Guide
Getting Started
Last Updated: November 14, 2025Welcome to the AI Tree Diagram Maker! This guide will walk you through the basic steps to create your first diagram. Our tool is designed to be intuitive, whether you prefer typing, using AI, or interacting visually. 1. Creating a New Project To begin, click the “File” menu in the top-left corner and select “New…”. This will open the Blueprint library. A “Blueprint” is a specialized template designed for a specific task, complete with tailored properties and AI capabilities. For your first project, we recommend the “Generic Hierarchy” blueprint under the “General Purpose” category. It’s the most flexible option and great for learning the ropes. 2. Understanding the Interface Your screen is divided into two main sections: The Left Panel (Control Center): This is where you’ll do most of your work. It contains tabs for the Text Editor, AI Insight, Examples for inspiration, and visualization Settings. The Right Panel (Canvas): This is where your interactive tree diagram is visualized. You can click, pan (drag the background), and zoom (mouse wheel) to explore your creation. 3. Three Ways to Build Your Diagram You can use any of these methods at any time, and they all sync with each other. Let’s try creating a simple “To-Do List”. Method 1: The Text Editor (For Speed) In the “Editor” tab, type your items using asterisks (*) to denote levels. One asterisk for the root, two for a child, etc. After typing, click the “Update” button to see your changes reflected on the canvas. * My Weekend To-Do List ** Chores *** Clean the kitchen *** Do laundry ** Fun *** Read a book *** Go for a hike Method 2: Full AI Generation (For Ideas) Let’s start fresh. In the “Generate with AI” box, type a topic like “Plan a birthday party” and click “Generate”. The AI will instantly create a detailed diagram with common party-planning tasks. Method 3: AI Child Generation (For Expansion) Once you have a diagram, you can expand any part of it. Click on a node’s text label (e.g., “Send Invitations”) to select it. Then, click the “Generate Children” button at the bottom of the left panel. The AI will add relevant sub-tasks like “Design invitation,” “Gather guest list,” and “Mail invitations.” 4. What’s Next? Congratulations! You’ve learned the fundamentals. You can now edit the details of any node using the Property Editor, get high-level analysis with AI Insight, or save and share your work.
Using the Text Editor
Last Updated: November 14, 2025Mastering the Text Editor The text editor is the fastest way to input and structure large amounts of information. It uses a simple, intuitive format based on asterisks (*) that instantly translates into a visual hierarchy. The Asterisk Format The number of asterisks at the beginning of a line determines its level in the hierarchy. This parent-child relationship is based on the line immediately preceding it. * Root Item – This is a level 1 node. There should only be one of these at the top of your text. ** Child Item – This is a level 2 node, a direct child of the root. *** Grandchild Item – This is a level 3 node, a child of the level 2 item above it. Example: A Website Sitemap * Main Website ** Home Page ** About Us *** Our Mission *** Our Team ** Products *** Product A *** Product B ** Contact Us After typing this and clicking “Update”, you’ll have a perfectly structured sitemap visualization. How the App Preserves Your Data When you click “Update,” the app intelligently reconciles your text with the existing diagram. It tries to match items by name to preserve IDs and any data you’ve entered in the Property Editor. This means you can freely switch between text and visual editing without losing details like status or assignees. Tips for Efficiency Copy & Paste: You can paste lists from other documents (like Word or Notes) and simply add asterisks to format them quickly. Re-ordering: To move a whole section (e.g., move “Products” before “About Us”), simply cut and paste the entire block of text, including all its children, to the new location. Syncing Selections: The text editor and visual diagram are linked. Clicking a node’s text on the canvas will highlight the corresponding line in the editor, and vice-versa. This is great for navigating large diagrams.
