Question: What features are most important for project management in mind mapping software?

The ability to go back and forth between mindmap view and Gantt view is critical, a one time conversion is a waste of time. However sometimes the project just gets too big and requires too much information or needs to linked to a central resource planning database so the ability to export to a full blown PM package like MS Project is an important feature. The wosrt thing these vendors could do is try to become a full blown PM package.

The ability to include cost, such as capital and expesense in addition to hours is also useful.

Most importantly it needs to be SIMPLE to use, that is why I am using a mind mapping front end.

The graphical concept and rules of Mind Mapping are in their selves too restrictive for this purpose, as will anything based on a system around a time path, a non-hierarchic multi-relationship, and tasks facing precedence's restrictions. When planning projects, I ignore the hierarchic relation of the branch/sub-branch type, and use maps around linked floating nodes, closer to the concept of "concept" maps. However, when trying to visually find who is doing what and when, or who still has time to spend on a task, everything got too messy, with lots of lines crossing each other. In short, what I'm writing is what I would like to see solved and implemented.

You know, having taken a look at what Mindsystems Amode offers: I would say, when they get a map mode into the app, they'll practically grab the market for information/Knowledge/Project management needs.
Take a look at Chucks great review, and make your own mind up. In fact connect with me Jeff and PTLdom, and I'll enable NFR access to Amode for you.
Nope, I don't sell the software, I'm just in a position to share the wealth.
Wallace Tait.

Gantt charts are essential, no doubt about that!

I don't want to recommend specific project management programs, as none of them is paying me for advertisement :-), but here's a directory that lists hundreds of them: http://www.web-based-software.com . I found this site while googling "project management software". It appeared in the first results, so I didn't need to browse for too long.

I'm new to project management and primary use MS Project and Excel to track my first big (relative of course) project because that what I know how to use. I'm not so new to mind mapping, but after much research and having chosen Personal Brain as my, mind mapping tool (which I just haven't really exploited as I see others have), I still can't seem to find the right mind mapping tool that I would want to integrate with Project.

What I'd like to see is a Microsoft or Microsoft integratable app that let's me open my laptop/PC and immediately visualize my entire PC world (work, personal, etc) and then when I click on a project within my work world map, then open up my MS Project file (or other PM program) in a way that let's me visualize relationships between who's doing what, where are the critical nodes in the project, what's late, etc., and as already mentioned, not with dozens or more crosshairs, but visualize these relationships in a clean, list yet relationships id'd way.

Am I asking for too much at this stage of development in the mind mapping world? I've been wanting this since the past five years and if it exists, I can't find it.

And oh, let me not forget to mention the most important feature of this destop mind mapping integratable software, it should be able to automatically analyze the MS windows folders I have and suggest a desktop organization, allowing me to modify how it organizes my PC mind map worlds (simialr to how it automatically creates a mind map from your IE favorites).

So I want a smart map! Hey, if the copyright doesn't exist on that term, it's mine! ;)

I use mindmapping primarily for two purposes in project management:
1) to maintain a dashboard of the project status, issues, etc.: everything on one page
2) as a hand out and working document for meetings, and brainstorming

For the dashboard, I would love to be able to dynamically link to MS Project, Excel, and other applications to automatically get the latest updates. I'm sure I can do this now, but I just haven't gotten a "round tuit" to play with it. It would also be very useful to be able to capture the date/time of most recent update, and who made the change.

For the meeting hand-out and brainstorming: all the typical mind mapping features.

I have not been interested in switching back & forth between a mind map and a gantt chart, myself.

Jim