Keeping Track of Research

I use an online system called The Next Generation (TNG) hosted on a personal site to keep track of all my genealogy research, but I also use some other tools to help keep track of the information. One of those other tools is a nifty little piece of linux software called View Your Mind, which is meant to be used for brain-storming, but it also works great for building family trees!

The image above shows a screenshot of this program in operation. If you notice there are a few icons on some of the lines. The hearts show where I have documents to support the marriage and the lifesaver represents that there is a will documented. This is just one little section of the full tree, but it helps me see at a glance how the relationships work out. Once I know where they are buried, I add a rose icon to represent their burial and ultimately a green check mark if I have a photograph of their stone. Where there are no icons at all, further research is needed, but the map makes it easy to see where those areas are that need more information.