CS Odessa, the developers of ConceptDraw MINDMAP Pro, unveiled version 5 of this well-respected mind mapping software program in late 2007. I'm happy to report that the latest iteration of the program provides a wealth of well-designed features and functionality that are designed to meet the needs of business users. It has evolved into one of the top-tier mind mapping programs.

Since the 1960s, mindmapping has been a popular method of linking words and ideas to a central, key item. ConceptDraw MindMap Pro is one of the main applications to offer this for Mac OS X and, having been around for five years or so, it has matured into a stable, feature-filled program.

It’s long been said that humans use only a fraction of their available brain power. Perhaps the key to unleashing some of that hidden brain power is with a mind map, a graphical technique for recording and organizing thoughts. Beginning with a main topic in the center of the diagram, related topics and subtopics branch out in all directions. Liberal use of color and images is encouraged, and the final product tends to look something like a neuron with rainbow-colored dendrites. Mind-mapping software choices are plentiful, and the folks who brought us ConceptDraw have a worthy contender with MindMap 5.

As Apple's appeal grows – thanks to the easy-to-use Mac OS X, and the versatility of the Intel processors – the large business and enterprise sectors are starting to adopt the Macintosh platform as a new office standard.

Mind Map … what a strange word. It makes me think of something ominous in a science fiction movie. I first heard of mind mapping a few years ago. Since I’m always looking for an edge and I am, admittedly, a productivity junky, I immediately went online to see what all the fuss was about.

A little over a year ago, I started using mind mapping software for a variety of tasks such keeping track of projects, taking notes at meetings and brainstorming. I had been a die hard outliner so this was a dramatic change for me. My son, who has always been a visual learner, recommended that I try using a mind map to get a handle on some of my large projects so I downloaded FreeMind, a freeware mind mapping program and gave it a try.

Over the last week or so I have the opportunity to try out ConceptDraw MindMap 5 MAC from CS Odessa. The program is very pleasing to the eye and has many features which makes it easy to use. I found the interface to be very straightforward and without so much as cracking open the manual I was creating some fairly complex mind maps.

I was using NovaMind - but now I think I'm ready to switch to ConceptDraw - http://conceptdraw.com/en/. It took about 2 minutes to get use to it (once I was able to install it - all my own fault). The first thing I attempted was a mind map looking web site: ITProjectGuide.com.

Although a presentation with visual elements is more effective than a textual presentation, it comes with its own share of caveats. Mainly, visual information needs to be more well structured and organized than the equivalent text content since a disarray of information is more pronounced in the visual sphere than the textual one.

Soon after I decided to use Buzan’s iMindMap as one of my main tools I discovered another mind mapping software of a similar name: MINDMAP.
It is a product of ConceptDraw and at that time (middle of March) it was available in version 4.4. I downloaded trial version and for some time used it as a main mind mapping tool (well, except paper and pen). In the meantime, at the beginning of April, a new version number 5 was released and I get it immediately after.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP, A mind mapping and brainstorming tool with extended drawing capabilities. ConceptDraw MINDMAP can be use as personal planning purpose and note-taking, team brainstorming and demonstrations to audience about your mind map concept easiler.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP s a mind-mapping and team brainstorming tool with extended drawing capabilities. It is use for personal planning and note-taking, team brainstorming and demonstrations to audience.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP Pro is a strong and capable mind mapping package that excels in it’s ability to exchange data with other applications and in providing additional drawing, sorting, and node arrangement functions.

...whenever you need to organize ideas before starting a project, consider giving ConceptDraw MINDMAP a try. It will definitely save you lots of time -and many headaches too.

Many people (including Tony Buzan himself) think that mind maps can be drawn by hands only, because only this way they become «alive» and «creative». This makes sense; however, NOT when you have ConceptDraw MINDMAP. This is the only program that carefully translates all the «real-life» mind map’s features (like colors, forms, and «naive» pictures) to your computer.

ConceptDraw application offers plenty of control over the final look of your mind map, ranging from a selection of colours to choosing how the branches should hook up to their targets. Individual tasks can also stretch far beyond their short snippet on the mind map itself, with both notes and a scheduling system featuring to keep track of a project's progress throughout. Elements with their progress field filled will display a clock-style chart Mindmap is an extremely powerful, flexible office tool, which handles the basic task it sets itself and a fair few more besides. It does, however, need something of a touch up when it comes to the final results, especially when moving them off your machine for others to see.

I’m an old stick-in-the-mud cop, and I learned this. You can, too.

I began playing with the software and became an avid proponent of mind mapping for police work.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP, one of the best-kept secrets in mind mapping software, continues to get better and better. The newest version of this polished program from CS Odessa includes numerous small improvements that improve its power, ease of use and integration with Microsoft Office and popular project management tools.

