You've seen them in every detective show: a wall covered with photos, documents, and newspaper clippings, all connected by red strings that trace the relationships between suspects, victims, and evidence. This is a murder board (also called an investigation board, evidence board, or detective board), and it's one of the most powerful visual thinking tools ever invented.
But murder boards aren't just for solving crimes. Today, writers use them to map character relationships, researchers use them to connect sources, consultants use them to visualize stakeholder networks, and knowledge workers use them to build their "second brain." The common thread? They all need to see how things connect.
The Psychology Behind Murder Boards
Why are investigation boards so effective? It comes down to how our brains process information:
- Spatial memory is powerful. We remember where things are on a physical space far better than items in a list. Placing information on a board creates a mental map.
- Visual connections reveal patterns. When you can literally see the string connecting two entities, your brain processes that relationship differently than reading "A is connected to B."
- Externalized thinking reduces cognitive load. Instead of holding complex relationships in your head, you offload them to the board, freeing mental resources for analysis.
- Non-linear exploration. Unlike documents that force linear reading, boards let you jump between connections, following hunches and intuitions.
Traditional vs. Digital Murder Boards
Physical investigation boards have limitations. They're hard to reorganize, can't be easily shared, and don't scale well. Once your investigation grows beyond a single wall, you're in trouble.
Digital murder board software solves these problems:
- Infinite canvas - No wall size limits. Zoom out to see the big picture, zoom in for details.
- Easy reorganization - Drag nodes anywhere. No thumbtacks to remove.
- Search and filter - Instantly find any entity by name, type, or description.
- Multiple boards - Organize complex investigations into separate views.
- Local-first privacy - Your sensitive investigation data stays on your machine.
Who Uses Investigation Boards?
Researchers and Academics
Connect sources, track citations, and visualize the relationships between concepts across dozens of papers. See how different authors' ideas relate to each other and identify gaps in the literature.
Writers and Worldbuilders
Map character relationships, plot threads, and story timelines. Keep track of who knows what, who loves whom, and who's secretly plotting against the protagonist. For worldbuilders, track locations, factions, historical events, and magical systems.
Private Investigators and Analysts
The traditional use case. Track subjects, associates, locations, and events. Build a visual case file that reveals connections a spreadsheet would hide.
Consultants and Business Analysts
Map stakeholders, organizational relationships, and project dependencies. Understand who influences whom and identify key decision-makers in complex organizations.
Journalists
Track sources, documents, and story threads. Connect the dots in investigative journalism where the relationships between entities matter as much as the entities themselves.
True Crime Enthusiasts
Follow along with cases, map out theories, and organize evidence. The true crime community has embraced digital murder boards for collaborative case analysis.
Key Features of Investigation Board Software
When choosing investigation board software, look for these essential features:
Node Types
Different entities need different representations. At minimum, you want types for people, places, events, and evidence/artifacts. Better tools let you customize node types with your own colors and icons.
Connections with Labels
The red strings need to mean something. Good software lets you label relationships ("works for," "married to," "witnessed") and distinguish different connection types visually.
Search and Navigation
As your board grows, you need to find things quickly. Search by name, description, or type. Filter to show only certain node types.
Privacy
Investigation data is often sensitive. Look for local-first software that keeps your data on your machine rather than uploading it to cloud servers.
Getting Started with Digital Murder Boards
Ready to try visual investigation mapping? Here's how to get started:
- Start with your central entity. Whether it's a main character, a research question, or a case subject, put it in the center of your board.
- Add immediate connections. Who or what is directly related? Add those nodes and draw the connections.
- Expand outward. For each new node, ask: what else is this connected to? Let the board grow organically.
- Look for patterns. Once you have 20-30 nodes, step back. What clusters do you see? Who appears in multiple contexts?
- Reorganize for clarity. Move related items closer together. Use the spatial arrangement to communicate meaning.
Why Redstrings?
Redstrings is a digital investigation board built for visual thinkers. It combines the intuitive appeal of a physical murder board with the power of modern software:
- 7 built-in node types - Person, Team, Artifact, Process, Place, Event, and Note
- Local-first privacy - Your data never leaves your machine
- Native performance - Built with Rust and modern web tech for speed
- Murder board aesthetic - Dark mode, red strings, tilted cards, and pins
- Pro features - Custom node types, AI analysis, and more
Whether you're writing a novel, researching a thesis, or investigating a case, Redstrings helps you see how everything connects.