Some of the best creative ideas need to be organized and presented properly. Businesses invest time and money coming up with the best presentation skills for new types of products and services. Some of these presentations are based on mind maps and other similar visual charts.
But creating mind maps can be complicated with regular office software. I started creating mind maps back in college. We were working on certain assignments where we had to prepare presentations. Today, the skills I learned back then are used at my job.
eDraw is the tool I use to create mind maps and other presentations. I’ve even shown it to the IT department. My collages in this area also use the software now to present their network plans and increase their organizational capacity.
Edraw Features
Infographic Maker Basics
This software represents a user-friendly graphics maker solution. If you’re already tired of the same MS Word graphics with limited functionality, you might find the software useful.
The templates you can count on cover various industries. It represents a versatile tool for all types of industries such as marketing, IT, accounting or any other type of business. Already saved in the templates library, the tools represent one of the most responsible solutions for users who don’t have time to look for certain graphics designs.
Graphics created with this software can be published online, on websites, included in presentations, or simply printed as part of a marketing campaign. I see them useful for creating flyers which are used to illustrate certain figures.
For example, you can create diagrams and graphics on energy savings. I’ve worked with friends who are employed by an energy company and the software is used on their leaflet marketing campaigns. The infographics show the amount an average household can save on monthly energy bills.
Another tool that makes these campaigns possible is the vectors system applied to these infographics. Anyone can change how they look and the data they show. When the changes are done, the final infographics can be saved in the following formats.
Since the files can be saved in HTML format, you can also use the infographics tool to create banners and other similar online ads.
All-In-One Diagram Software
The software is a more potent Visio alternative. I don’t use it personally but I’ve tested it to see if it really includes all the advertised features. Here’s what I’ve found.
It creates flyers with mind maps. This feature is seen across all software variations from the company. But even the All-In-one Diagram software is useful for these types of creations. If you plan to create business cards and other similar printable marketing materials, you might not need any other software for your creations.
It creates network diagrams which you can utilize at work, at university or at home. Network diagrams offer data visualization which simple blocks of text can’t. You see them everywhere from the comprehensive newspaper analysis to consumer reports made by certain businesses.
It creates floor plans which you can use in various ways. If you’re building an apartment, you can create your own floor plan to send for an architect’s approval. For me, there’s no difference in how these floor plans look here in the software and how the floor plans look when created by an architect.
You can create a simple fire escape plan with the software. If you’re a building administrator or owner, you’re required by law to have a fire escape plan. If the building is not your own home, this fire plan needs to be placed in a visible area in case of an emergency. The software allows you to create such printable plans.
Mindmaster for Mind Mapping
This software tool has a mind mapping variation. It includes various templates that specialize in creating these graphic data and text representations.
I like you can customize every single detail in the tool. For example, you can select your preferred color and you can also select the preferred text size and fonts. Everything you see in the mind map can be tailored to your specific topic.
This is an interesting method of organizing the chart. You can have certain colors linking to certain data. The cause-effect approach is one that would need similar colors to be recognized on a more complex mind map.
OrgCharting Tool
This charting software is specifically useful when working with a large amount of data on a constant basis. You might say there’s no purpose in purchasing the software if you only need it once. I agree with this point of view. However, if you need to create charts frequently, you know just how long it takes for you to enter the data.
But the tool is also useful for its one-click chart creation. When you have grouped data, you can create a simple chart with a single click. If you constantly work with percentages, sales volumes or predicted sales, these types of tools make your life easier. I’ve even seen our accountant using this tool to create yearly customer reports.
But when it comes to the ultimate usability, the workforce plan management tool seems the most advanced. This software’s tool helps those in human resources with staff management. You can even manage staff rotation with a few simple clicks. At the same time, this tool can be used to measure workforce productivity in an interactive way for each employee.
Prices
You can purchase these software tools at various rates. They start at $29 for Mindmaster. eDraw Max costs $99 while the more complex Orgcharting costs $145.
The cost covers a lifetime warranty for the products. In terms of who I see as the ideal user, it would be a creative person who deals with data and data visualization. This is a cross-job attribute which can be used in most fields. I use it for communication and business meetings.
However, I don’t see the software as something students might need to pay for. There are free versions for the software with limited functions but which mays till creating appealing charts and mind maps. Students can rely on these free versions especially since they don’t need to create charts and infographics too often.
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
One of the best methods of establishing the success rate software has is by looking at its real-world value. For me, these tools make my job easier. It would take days to draw my own graphic. These graphics wouldn’t be editable so in my case, it makes sense to invest in these tools.
If you want to learn more about the tools and what they offer, feel free to download the free versions first. You can have them installed within minutes. Even if you don’t have access to all the tools paid users to have, you may still have a better understanding if these graphics are useful to your job or project.