So MINDMAP does a great job as a tool for capturing, managing and structuring ideas and information. It, combined with ConceptDraw VI Pro and ConceptDraw PROJECT unite into the ConceptDraw Business Suite to take ideas from concept to drawing to presentation to project completion.

For example, let's say you are eating dinner and come up with a great idea. Out comes a napkin and you start drawing. You put your main idea in the center like a trunk of a tree. Next you add branches. If a new product is the main focus, you need to add a branch for advertising, suppliers, materials, research, finance, and expenses.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP is a mind-mapping package built on the foundation of the basic Visio-like ConceptDraw Professional package (which I reviewed http://www.larkware.com/Reviews/conceptdraw.html a while back). The result is a mix: you get some dedicated mind-mapping functionality, but if you want to bang out a quick network diagram or organization chart you can do that too. Indeed, you can drop shapes from any of the ConceptDraw libraries on a mind map, as well as use its general-purpose drawing tools to tweak things.

I have personally reviewed your latest version of Concept draw Mindmap, it is indeed an excellent Mind mapping program that shall benefit many within the business community who wish to be more graphical in their communication formats.

I am very impressed with the graphical qualities of version 4, it is in my estimation an equal competitor with and to Mindmapper 4.5 pro.

This powerful application is harder to define than it is to use to visually display, develop and communicate ideas.

It’s easy to be jaded after a decade or two of wading through PR hype about PC software. It’s finding the proverbial needle in a haystack that keeps you upbeat. I found such a needle when FedEx delivered a package this week from the Ukraine. ConceptDraw MINDMAP Professional Edition 4 didn't just live up to its PR, it far surpassed it...

If you want to really explore what mind mapping can offer, in all its wonderfulness…

All the nice colourful slightly more artistic maps you see on my site have been done using ConceptDraw.

…ConceptDraw MINDMAP is what mind mapping is all about, and is my recommendation.

If you're seeking a powerful yet easy-to-use mind mapping program that also offers some valuable drawing tools, then you ought to take a serious look at ConceptDraw MINDMAP Pro 3. The latest version of this polished mind mapping software introduces an improved outline view, support for multi-page maps and numerous small improvements that make it a pleasure to use.

Summary:
ConceptDraw MINDMAP Pro 3 is a great value for the money. This is a well-designed, easy-to-use mind mapping program - one of the best I've seen!

Reviewed by Tobias Engler

Themenbezogene Bibliotheken vereinfachen die Gestaltung. Da jede Mind Map selbst ein Objekt darstellt, kann man leicht umdisponieren: Verschiebt man ein Unterobjekt, wandern alle zugehörigen Attribute mit.

Profis erfreut das Programm durch Zeichentools wie Freihand-Kurven, Lineal oder Konnektor; umfangreiche Formatierungsfähigkeiten fur Grafik- und Textobjekte hat es ebenfalls in petto.

Article by Christopher Jacob

Neue Dokumente lassen sich in der Anwendung MINDMAP eigenhändig, mit einem Assistenten, einer bestehenden Vorlage oder mit dem Brainstorming-Modus erstellen.

Ist man geübt, bringt man seine Gedanken fast so schnell ins Brainstorming-Fenster wie mit Bleistift aufs Papier. Zur Zeitkontrolle ist in das Textfenster rechts eine Stoppuhr integriert. Die eigenhändige Eingabe eines MINDMAP-Dokuments ohne Assistenten erfordert mehr Zeit.

Il ne nous a pas été facile de faire le tour de toutes les fonctionnalités de la gamme ConceptDraw, les différents logiciels fourmillent d'outils d'édition vectorielle d'une extreme précision. On apprécie la compatibilité avec "Office", notamment entre "Presenter" et "Power Point", par ailleurs on retrouve aussi cette compatibilite avec les plus grands logiciels tels que "AutoCad" mais également entre les systèmes Mac et Windows.

En bref, ConceptDraw est un monstre de puissance en matière de vecteurs et nous vous le recommandons fortement si vous ne parvenez pas à réaliser vos schémas convenablement !

Article by Alain Lalisse

Le mode graphique est assez intéressant. Sur chacune des idées, on va pouvoir placer des symboles (une loupe pour une idée à creuser, un sablier pour indiquer que cette action prend du temps...). C'est la méthode Mindmapping et c'est plutôt ingénieux.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP intègre de bonnes idées comme, par exemple, disposer de plusieurs feuilles (comme dans Excel) pour hiérarchiser un projet complexe. Il dispose aussi de fonctions puissantes et très utiles comme la création automatique de pages HTML ou de fichiers PDF.

Review by Charles Cave

I particularly like the brainstorming feature which is invoked by clicking on the lighting bold icon. This feature manages a text based outline with clear icons for adding and rearranging branches. The stopwatch feature allows you to set a time limit for the idea generation process -- a good way to stretch your thinking by making you work for a certain time.

