Polish & Modernize MindManager, Integrate Core PM Features without 3rd Party Add-ins.
So I'm liking MindManager, but...
MindManager was released in 1998 it feels like it. Despite many positive aspects, both visually and functionally, it feels like one of those old, old programs built that has a bunch of handy tools and does what it needs to, but no longer keeps up to make a smooth user experience and add features that are really needed in the current day.
What's good: For instance, having tried 20ish Mind Mappers, for Project Management Mind Maps, MM has GREAT notes, the best drag and drop attachments capabilities, and a lot of import and export options. (Excel import and export for example - awesome!)
Overall issues: However, if MM is slow. It's clunky. The scroll doesn't always work right and distorts the view. The touchscreen features feel like they're from 2008 and are inconvenient to use. Icons are nice, but often hard to see, and attaching an icon or a tag to a task is a whole process of clicking through several menus or hunting through lists in a sidebar. In most PMs, and most programs with these features, you can hit a hotkey or a single context menu option and type in a box for suggestions because projects have dozens to hundreds of tags and fields and resources.
Project Management: Is sorely lacking. I'm sorry to say it, MM has so much potential here, but it falls short of key aspects that most other PMs have, starting with filters & views. There's no way to truly save views. A Kanban view is kind of there, but if you want to use it for anything else with more tags it doesn't really work. The calendar view is okay, but it has issues dragging and dropping and there's no way to view a schedule by time.
It's not terrible, but filtering can be a challenge, especially since clearing a filter clears every filter, and you can't really use Boolean type logic at all to filter* (this may be a function available that I haven't found yet). There's not really anything great in the way of custom fields either.
Add-ons: Some of the add-ons seem great, but there are two issues: First, I tried multimaps and it seems powerful but also very confusing. Second...why aren't most of these add-ons native to MindManager? Most of them are to supplement fairly basic utilities or crucial features MM should have, like multimaps. How are you supposed to manage multiple, interconnected projects without it?
I'd really like to stay with MM at the end of my trial, but I'm finding it challenging to do so. I would sincerely recommend:
- Modernize and smooth out the program. It can't be choppy, slow, distorting the page, crashing, and hanging up so frequently. It makes things slower and less efficient, and it just feels bad. If that means re-writing the entire program...so be it. It's been over 20 years since the inception, and it's time.
- Polish existing & add common project management features & views.
- Incorporate several add-ons such as Multi-Maps. [**Natively. The way Multi-Maps actually implements the add-on would not be ideal for a native feature]
- Keep what's good. All the amazing little features and tools, the easy drag and drop, etc.
*Using the Windows Desktop version (and I do not want a PM that's only a web app).
I like this idea
While I agree with a lot of your suggestions and also think that aspects of project management could be improved, I would caution against trying to turn MindManager into something it isn't.
One of the best aspects of MindManager is its versatility - it has evolved from a basic brainstorming program into a wide-ranging knowledge management and research tool. It has hundreds of different uses of which project management is only one. Now for many of these uses there are probably many more specialised applications which can do that specific job better than MindManager - but only that job.
One thing I really like about MindManager is that you can start with one of these uses and turn it into another, for example, going from simple brainstorming to something like project development, qualitative analysis, tender document assessment, strategic planning, document outlining, online reference search, etc. A lot of the time the program's feature set is adequate for the task, but if it isn't you can use it to create the starting point for a more specialised application.
I guess what I'm saying is by all means seek to make MindManager more capable at project management, but don't try to turn it into (just) a project manager. As for the specific issues you mention, I'm surprised at the performance problems you're having. I'm currently running MM on a 12-year-old desktop PC and while its a little slow to start up it runs just fine. I agree about the limitations of filters, but there is more than one way to skin a cat - for example, look at using SmartRules as an alternative. These can incorporate a degree of Boolean logic (especially when used in combination with formulas) and can be easily turned on or off.
While I agree with a lot of your suggestions and also think that aspects of project management could be improved, I would caution against trying to turn MindManager into something it isn't.
One of the best aspects of MindManager is its versatility - it has evolved from a basic brainstorming program into a wide-ranging knowledge management and research tool. It has hundreds of different uses of which project management is only one. Now for many of these uses there are probably many more specialised applications which can do that specific job better than MindManager - but only that job.
One thing I really like about MindManager is that you can start with one of these uses and turn it into another, for example, going from simple brainstorming to something like project development, qualitative analysis, tender document assessment, strategic planning, document outlining, online reference search, etc. A lot of the time the program's feature set is adequate for the task, but if it isn't you can use it to create the starting point for a more specialised application.
I guess what I'm saying is by all means seek to make MindManager more capable at project management, but don't try to turn it into (just) a project manager. As for the specific issues you mention, I'm surprised at the performance problems you're having. I'm currently running MM on a 12-year-old desktop PC and while its a little slow to start up it runs just fine. I agree about the limitations of filters, but there is more than one way to skin a cat - for example, look at using SmartRules as an alternative. These can incorporate a degree of Boolean logic (especially when used in combination with formulas) and can be easily turned on or off.
@Stephen and @Alex,
Any software prodcut can be improved, always and in various directions.
As you mention that your trial period is ending and wish to stay with MindManager, My suggestion is... Do stay.
For instance, why use Multimaps, if you already have Maps roll-up builtin. And if that is not enough, you could look at TopicTracker rom the makers of the MAP addin. MAP has many features and functions and benefits that are not for everyone, but who needs it, can take the addin.
And just as Alex, I have no issue with speed or crashes on my older windows 10 system.
And my maps are large, and I use most options in my training classes.
SO for the speed issue, I would contact support, they are always happy to assit you.
@Stephen and @Alex,
Any software prodcut can be improved, always and in various directions.
As you mention that your trial period is ending and wish to stay with MindManager, My suggestion is... Do stay.
For instance, why use Multimaps, if you already have Maps roll-up builtin. And if that is not enough, you could look at TopicTracker rom the makers of the MAP addin. MAP has many features and functions and benefits that are not for everyone, but who needs it, can take the addin.
And just as Alex, I have no issue with speed or crashes on my older windows 10 system.
And my maps are large, and I use most options in my training classes.
SO for the speed issue, I would contact support, they are always happy to assit you.
So since writing this, I've looked through every Project Manager with Mind Maps that I can find, and sadly, it doesn't seem like any mind-map based project manager adequately suits most project management needs.
I just want to bump this to reiterate that MM would be fantastic if it just 1. ran smoothly, 2. could search through multiple maps (and preferably link dynamically to like Multimaps), and 3 .had custom fields you can sort by with a table view. After looking through everything I can find on the market, I could live with the rest if these were fixed/added.
So since writing this, I've looked through every Project Manager with Mind Maps that I can find, and sadly, it doesn't seem like any mind-map based project manager adequately suits most project management needs.
I just want to bump this to reiterate that MM would be fantastic if it just 1. ran smoothly, 2. could search through multiple maps (and preferably link dynamically to like Multimaps), and 3 .had custom fields you can sort by with a table view. After looking through everything I can find on the market, I could live with the rest if these were fixed/added.
UPDATE: I figured out that Intel drivers have an issue with certain software. Updating to the most recent version appears to have largely fixed the sluggishness and lag. Sorry for that misunderstanding!
The rest of the issues I still hold firm to. An auto-color option is also something that would be useful.
UPDATE: I figured out that Intel drivers have an issue with certain software. Updating to the most recent version appears to have largely fixed the sluggishness and lag. Sorry for that misunderstanding!
The rest of the issues I still hold firm to. An auto-color option is also something that would be useful.
---