Generating with AI
Last Updated: November 14, 2025Leveraging AI for Speed and Creativity Our AI features are designed to be your creative partner, helping you brainstorm, structure, and analyze your diagrams with minimal effort. Each Blueprint has a specially-tuned AI that acts as an expert in that field (e.g., a project manager for WBS, a strategist for SWOT). Generate a Full Diagram from a Topic This is the best way to start a new project from a blank slate. It’s incredibly powerful for brainstorming and initial drafting. In the “Editor” tab, find the “Generate with AI” section. Enter a topic for your diagram. Tip: The more specific your prompt, the better the result. Instead of “Marketing,” try “A marketing plan for a new vegan cafe in Brooklyn.” Click the “Generate” button. The AI will create a complete, multi-level diagram tailored to your chosen blueprint and topic. Generate Children to Expand an Idea This “bottom-up” feature is perfect for fleshing out an existing structure. It helps you think through all the necessary details. In the visual diagram, click on the text label of the node you want to expand. At the bottom of the “Editor” tab, the “Generate Children” button will become active. Click it. The AI analyzes the selected node and its parents to understand the context, then generates a list of relevant sub-points. For example, selecting a WBS task called “Conduct User Testing” might generate children like “Recruit test participants,” “Write test script,” and “Analyze results.” Get High-Level AI Insight This is the most powerful analysis feature. Once your diagram has a good amount of detail, the AI can act as a consultant. Navigate to the “AI Insight” tab in the left panel. Click the “Generate Insight” button. The AI will analyze your entire diagram and its properties. It will provide a written report that might include: For a WBS: Potential risks, scheduling conflicts, or unassigned critical tasks. For a SWOT: Strategic recommendations based on how your strengths can counter threats. For a Mind Map: Key themes, underdeveloped areas, and surprising connections. This transforms your diagram from a static document into a source of strategic advice.
Using the Property Editor
Last Updated: November 14, 2025Adding Detail with the Property Editor A diagram is more than just a structure; it’s a rich dataset. The Property Editor allows you to add crucial details to every node, which makes your diagram more useful and powers our advanced AI analysis. Accessing the Editor The Property Editor appears at the bottom of the screen. To activate it for a specific node: In the visual canvas, click on the text label of any node. The property pane will slide up from the bottom, displaying the custom fields for that node. You can expand or collapse it using the chevron icon. Blueprint-Specific Properties The fields you see are determined by the Blueprint you chose. This ensures the data you’re capturing is relevant to your task. Blueprint Example Properties Work Breakdown Structure Status, Assignee, Start Date, End Date, Description Organizational Chart Title, Department, Email, Phone, Notes Requirements Management Priority, Status, Owner, Description How Properties Power AI Filling in these details is crucial for getting the most out of the AI Insight and AI Chat features. When the AI analyzes your project, it uses this data to provide much more specific and valuable feedback. For example, it can’t tell you a task is overdue if you haven’t entered an End Date. Editing and Saving Simply click into any field to edit. Changes to text fields are saved when you click away (on blur), while changes to dropdowns, dates, and colors are saved instantly. This data is permanently associated with the node, even if you rearrange the structure in the text editor.
Saving & Sharing Projects
Last Updated: November 17, 2025Saving, Loading, and Sharing Your Work Our tool provides robust options for saving your projects to the cloud and sharing them with others. These features require a premium plan. Saving to the Cloud Never lose your progress. Save your project to access it anytime, from any device. Go to the “File” menu and select “Save”. The first time you save, the project name from the header will be used. You can edit this name at any time by clicking on it. After saving, the app will automatically remember the project ID. Subsequent clicks on “Save” will update the existing project. Loading from the Cloud To continue working on a saved project: Go to “File” > “Load…”. A modal will appear listing all your saved projects, sorted by the most recently updated. Click on a project to load it into the editor. Sharing a Read-Only Version You can share a snapshot of your project with colleagues, clients, or stakeholders. They will be able to see the diagram and its properties but cannot make edits. First, ensure your project is saved. A project must exist in the cloud before it can be shared. Click the “Share” button in the header. In the modal, click “Create Share Link”. If a link already exists, this button will say “Update Share Link,” which refreshes the shared version with your latest saved changes. A unique URL will be generated. Click “Copy” and send this link to anyone you want. Local Files: Importing & Exporting For backups or use in other systems, you can export your data locally. Export as JSON: Use “File” > “Export as JSON…”. This saves a complete snapshot of your project, including all node properties, settings, and AI insights. It’s the best format for a full backup. Import from JSON: Use “File” > “Import from JSON…” to load a project from a .json file you’ve previously exported. Export as Markdown: Use “File” > “Export as Markdown…”. This saves only the text hierarchy of your diagram in a clean, readable format suitable for reports or documentation.