Use this free mind map brainstorm canvas in your browser. No sign-up, no download and no upload: everything runs on your own device, so your data stays private.
What this tool does
A mind map starts from one centre and throws branches outward, which suits brainstorming because no branch outranks another until you decide it does. This canvas places your centre topic in the middle and your branches around it, evenly spaced, so a messy idea dump becomes a shape you can discuss. It is for generating ideas, not for arguing relationships, which is what concept maps do.
How to use it
- Paste or type your centre topic and branch list in the box above.
- Adjust any settings, such as cutoffs, scales or styles, to match your data.
- Click the run button and read the output below the tool.
- Check the summary numbers before you copy anything into a document.
- Copy the output, code or image into your figure, slide or report.
Worked example
Set the centre to Thesis and add branches Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion. The canvas shows four branches radiating from the centre, and the empty space between them invites the missing ideas. Add a fifth branch, Limitations, and the spacing rebalances around the circle.
Tips for better results
Write branches as two or three words, not sentences, or the ellipses overflow.
Honest limits
Only one level of branches is drawn; sub-branches need a second map or a full mind-mapping app.
Choosing the right settings
Start with the default values. They are chosen to show a sensible result at once, so you can see the layout before you touch your own data. Then change one setting at a time. Changing one thing at a time is the fastest way to learn what each control does, and it stops two changes from cancelling each other out. If the output looks wrong, check the input format first: a missing comma, a swapped column or a stray space causes most errors, and the tool reports what it received in its summary line.
Using the result in a figure
For a figure, keep the output simple. One message per figure, short labels, and a caption that states the method and the settings you used will serve readers better than a dense, decorated chart. If a journal or supervisor will see the result, note the tool name, the input values and any cutoff in your methods or caption, so the figure can be reproduced later. That habit also helps you: six months from now, the caption is the only record of how the figure was made.
Common questions
Do I need an account? No. The mind map brainstorm canvas runs entirely in your browser with no sign-up and no saved data.
Is my data uploaded anywhere? No. Your centre topic and branch list stays on your device, which is why the tool is safe for unpublished work.
Can I use the output in a paper or presentation? Yes. The output is yours to reuse; just check it visually once, note the settings in your caption, and credit the method, not the tool, in your references.
What if the result looks wrong? Check the input format first, then change one setting at a time. Most errors come from a missing comma, a swapped column, or a value outside the expected range, and the summary line under the tool shows what it actually received.
Try the mind map brainstorm canvas above with the sample data, then with your own. It is free, it needs no account, and it works in any modern browser.
When you reuse the result, keep a short record of the inputs and settings you used. A one-line note in your project file, such as the data pasted, the cutoff chosen and the date, is enough to reproduce the figure later. If a collaborator questions a number, that note lets you rebuild the exact output in seconds instead of guessing what changed.
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