Rainbow Roadmap guide

How to make a free online mind map, step by step

Start with a topic, build branches and refine the layout with three reproducible examples. Sign in to use your free allowance; AI access follows your account plan.

Start manually, then add AI when it helps. A study plan works well as a first map: connect one topic to goals, materials and actions.

Before you start

  • Sign in to the workspace and check your free creation allowance.
  • Choose one topic and three questions you want to organize.
  • No file upload is needed for this manual workflow. AI maps from PDF notes are optional.
Actual Mind Map interface
Actual product interface with an isolated example. This illustration is not your uploaded file or a translation result.

  1. 01

    Create a central topic

    Create a mind map in the workspace and name its central topic “Study plan”. Double-click a topic to edit its text.

    Use a short goal rather than a paragraph.

  2. 02

    Build your branches

    Add Goals, Materials and Actions, then expand each with subtopics. Use the example structures below as writing references.

    Keep sibling branches parallel and give each node one idea.

  3. 03

    Refine the structure

    Use the existing layout, theme and outline controls. Review outline drafts before explicitly applying them to the canvas.

    Check the hierarchy before polishing colors and text size.

  4. 04

    Review and share

    Remove repeated or overly long branches, then use the workspace’s sharing or export controls. Formats and allowances appear in the current panel.

    Check source links before applying an AI draft from PDF notes.

Try an example

Three structures to start with

Examples use an original reading guide. Open the workspace to work with your own files.

Study plan

  • Goals

    • Learn concepts
    • Practice

  • Materials

    • Book chapters
    • Reading notes

  • Actions

    • Daily study
    • Weekly review

Example structure. Recreate these topics and branches in your workspace; this preview does not save a map.

Exam review

  • Knowledge

    • Key chapters
    • Concept links

  • Practice

    • Typical problems
    • Common mistakes

  • Review

    • Active recall
    • Check sources

Example structure. Recreate these topics and branches in your workspace; this preview does not save a map.

Paper reading

  • Question

    • Research goal
    • Related work

  • Method

    • Experiment design
    • Evidence

  • Conclusions

    • Findings
    • Limits and questions

Example structure. Recreate these topics and branches in your workspace; this preview does not save a map.

Check your result

  • The topic and branches answer a clear question.
  • Free creation allowance and AI credits are separate benefits.
  • Example previews do not automatically create a map in your account.

Common questions

No. Sign in to create and edit within your free allowance. Additional features and AI usage follow your account plan.

Use the existing reader AI draft workflow, check its branches and sources, then apply the draft to a map.

Open workspaceMind Map