Mind Pad

Change the way you manage your contacts. Replace your old contact list with a new contact map. Visualize all your contacts and relation between them. And much more!

Represent your contacts as a map

If your contact list is full of records then you probably already thought about some kind of categorization or sorting. The problem of nowadays contact-lists is that you can see just a single contact item without ability to see the relation between items. We applied a powerful object-oriented mind mapping conception to this problem.

Replace contacts list with contacts map

It's now easy to replace your contact list with contact mind map. With Mind Pad you can create contact objects and link them with each other. 

Note, Mind Pad suggest object-oriented mind mapping, meaning that you can not just put a name of your contact, but keep in map all contact information.

Visualization benefits

For instance, you have a partnership with some companies PR agencies. 

Look at the picture, it's visualized a contact relation scheme. You know where Paul works and what project he is working for now. You can link Asbjorn, a project manager from Norway PR company, with someone in your marketing team.

Change contact details

It's easy to make necessary notes or put some additional information.

Let's click on "Tim, Testing and quality team" map item and see what we can change about Tim.

It's amazing as you have the power of companies CRM now! You can put all Tim's details in this contact map. 

Put here his interests or contact details.

More over, you can use Mind Pad Model Editor to add some properties to "Contact" object. For instance, if you don't really need "ICQ Number" field then you can remove it. Probably it's more useful to have a "Current project" or "Project history" field, so you can learn if Tim is experienced enough to do some job.

Finally, you can use scripting to make this map active. For instance, you can create a script for your contact map that will highlight contact items that you should manage today, for example give a call or write e-mail.

Create a contact object with Mind Pad:

1. Select a drop-list:
2. Select a "Contact" frame class from Frame class hierarchy.
3. Now when you double click on the workspace you will create a contact object.

Improved contacts performance

It's a simple solution! With Mind Pad you can build a contacts mind map, where you can link contact items with each other and specify all necessary details about contacts.

Using contact mind map improves your performance vastly. Now you don't have to spend time managing, searching or sorting contacts as now it's very easy to manage contacts in map. All contact are structures and visualized in the way you want it to be.

You can now "see" the relation between people, you can make notes right here on the map without running another program. 

With Mind Pad contact map you can create a new team for ? new project and manage it in efficient way. It's easy and powerful idea as it bases on mind maps. 

Mind Pad FEATURES

Mind Pad is a mind map program that provides an easy way to manage knowledge. 

• Object-oriented mind mapping. Organize in mind map objects with any properties set. 
• Frames. Frame is the basic of mind map. Frame is an object with some set of properties.
• Links. Link object creates a relation between frames in mind map.
• Frame and Link styles. In Mind Pad you don't need to change color or font settings for objects or links one by one. In Mind Pad you apply "Styles" to your mind map. 

Object-oriented mind mapping

If you ever asked for simplicity of mind mapping and for mind map topics with some properties that are right for your business needs, then Mind Pad is a great tool to start with.

What is mind map

Mind Map is an easy way to visualize data. It do nothing but represent information in logical and easy understandable form. With mind map you can represent your knowledge and share it with others.

"Mind Map" term was introduced by Tony Buzan and there are a lot of useful books written about mind mapping.

If we get back to the science, then we should agree that "mind map" is a marketing term, that is well-know for great knowledge representing. But "mind map" is just some simple type of semantic networks. Do a google search for this subject and you will learn much about this subject.

Mind maps in Mind Pad

Creating and linking text blocks is easy with Mind Pad. But it can do more. Mind Pad allows you to organize in mind map objects with any properties set. With Mind Pad scripting you can create your own rules for data management and representation.

Mind Pad suggests a new approach to mind mapping. Now, mind map is not just a lot of linked text blocks. Mind Pad allows to create your own frame objects with unique properties that are most suitable for your business. You can organize those objects into some hierarchy or map.

For instance, with Mind Pad Model Editor you can easily create an object called Contact Person and assign to it some really useful properties, such as Person name, Company name, Next time to contact date. Then you can create a mind map using Contact Person frame object and link new objects with each other showing the relation between your contacts.

You can create your own knowledge management system using Mind Pad scripting and macros functions. For these purpose Mind Pad supports Visual Basic .NET.

Frame and Link mind map styles

Managing objects and links formatting is easy with Mind Pad object-oriented approach. You can use a frame or link styles, specify colors, text settings and other. When you need to create a new object you just tell Mind Pad what style it should use for this object or link.

You can use pre-defined styles (you can see objects that use this style of pictures) or you can create your own style that would fit your company's color scheme.

We think that mind maps should not only look nice, but should look like yours, it's easy to create your own style for mind mapping.

The most great idea of Mind Pad: Mind Pad is easy to use software. As long as it supports powerful object oriented-methodology and scripting, it s very simple software. It s easy to use it for every day mind mapping.  

Advanced object-oriented mind mapping approach sample

If you really want to make use of powerful object-oriented mind mapping, then you should spend some time and learn how to create a frame objects using Model Editor. This object should have all properties you need to represent some data in mind map. For instance, if you brainstorm the possibility of finding and integrating some software solution, then you can create some frame objects for your needs.

