Overview
Mindmup can help you turn a project into a visual plan. Start with the project goal, break it into areas and tasks, organize the structure, add supporting information, and connect related tasks.
A practical workflow is:
Start with the goal → add project areas → break them into tasks → organize the map → add details → connect related tasks → review and share.
You can build the plan gradually as you work. You don't need to have the entire project structure figured out before you begin.
1. Start with the project goal
Create a new map and use the root node for the main project, goal, or outcome.
For example:
Launch a new company website
This gives you a starting point for building the rest of the plan.
Select the root node and click the + button to add a child. You can also press Tab to add a child in a horizontal layout or Enter in a vertical layout.
2. Add the major areas of work
Identify the main areas that need to be completed and add them as child nodes.
For example:
Launch a new company website
- Content
- Design
- Development
- Testing
- Launch
These become the main branches of your project plan.
Add sibling nodes when you want to create another area at the same level, or add child nodes when an area needs to be broken down further.
3. Break areas into smaller tasks
Select a major area and add child nodes for the specific work it contains.
For example:
Content
- Write homepage copy
- Prepare product descriptions
- Review existing content
- Add SEO metadata
You can continue adding child nodes when a task needs to be broken down into smaller pieces.
For example:
Write homepage copy
- Draft headline
- Write introduction
- Add call to action
- Review final copy
This creates a hierarchy from the overall project to individual tasks.
4. Organize and rearrange the plan
Your project structure may change as you develop the plan. You can reorganize the map without rebuilding it.
To rearrange a node within its group, click and drag the node to a different position among its siblings.
To change the hierarchy, click and drag a node onto another node to nest it as a child.
When you need to work with several tasks together, select multiple nodes and apply supported actions to the group.
5. Add details to individual tasks
Keep the main map concise by adding supporting information to individual nodes.
Select a task and use the Node quick menu to add:
- Notes for requirements, instructions, or additional context
- Images for visual references
- Attach file for project documents
- Create link for external resources
- Add sticky note for additional information on the map
For example, you could add project requirements to the Write homepage copy node's Notes instead of putting them directly in the map.
6. Show relationships between tasks
Not every project relationship belongs in the main hierarchy.
When two tasks are related but belong to different branches, use Add connection to show the relationship.
For example, you could connect Testing to Development to show a relationship between the two areas.
After adding a connection, click the connecting line to open its quick menu. You can change the Line style, add an arrow, adjust Line thickness, or Add text to describe the relationship.
7. Use Auto layout to keep the map organized
Auto layout automatically arranges nodes as you add and edit them. This helps keep a growing project plan organized as you add more branches and tasks.
It's particularly useful for larger project plans where manually arranging every node would make the map harder to maintain.
8. Review the project structure
Once you've built the initial plan, review the map as a whole.
Check whether:
- All major areas of the project are represented
- Large tasks need to be broken down further
- Related tasks are grouped together
- Any tasks belong under a different branch
- Important relationships need connections
- Supporting information should be added to Notes, files, or links
Use Fold when you want to focus on a particular branch. Press F to quickly fold or unfold a subtree.
Use Zoom to fit to see the overall structure, or press Ctrl + 1 to quickly fit the map to the screen.
Use Find to locate a specific node in a larger project map. For quick navigation, press Ctrl + 0 to recenter the view, or use Ctrl + Scroll to zoom in or out.
9. Share the project plan
When your plan is ready to review with others, use Share in the top-right corner of the editor.
You can invite people to the map, share it with teams, and manage access.
Sharing the map lets collaborators review the same visual project structure instead of working from separate copies.
10. Keep the plan updated
A project plan can change as work progresses.
Add new nodes when new tasks are identified, move or nest nodes when the structure changes, and delete information that is no longer relevant.
You can also use Undo and Redo when experimenting with different structures.
Because the map is easy to reorganize, you can continue updating it as the project develops.
Example: Website project
Here's one way to structure a website project in Mindmup:
Launch a new company website
Content
- Write homepage copy
- Prepare product descriptions
- Add SEO metadata
Design
- Create wireframes
- Design homepage
- Review designs
Development
- Build homepage
- Implement navigation
- Connect forms
Testing
- Test navigation
- Check forms
- Review on mobile
Launch
- Final review
- Publish website
- Monitor after launch
You can then rearrange the tasks, nest them under different areas, add Notes and files, and use connections to show relationships between tasks in different branches.
Tips
- Start with the big picture
Begin with the project goal and major areas before breaking everything into smaller tasks. This gives you a clear structure to build on.
- Keep node titles short
Use concise node titles that are easy to scan. Put longer explanations and requirements in Notes.
- Rearrange instead of rebuilding
If a task belongs somewhere else, click and drag it to a new position or drag it onto another node to change its place in the hierarchy.
- Use connections for cross-branch relationships
Use the hierarchy to show how tasks belong together. Use Add connection when you need to show a relationship between nodes in different branches.
- Use Auto layout for growing plans
Let Auto layout keep the map organized as you add more branches and tasks.
- Review the whole map regularly
Use Zoom to fit to see the overall project structure and Fold subtree to focus on specific branches.
Related features
- How to Add Topics
- How to Move, Rearrange, Nest, Copy and Paste Topics
- How to Select Topics
- How to Fold and Unfold Topics
- How to Add Notes
- How to Connect Topics
- How to Add Images
- How to Attach Files
Ready to start planning? Create a new map, add your project goal as the root node, and start breaking the work into smaller tasks and areas. You can organize and expand the map as your project develops.