Software

IEPs & Provision Maps

Presenting Information

Planning

Thinking

MindManager 2002
(Business Edition)

from www.mindjet.co.uk

Very easy. You can start with a template and delete branches you don't need. Rearranging is automatic and it keeps pictures with the branches. Lets you concentrate on the IEP itself without getting distracted by formatting or file operations.

It's easy to colour branches and add bubbles and pictures. There is a lot if clipart included. However there are no drawing facilities. MindManager maps are very distinctive and they do all tend to look the same.

MindManager exports to PowerPoint and with a lot of thought you can produce interesting and unusual presentations. It is ideal for producing web pages (such as a lot of this site) and will do image maps and hyperlinks.

You can plan a project and then link with Outlook - tasks can be synchronised between the two programs. It will also work with Project but I don't have that program so haven't been able to try it. You can also export an outline to Word (and other programs) if you're writing an essay.

The way MindManager works makes it easy to focus on the ideas and avoid being distracted by formatting issues.

There is a brainstorming mode but it is so easy to enter branches anyway it's not that necessary. It's easy to rearrange branches so you can brainstorm and then organise your thoughts. Similarly with learning new topics although here it would be nice if you had more control over the formatting and could easily draw diagrams or even lines onto the maps.

Inspiration 7

from www.inspiration.com

You can use a template and delete branches you don't want. However rearranging is not automatic so you have to drag branches around after deleting others. Results are bright and you can have lots of pictures. Different style to the others.

It is easy to lay information out clearly. It's easy to add other elements such as clipart (there is a lot included) and there are drawing tools. You can connect objects and thus draw flowcharts too.

Inspiration has limited export facilities. It will save as a picture in various formats but won't naturally link with any other programs.

There are lots of templates that can make it easy to get started, particularly for students. It does outlining very nicely and can export to a variety of programs.

There is a brainstorming mode that works well. It's fairly easy to rearrange your ideas and group concepts together. Learning new topics is nice as there is lots of clipart and Inspiration's style lends itself to this. It would be nice if it was easier to bring in elements from other programs.

Visual Mind 3.5

from www.visual-mind.com

You can't use a template so you need to remember to do 'Save As' for each new IEP. Rearrangement is automatic. Very limited number of pictures.

Crisp and clean and encourages users to click on branches. Very limited number of pictures.

There are a limited number of export options (simple web page, graphic or outline) but what is unique to this program is it will produce independent interactive web pages.

There are very limited opportunities to link with other programs but it will export an outline to Word or similar programs. It is easy to focus on ideas rather than formatting issues.

There isn't a brainstorming mode but it's so easy to add a branch it doesn't matter. It's easy to rearrange branches. Because the program encourages you to click on branches to expand them, they're more interactive which lends itself to learning. The limited formatting tools mean it's difficult to make ideas stand out visually.

ConceptDraw MindMap 2 Professional

from www.conceptdraw.com/mindmap

You can use a template and delete branches you don't want. Although rearrangement of branches following deletions is not automatic it is just one click away.

This is also quite a decent drawing program. You can connect objects and use a variety of fills. There is a lot of included clipart. Formatting is very easy. It is easy to include objects from other programs, such as an Excel chart.

ConceptDraw will export to PDF (Adobe Acrobat) which is excellent and unique to the programs in this review. It will also export to various graphic formats, as an outline to Word and as a web page (including image maps). It will export to PowerPoint but not very well.

You can plan and then export an outline. You can easily set a priority on different branches (each representing a task). You can import tasks from Outlook.

There is a brainstorming mode with a timer should you want it. Rearranging and moving branches is easy but more effort than in the other programs. You can make maps very visual which will help with remembering them.

Recommendation

MindManager
-Templates and automatic rearrangement mean you can concentrate on the IEP.

For quick clear diagrams:
-Inspiration

For single web pages:
-ConceptDraw

For quick easy whole websites:
-MindManager

For an interactive webpage:
-Visual Mind

For PowerPoint presentations:
-MindManager

For everything else:
-ConceptDraw

MindManager
-It takes care of all the formatting for you so you can concentrate on the plan, plus it synchronises with Outlook and Project and will export outlines to Word.

ConceptDraw is close behind and some users may prefer it.

Any
-They are all different and have slightly different strengths and weaknesses in this area.

Software

Mind Maps

Other visual tools - flow charts, bubble diagrams, fish bone.

General

Inspiration 7

from www.inspiration.com

See above. Strictly speaking Inspiration doesn't produce diagrams that look like mind maps - they are bubble diagrams. However it has enough similarities with the 'real' mapping programs that I've included in that section.

Inspiration is designed for bubble diagrams and does them very well. It is easy to add pictures and to format the bubbles. There are lots of education-based templates to get students or yourself started. It can also draw flow charts easily but does not help you much with arranging the layout.

There is a lot of clipart. It is very education-orientated. You can add your own shapes and pictures but in a limited way.

Visio 2002

from www.microsoft.com

There is a mind map template but you have to build up the diagram element by element. (E.g. you drag a branch across, then rotate it to point in the direction you want, then add your text.)

There are lots and lots of templates. Visio is really well set-up for all these kinds of diagrams, and a lot more too. It gives you lots of help with laying out diagrams which is especially useful for flow charts.

There is a lot of clipart and links to other programs (especially other Microsoft ones) are very strong, both for importing and exporting. It is very easy to draw nice looking diagrams. Shapes don't automatically resize as you type in text. There is a huge range of different diagrams available.

SmartDraw 6 (Professional)

from www.smartdraw.com

Technically possible but not recommended.

Lots and lots of templates especially if you get the 'Business and Charting' library. It is fairly easy to lay out diagrams. SmartDraw is designed for these sorts of diagrams (and a lot more) and does them very well..

There is a lot of clipart and very strong links to other programs (especially Microsoft ones). It helps you draw graphs, tables, forms and lots more. You can produce very nice looking diagrams very easily.

Presentation 2002 (and also the drawing tools included in Word 2002)

from www.microsoft.com

Probably easier to use pen and paper.

There are no templates but you can draw shapes easily and lay them out by hand.

Many shapes resize as you type in text. There are lots of formatting options. Links with other programs are strong because the drawing tools are a part of those other programs.