Review a map

MindManager's Review command enables you to collaborate on maps with colleagues. The process works in this way: the primary contributor creates a map and then passes the map to the next contributor who adds topics and comments, then passes it to the next contributor. The process continues thus, and when all contributors have finished, the map goes back to the primary contributor who assesses the collective review topics and comments and modifies the map accordingly.

Topics added during the review appear as visually distinctive using text and fill colors automatically assigned to each reviewer. You can adjust the review settings to choose specific colors for review topics and notes that you add and if you desire, mark your topics with an icon or a prefix. You can enable a setting to automatically track changes to the map with comments when topics are modified or removed.

When the primary contributor receives the map after review, the review topics stand out from the original map content. He/she can then decide whether to accept or delete the review topics.

You can also just add comments casually.

Begin your Review session

You will be prompted for your name and e-mail address when you begin the review session if you have not already entered your user information in the MindManager options User Information fields. This information is used to identify your comments and allows the next reviewer to reply to you if needed.

The Review Mode Action Bar appears at the top of the map window to indicate that you are in Review Mode.

View review topics and comments

You'll probably want to start your review by seeing what topics and comments have already been added to the map. You'll be able to see Review topics (added during a review session) easily - they are colored and may contain a prefix or special icon marking them. You can see the comments by hovering over the comments icon . Some comments are added automatically during the review process and some may be actual input from the group.

You can use the Power Filter command to show only the topics with comments and/or only the Review topics (useful for large maps). When you are done inspecting the comments and Review topics remove the filter so you can see the whole map again.

Step through comments

Add Review Topics and Comments

During your review session, you can edit the map as usual. New topics are shown as visually distinctive Review Topics so they can be seen easily by other reviewers. Similarly, new paragraphs in the notes are shown as colored Review Notes.

You can add your own comment at any time.

Colors for Review Topics and Notes are automatically assigned to each reviewer. You can pick your own colors and choose to include a prefix or an icon using the Review Settings. In addition, you can enable a review setting to automatically insert comments for topics that you add, modify or remove.

Change Review Settings

Add or modify a comment

  1. Select a topic either with or without comments

  2. On the Review tab, in the Comments group, click New Comment.

  3. Enter your comment. It will be identified with your user information.

To modify a comment you've already added, click the topic's Comment icon, then edit the comment in the Comment window.

Remove a comment

  1. Select the topic, and if the Comments window is not already open, click the Comment icon

  2. Select the comment in the list.

  3. Click Remove Comment in the Comments window.

While you can remove other reviewer's comments, etiquette dictates that only the primary contributor should do this after everyone has reviewed the map.

End your Review session

Send the map to the next reviewer

  1. On the Review tab, in the Tracking group, click Send Map.

  2. Then do one of the following:

  1. The Send To wizard creates an e-mail message with the map as an attachment for review. When the recipient opens the map it will automatically start a review session.
    For workspace maps created using Mindjet Catalyst, you can instead click the MindManager Button , click Send, and then click To E-mail Recipient (For Review As Link) to send an e-mail message with a link to the map. Note that the recipient must be a member of the workspace where the map resides.

You may want to let the next reviewer know how to identify topics you added (for example, "My additions are in green.") if you do not have the Record all map changes in comments setting enabled in the Review Settings. You can add this information to the e-mail message you send.

Need to take a break from the review? Save the map before leaving the review session (i.e. before you click End Review. The next time you open the map it will start the review session automatically.

The Review session remains active until you end it: On the Review tab, in the Tracking group, click End Review.