The program offers features for drawing lines (Line, Sector, Arc and Spline), intelligent connectors and the means to group objects into more complex ones.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP reviewed by Rainer Leverenz

ConceptDraw MINDMAP visualisiert Ideen wie auf einer Landkarte, so dass sie sich leicht lesen lassen.

Das Program ist für Einsteiger gut verständlich und bietet dem Profi einen großen Funktionsumfang.

Solider Umfang, sehr gut zu bedienen, für Einsteiger und erfahrene User gleichermaßen geeignet.

Review by Gilles Rocard

Vous avez peur d'être mal compris? Essayez d'exprimer le message que vous voulez dans ce logiciel qui se chargera de trouver la meilleure présentation.

Pour une première approche (pour qui ne sait pas comment commencer), ConceptDraw MINDMAP met à la disposition de l'utilisateur un assistant de création qui lui évitera d'avoir à fouiller les différentes bibliothèques d'objets et lui présentera directement les modèles de présentation disponibles...

Article by Linda Starr

Installation was simple and clearly explained. The required memory and hard drive space are reasonable.

Technical support was not needed to install and run the program.

This kind of program is wonderful for those of us who have to present information using PowerPoint, because the graphics are so unusual and effective. Imagination is stimulated by the interesting visuals that can be created fairly easily with this program.

Mientras, las funciones de exportación a HTML, PowerPoint o PDF son ciertamente interesantes, asi como la posibilidad de agregar notas para incluir información adicional sobre cualquiera de los objetos presentes o las herramientas de dibujo vectorial.

La gestión de las citadas ramas, de las páginas presentes en el documento (es factible realizar documentos enlazados como páginas Web) o de los objetos utilizados es muy simple gracias a la ayuda de asistentes especializados que tratan cada una de estas características de forma independiente.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP Pro submitted by Chuck Frey

To meet the diverse needs of business users and individuals with a range of comfort levels with mindmapping, CS Odessa has thoughtfully integrated several helpful "assistants" into ConceptDraw MINDMAP Professional 2.0.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP offers another unique feature: The ability to store and utilize multiple pages of mindmaps within a single file. Finally, you can export a list of tasks from Microsoft Outlook, import them into ConceptDraw MINDMAP Professional 2.0, and create a mindmap from them.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP Pro examined by Thomas Raukamp.

Das Programm hilft also Schritt für Schritt bei der Konstruktion einer MindMap. Dem zentralen Thema und den Unterpunkten werden dann Grafiken zugewiesen, die die Auswahl und die Relevanz unterstreichen sollen.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP ist ein Programm, das einfach Spaß macht.

ConceptDraw MINDMAP Pro reviewed by Marc von Ah.

Eine der grossen Stärken von ConceptDraw MINDMAP ist der flexible Umgamg mit Ästen und Zweigen. Diese konnen wesentlich flexibler und kreativer angeordnet werden als in den Konkurrenzprodukten.

Wem die mitgelieferten 1340 Cliparts in 40 Bibliotheken nicht genugen, kann damit problemlos eigene Illustrationen erstellen oder die vorhandenen verändern.

ConceptDraw Product Line examined by Benjamin Rondeau.

La firme CS Odessa occupe sans conteste une place à part dans le monde de l'édition logicielle. Comme son nom l'indique, cette compagnie vient en effet d'un pays qui n'est pas particulièrement connu pour la richesse de son industrie informatique : l'Ukraine.

Sur le concept, on ne peut qu'être séduit par un logiciel qui se propose de nous aider à organiser nos réflexions. C'est assez rare sur Mac pour être salué, d'autant que ConceptDraw MINDMAP existe aussi en version Windows, assurant la compatibilité entre les deux plates-formes.

ConceptDraw Product Line examined by MacDirectory staff.

"Guess what the most comprehensive diagramming and presentation suite for Mac is? Sure, ConceptDraw. Where do you think they make it? You won't believe it. In Odessa - on the Black Sea. You will ask if there are possibly any Mac developers there? I would say that even more than just developers. CS Odessa are Mac fans, Mac enthusiasts and Mac pros, loyal to Macintosh platform throughout their history. Now guess why ConceptDraw Line is getting more and more popular?"

"The First Guess: What is ConceptDraw Product Family? The Second Guess: What's unique about ConceptDraw Product Family? The Third Guess: CS Odessa, Conference and Odessa."

ConceptDraw MINDMAP Pro reviewed by Ian Hedley, who teaches at Carter Community School in Dorset, England and uses ConceptDraw in his work.

"I used MindManager to develop most of this site but if I'd had ConceptDraw at the time I would probably have used that instead."

"I use ConceptDraw for presenting information (on paper or electronically). I also use it for learning and remembering."

"All in all, Concept Draw is a rather useful program from CS Odessa. It does - and does well - exactly what its designed to do, which is design and create complete charts, diagrams, floor plans, etc, using a wide array of tools and features."

"There are many interesting features that make this program useful for the average technology enthusiast."