CS Odessa Reduces Price on ConceptDraw MINDMAP v7

Many have discovered the benefits that mind mapping brings to their work, studies, and personal development. Mind mapping helps manage all daily tasks faster than ever before. Use mind mapping to power through obstacles, leap from one work scenario to another without missing a beat.


Professionals after seeing the benefits of mind mapping, have also seen software prices climb. The cost to be more efficient has just gone up. Want the increased productivity, but the thought of paying more is not appealing.

In response to customer feedback, CS Odessa is reducing the price of ConceptDraw MINDMAP to the pricing of our previous product version (single quantity) from $219 USD to $199 USD. We are rolling our prices back to the same level as our previous products. Now buy our newest version, and get:

- Apple® OS X Lion® compatibility

- Microsoft® Windows® 7 (32bit/64 bit support) w/ ribbon interface

- Import and export Microsoft Project® files

- Built-in presentation mode with export to Microsoft PowerPoint® or Apple Keynote®

- Import and export Mindjet® MindManager® maps

- Generate, publish and track Tweets from a mind map

- Embed documents into your mind map file for easy sharing of information with others

- Multiple display capability

- ConceptDraw Solution Park adds valuable plugin solutions to core ConceptDraw MINDMAP

- Generate task and milestone reports based on project data

• Organizational Charts *
• Risk Diagrams *
• Fishbone Diagrams*
• Etc.

Continue to receive our no charge technical support (phone and web-based tickets), all minor upgrades at no charge, and access to new ConceptDraw Solutions as they are released. The combination of product functionality, exemplary support, innovative solutions, and lower cost of ownership make ConceptDraw MINDMAP a winning strategy for any individual or organization.



* also requires ConceptDraw PRO v9 to be installed

Collaboration with ConceptDraw

Using ConceptDraw Products
When You Collaborate

Our users often ask about how to share the work they’ve produced with ConceptDraw products, so we put together this summary of some options for using ConceptDraw in collaboration with others.


If your collaborators don’t use ConceptDraw

For displaying content such as a drawing or mind map, simply export to your preferred graphics format, and then send via email or instant message (Skype, Google chat, etc.). To allow others to work with and make changes to your data, ConceptDraw products can export to a variety of file formats that other programs can edit. For example, ConceptDraw MINDMAP can export to Mindjet® MindManager® files, and ConceptDraw PROJECT and ConceptDraw PRO can export to Microsoft® XML files, which are compatible with MS Project® and Visio® (respectively).

Email

If your collaborators do use ConceptDraw, the most straightforward method for sharing your ConceptDraw files is via email. ConceptDraw saved files are typically very modest in size and easily fall within the acceptable limits for attachment size of most email clients and services.

Instant Messaging

Furthermore, most instant messaging protocols (like Skype®, Google® Chat, etc.) allow peer-to-peer file transfers. The manageable size of ConceptDraw files allows them to be rapidly transmitted that way.

Google Documents

The advent of cloud computing has brought about numerous free online document management systems, such as Google Documents (http://docs.google.com). This type of service is a fast and easy way to collaborate. After registering an account (usually requiring only a valid email address), you can upload your files, set permissions for who can view and download, and then notify your colleagues via email that you’ve shared with them.

Dropbox

Another great free virtualization service now available is called Dropbox. Visit Dropbox.com to sign up for an account and download the small application. Thereafter, files saved in your Dropbox can be accessed from any computer or mobile device. You can share folders in your Dropbox with others, allowing them access to your files as well. This is a powerful and flexible way to have multiple users collaborating on a single file.

SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint® is a content management system for enterprise. Among its many uses are powerful document management tools that manage versioning, and allow administrators to set various levels of read and write permissions. SharePoint utilizes an innovative system of “checking out” documents that assures that a file can only be edited by a single user at a time. There is a common misconception that SharePoint can only be used with files created by other Microsoft software, when in fact it can be used to manage sharing and versioning of all kinds of files.

