Top 10 Tools for Online Brainstorming and Collaboration

Working remotely has become a necessity, and for many the new normal, during this past year. Some business and types of work have adapted quickly to this change, but for others it is not so easy. For work that relies on heavy communication with others and idea-sharing, we must completely reframe our idea of collaboration. No more impromptu meetings with sticky notes and whiteboards. Luckily, there are a variety of online software and programs designed to create a highly functional and dynamic workspace for you and your colleagues. These software aid in organizing thoughts, generating ideas, reworking processes, and sharing information, making them great for individual brainstorming as well as collaborative thinking.

Ayoa

The creators of iMindMap, who popularized and refined the term mind mapping, recently released an updated cloud-based brainstorming software called Ayoa. This software has a user-friendly mind map interface featuring color coded branches and fun illustrations that are easily edited and rearranged to create a large idea network. You can easily share mind maps or make them public to get input from others. New features to Aoya include a video chat service, instant messaging with coworkers, radial maps, and task management tools. The collaborative whiteboard combines a variety of these features into one space designed for holding virtual meetings. Since Ayoa is a highly functional and sleek designed software, the subscriptions are a little pricey, however it is well worth it if you plan to use an online workspace on a daily basis.

Braincat

Braincat is a truly different type of app, a combination of note-taking and brainstorming software designed to actually change your thinking process, making it more efficient. It stimulates creativity and keeps you organized by breaking down your thoughts into simple steps and rearranging them in a way that makes sense to you. Simply input all of your ideas about a topic, writing assignment, or project. This is the time to empty your mind of any cluttered thoughts and explore new aspects of the project you may have not previously considered.

Depending on the project type, there are a number of question prompts to get your mind flowing and offer new perspectives. Then you can categorize all of your inputs into headings that you create, using easy drag-and-drop. During this step you analyze what each input item means in terms of your project or what makes it useful. Users see patterns emerge and click into place. Finally, you prioritize the categories you created and sequence them in any manner you like. Braincat produces a visual outputof your project in that you can easily edit and share with others. Output can be as a mind map, outline, csv, task list, and more. This software offers a $1 trial and very affordable $10/mo subscription rate.

Lucidchart

Lucidchart offers a variety of mind mapping formats to organize brainstorming and promote online collaboration. You can work in a standard mind map with bubbles and connecting lines, or online sticky notes to mimic an in-person experience. Multiple users can join their sticky note boards into one collaborative workspace and work together in real time with live cursor tracking. You can also create diagrams, flow templates and other visual organization tools using your existing brainstorm data. Lucidchart is cloud-based and supported on a variety of device types. Easily export and integrate your projects into popular communication apps like Slack, G Suite, and Microsoft Teams.

MindMeister

MindMeister is a basic mind mapping software that allows for real-time collaboration and updating on a virtual whiteboard. Live commenting, voting, and group editing allows you to hold a virtual meeting or brainstorming session easily. Share your mind maps through Google Drive, Wiki Maps, or with a clickable link that does not require other viewers and editors to create an account. Customize your map design, insert multimedia attachments, and manage tasks among your team. One unique MindMeister feature is the ability to create captivating visual presentations from your brainstorm map. This is useful for project outlines to easily convey ideas and processes to clients or colleagues.

Coggle

Coggle is a free online mind mapping software that allows you to easily build and edit flow charts and visual maps of a particular project. It features a simple, straightforward design that makes it easy to edit and rearrange throughout the brainstorming process. You can create branches, loops, and forks with ease, alter the colors and add images. Additionally, you can export your mind maps to share them with coworkers or via social media.

Bubbl.us

This free online software works similarly to Coggle, building simple mind maps as you input information. Input ideas and information at different importance levels and watch Bubbl.us build and shape a bubble tree, repositioning automatically as you enter new information. You can also opt to position the bubbles manually, as well as edit sizes and colors. Share your trees with other Bubbl.us users to collaborate on the same project or export read-only versions.

Mindomo

This simple mind mapping program is geared toward collaborative work and education. Similar to the other softwares, you can build basic mind maps that connect and organize information into one network. Mindomo promotes the use of mind maps for teaching, as visual learning can be a very effective way to organize a large concept in the mind. It also allows educators to create individual or group assignments for students, shows the edit history, and features a grading function. Provide feedback to students on assignments, engage in live chat during lessons, and share assignments and grades easily.

FreeMind

This open-source mind mapping tool was built in Java and is free to download on Mac, Windows, and Linux. It offers a variety of features and is built for functionality over aesthetic, so it’s suitable for those who don’t mind the more basic, raw look of the map. Insert clickable HTML links, navigate smoothly through your map with folding topic headings, and decorate your map nodes with different colors, fonts, and built-in icons. Export projects to HTML files to share them with others. Additionally, FreeMind stores your maps in XML format so you can switch to a different software easily.

Visual Thesaurus

As the name states, this free software creates visual maps of similar or related words. This is highly suitable for writers to broaden their vocabulary and can also be useful for free association exercises that generate new ideas. Simply type in a word and see the association maps unfold. You can extend the tree in any direction to see more related terms and ideas. It also shows the definition and pronunciation of each term.

Ideament

This software creates colorful and simple visual maps, allowing you to connect different shapes with arrows in any direction. Customize the colors, fonts, themes, and shapes of your mind map. This program is limited in the collaboration aspect, but it allows you to export your map into a text outline to share with others.