Run Model Editor and spend five minutes to create your own frame object, for instance name it as Software Solution . Add some properties that will represent most valuable information, such as Solution Name, Company Name, Pricing and Web-Page URL.

Now, when creating mind map, you can use the new Software Solution objects. The resulted mind map will be very simple and very useful at the same time.

If you ever asked for a simple looking mind map with ability to create some editable properties for your topics then Mind Pad is what you was looking for.  

Frames in Mind Pad

There are two types of objects in Mind Pad - Frames and Links. Frame is an object with some attributes and link is an object that create a visual relation between two frames. Note: with Mind Pad Editor you can change the attributes of frame object and create your own.

Manage Frame Object

The basic frame object is a rectangle with text inside.

Create Frame

• Double click. You can create frame object by double clicking on workspace.
• Toolbar button. You can change your cursor mode from "Select" (arrow icon) to "Add Frame" (frame icon).  Then click on the workspace to create new frame.
• Hot-keys. When you need to create a frame that is related to existent one, then you can use "Enter" or "Insert" hot-key. See below how it works:

Using "Insert" hot-key:
	Case: Only one topic exists - Topic1. Select Topic1. Press "Insert" key on your keyboard to create new topic (topic2) linked to topic1:

Using "Enter" hot-key:
	Case: Topic2 linked to Topic1. The Topic2 was selected. Press "Enter" key on your keyboard to create new topic (topic3) linked to topic1:

Chang Frame Text

There are two ways you can change Frame Text.

• Click on the object and change the value of "Text" property.
• Double-click on the object to start editing text. Once the editing was finished should can click to the free part of workspace or press Tab key to close text editing box.

Change Object Attributes

Any time you can change any frame object attributes. Click on the object to display it's properties list and the value of these properties.

• Style attribute. You can change the way this frame object looks like by changing object style.
• Hyperlink attribute. Use this property if you want to have a link to some file, folder or web-site. Right-click on frame object to access hyperlink.

Delete Frame

You can delete any object on your work space. Here are some ways to do this:

• Click Delete Object button on the toolbar.
• Right click on the object and select Delete command.
• Click "Del" key on your keyboard;

Mind Pad - Links

There are two types of objects in Mind Pad - Frames and Links. Frame is an object with some attributes and link is an object that create a visual relation between two frames.

Manage Link Object

The link object is a line that starts at source object and ends at destination object.

Create Link

• Toolbar button. Select the source object. Change your cursor mode from "Select" (arrow icon) to "Add Link" (link icon).  Then click on the destination object. The hot key for this operation is Control + L.
• Hot-keys. Mind Pad enables create links using "Enter" or "Insert" hot-key. See below how it works:

Using "Insert" hot-key:
	Case: Only one topic exists - Topic1. Select Topic1. Press "Insert" key on your keyboard to create new topic (topic2) linked to topic1:

Using "Enter" hot-key:
	Case: Topic2 linked to Topic1. The Topic2 was selected. Press "Enter" key on your keyboard to create new topic (topic3) linked to topic1:

Change Object Attributes

Basic link object has only one attribute you might want to change

• Style attribute. You can change the way this link object looks like by changing object style. 

Delete Link

You can delete any object on your work space. Here are some ways to do this:

• Click Delete Object button on the toolbar.
• Right click on the object and select Delete command.
• Click "Del" key on your keyboard;

Mind Pad - Object Styles

In Mind Pad you don't need to change color or font settings for objects or links one by one. In Mind Pad you deal with "Styles". Style is a set of attributes that specify how the object will looks like. Style includes color scheme, font settings and other.

Default styles

In Mind Pad you can specify what Frame and Link style should the program apply to new objects. See the program toolbar:

Manage Styles

In Mind Pad you can access styles using View menu. Check "Frame Styles" and "Link Styles" options in View menu. Frame and Link style lists will appear. 

You can edit properties of the style. Select the style in the Frame Styles or Links Styles list and Mind Pad will show the properties on selected style in a properties list above.

• Add Frame Style. Click button to add new Frame Style.
• Add Link Style. Click button to add new Link Style.
• Remove Style. Select Frame Style or Link Style that you want to remove. Click button to remove selected style.

Learn how to change the style of any object - frame or link:

• Change Object Style. Select (click on) object on the workspace. Find the "Style" property in "Appearance" group. Use a drop-list to change display style.

Frame Style

Basic frame style has the following important properties:

• Child Style. The style that Mind Pad will apply to the new object created as a child of object with this style. This works only in case of using Enter or Insert hot key.
• Style ID. The name of this style. You can change the name of the style.
• Coloring options: Back color, Border Color, Fore color;
• Text position: Text align, Text margins
• Frame shape. Specify the share of objects with this style.

Link Style

Basic link style has the following important properties:

• Brush style. It may be solid, dashed, dotted
• Color. The color used to draw link line and link's caps.
• End cap and Start cap. The share of link end and start.
• Width. The width on link line.
• Style ID. The name of link style.

Testimonials

I found Mind Pad to be a great software, and thank you for your postings in forum and answers by e-mail. I have started using Mind Pad to create mind map and support brainstorm process. - Paul

It's a great idea about object-oriented mind mapping. I think Mind Pad is an irreplaceable tool for business mind mapping. I use it to represent knowledge and structure it a well. - Jean Kazas, TX

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