Screencasting

Sharing your screen with a colleague over the web is another great way to use ConceptDraw cooperatively. By utilizing services like Citrix® GoToMeeting®, Skype, or TechSmith® Jing®, you can collaborate live regardless of distance. ConceptDraw MINDMAP is great in this arena for managing meetings and taking notes, or presenting a mind map. You may even turn some of your colleagues onto increasing their productivity with ConceptDraw!

Conclusion

There’s no shortage of options for employing ConceptDraw products in a collaborative environment, whether your colleagues also use them or not. The variety of export options and manageable file size make displaying your work, or transferring it to another location a breeze. Using ConceptDraw in a live setting, via screencast, brings its innovative meeting-streamlining capabilities onto the web and around the globe. No matter the setting, ConceptDraw is the key to unlocking your creativity, streamlining your workflow, and increasing your productivity.

Start Projects Faster with Mind Maps

Did you know that mind mapping is an awesome way to get your project started in a hurry? The powerful input tools of ConceptDraw MINDMAP make it easy for you plan out your projects, large and small, more quickly than ever.

Try starting in Brainstorm mode. This puts the focus on getting your ideas on the page as quickly as possible, without worrying about how they’re organized. Click the Brainstorm button on the toolbar, and then start typing your list of tasks, phases, and milestones. Don’t concern yourself with structure yet, just input all your content. When the Brainstorm is over, use the intuitive drag-and-drop functionality of ConceptDraw MINDMAP to organize your project. The speed that you can map out a project is only limited by the speed that you can think and type.

Example ConceptDraw MINDMAP

To arrange the new project as a mind map, first change the name of the Main Idea to the title of your project. Then, determine your high-level tasks, or Phases. Attach these to the Main Idea as Main Topics. From there, attach your lower-level tasks to their corresponding phase. In no time, you’ll see your project’s structure taking shape.

Now, go to the Output tab, select the Project Management category, and double-click Open in PROJECT. This will save and close your mind map, and launch it in ConceptDraw PROJECT. You’ll see that your Tasks and Phases are automatically laid out on the ConceptDraw PROJECT Gantt chart, ready for you to set dates, durations, predecessors, resources, etc.



ConceptDraw PROJECT Gantt Chart


This is a great way to save time outlining your project. The fast input and flexibility of organization in ConceptDraw MINDMAP, coupled with its tight integration with ConceptDraw PROJECT, enable you to take your project from a collection of scattered ideas to a concrete plan in just a matter of minutes.

Organizing and Selecting Social Media Response Messages

Using flowcharts and Action Mindmaps

to improve Social Media effectiveness.

Interactive Flowcharts can change the way one creates and organizes their social media response process. ConceptDraw PRO provides tools to develop a response flowchart that can be connected with Action Mindmaps. Visual navigation through the stages of a response process helps you locate specific actions to be taken via Action Mindmaps. Action Mindmaps can be used to describe primary messages and good additions, show examples of messages, and also define the main objective of messaging for a specific situation.

Using a combination of Interactive Flowcharts with Action Mindmaps helps professional social media teams be more proactive by being prepared with proper responses. Social Media Response solution minimizes Time to Response, improves the quality of responses, and assists in your entire marketing strategy.

Social Media Response Flowchart



Social Media Response Flowchart



The response process consists of three major stages. These stages are easy to identify: review an input, evaluate specifics of the case, and respond.

They can be visualized by three vertical columns (swim-lanes) which collect the items identified for the appropriate stage.

The review stage is involved in assessment of the first impressions from received inputs. The evaluation stage is used when making decisions for the case you are dealing with. The response stage is intended for choosing the proper responsive action to take.

Action Mindmap



ConceptDraw Action Mindmap



A response Action Mindmap organizes actions, scripts, advice, and work examples into a one-page visual assistant, useful for dispersing out to a team.

An Action Mindmap contains four major branches helping determine a responsive action - Primary Messages, Good Additions, Examples, and Objective.

Connecting a Response Flowchart with an Action MindMap

Connecting Response Flowchart to
Action Mindmap

Connecting items between a response process flowchart and Action Mindmaps is as easy as assigning hyperlinks to objects.

