on the map for added effect. Extras include provisions for notes, links, attachments, and tasks.

Real-time collaboration is possible, and can even work with Skype, if needed (I was not able to try this feature, though). Like most web apps, documents can be readily shared with others. Export options include .rtf, .pdf, .jpg, .gif, .png, .mm, .mmap, and .mind, the default MindMeister file format. Programmers can extend this application through the MindMeister API.

You can sign up on MindMeister for free, but the biggest drawback is that you’re only limited to storing 6 mind maps at a time. Paid accounts, meanwhile, start from $4/month, can host an unlimited number of maps, and enable working offline using Google Gears, among other benefits. Despite the limitations of the free account, MindMeister is a good way to start learning about mind mapping for the curious. I only wish there was a way to draw lines and basic shapes on the map, to connect nodes coming off separate branches. Other than that, I have no complaints about this solid mind mapping tool.