The solution provides a set of special symbols (“Action Mindmap” objects) intended to be used on flowcharts to symbolize connections and hyperlinks with Action MindMaps. These objects contain hyperlinks to mind map documents and can be titled and colored on the flowchart. When modifying a response process, these objects can be easily moved (drag-and-drop) between flowchart items without any need for editing. This helps provide meaning for the newly constructed response process as it refers to the same Action MindMap and will be used during other steps of the process.

From a practical stand point, “Action Mindmap” symbols are a great time-saver which makes reworking the response process much easier.

Checklist for Preparing a Social Media Response Flowchart.

Critical steps one must follow when developing a Social Media Response Flowchart.

Check Point 1. Create a flowchart describing the process of response to social media.

Check Point 2. Distribute Action symbols on the flowchart items according to the necessary response.

Check Point 3. Create set of Action Mindmaps describing the messages and details.

Check Point 4. Assign hyperlinks for Action symbols on the flowchart to connect to specified mind map.

Your Social Media Response Flowchart is ready!

Flowcharts can be developed in any sequence. The critical steps involved in creating a flowchart can be completed in whatever order works for your team, whether you choose to start by identifying Action Mindmaps or you choose to first develop the flowchart describing the bigger picture of how you want to organize your social media response process. If your response process is part of a larger project and you also want to work with a Gantt chart, you may also incorporate ConceptDraw Project in order to connect Action Mindmaps with project Gantt charts.

Now organizing the response process for social media teams can be quicker and easier. Interactive flowcharts help to facilitate the training of your team, increase the quality of your responses, and will make you more prepared and proactive when responding to occurrences in social media.

Written by Gregory Zhukov, President CS Odessa

One Very Cool Video on ConceptDraw MindTweet for Twitter (17 seconds)

ConceptDraw MINDMAP v7 Lets You Organise and Tweet Map Topics

ConceptDraw MINDMAP has powerful

Tweet capability

In today’s world of instant everything, Twitter has rapidly emerged as a powerful way to reach a large audience. Once thought to be merely social networking diversion, businesses are realizing that Twitter can be a direct pipeline to current and potential customers. Because of the potential of this strategic marketing asset, it is important to think critically about the message you want to deliver.

CS Odessa has introduced a new tool that will help Social Media Professionals be more effective with what they message on Twitter. The new MindTweet solution for ConceptDraw MINDMAP v7 allows users to brainstorm, organize, and prioritize their Twitter message as a mind map, and then publish Tweets by clicking the Tweet Topic button, without ever leaving the mind map!

ConceptDraw MINDMAP adds an entirely new dimension to the concept of utilizing social media for marketing. Imagine using a powerful Brainstorm Mode to collect ideas quickly and easily, then visually organizing them the way you want, then prioritizing them by using symbols and clipart, and finally Tweeting them directly from your mind map. All of these great features come standard with ConceptDraw MINDMAP v7.

Tweet what you map with ConceptDraw MINDMAP

ConceptDraw MINDMAP is a mind mapping tool focused on helping you be more productive in your work and personal life. Check out a free 21-day trial of ConceptDraw MINDMAP, or any of the ConceptDraw products, at http://www.conceptdraw.com.

ConceptDraw Products support Apple OS X Lion

All of the current ConceptDraw Products support OS X Lion and are available for immediate download from the http://www.conceptdraw.com web site.

The entire suite of ConceptDraw Office products, including ConceptDraw PRO v9, ConceptDraw MINDMAP v7, and ConceptDraw PROJECT v6, are now updated to run on Lion, providing the full range of functionality and integration users have come to expect from CS Odessa’s software. CS Odessa remains committed to supporting their customers despite the ever changing technological landscape.

Current products are:

ConceptDraw Office v2
ConceptDraw PRO v9
ConceptDraw MINDMAP v7

ConceptDraw PROJECT v6

Low cost upgrades are available for ConceptDraw users of previous versions. We also have an aggressive competitive upgrade program for people who have purchased competing products for the Mac or PC.

If you have a paid product from one of our competitors and would like to move from PC to Mac, or Mac to PC, or would just like to update to something newer contact us.

http://www.conceptdraw.com