There's been a recent discussion here on Goalscape. I notice that it is 40% off on Friday. That being said, it strikes me as frightfully expensive.

http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/goalscape-desktop/

Quite a discussion has gone on at the site.

Any takers?

Yes, and interesting discussion, with a definite amount of obsessing about the price. But, as Richard points out, it's under active development and it's a perpetual license; and my own experience is of fantastic support. I don't know how much I would use it, but I did use it in testing and it did give me another way of looking at my tasks which I found stimulated thought and moved me to new ideas.

I shall be purchasing.

Graham

I initially like the concept and had a go. The UI is clever but once you go above a certain level of layering it start to fail (for my way of working/thinking anyway) I could say how I would like it changed, but it would take a long time for me to explaine in this discussion .

In short, they (as most developers do) have missed several simple tricks that could potentially catapult it into the "must have" software....as said, I could tell them some but haven't got the time.

The start up of individual .gsp files was far too slow for me to use, even after I invented some workarouds for features I would like as a minimum, so its nearly off my machine (especially at the higher price I am required to pay out). 40% less makes me want to play for longer, but as said the missing features will probably win in the end so it wont go on/stay on my pc.

Hi.

@skylark: What exactly is it you do not like about the software? Instead of writing twice "as said, I could tell them some but haven?t got the time", you could easily have written 2 sentences about what bugs you :-)

Franz (who considers taking the BitsduJour offering)

Hi
@Franz: I didn't say it bugged me and it is very good to a level (but not in my opinion for a power user to drive a life/business). I would also have had to have had longer with the trial to be able to fully analyse it and then to articulate properly and fully what I would like to do with it (I can rattle on for hours and hours about outliners).

I also have software development aspirations and taking the nice UI idea with a different slant/approach, adding some simple but missing features, I might be simply describing a new thing that I would like to and should go and get developed myself (Unfortunately I can't code).

It is good and will get better with development, but is not enough for me. As a minimum baseline and in outliner terms its not an EN2.0.

Hi.

Yesterday evening, I used Goalscape to map a business project and a private long-term goal.

I found the software easy to use - as long as one sticks to the mouse. What I was missing were keyboard shortcuts for inserting subgoals and neighbors (=goals on the same level) - in the meantime, Richard Parslow from Goalscape Software, revealed the shortcuts on the BdJ forum (answering Alexander D.'s questions): CTRL+G and CTRL+SHIFT+G (for neighbors). So, the only thing I still miss is more customization options and more easily accessible options (changing the dark background, e.g., is possible, but via the Help menu not the View menu).

What I like - apart from the ease of use - is the ability to export the data to a spreadsheet. This way, you can use the figures for calculations - which gave me some interesting and unexpected insights in my long-term project.

I will surely get a license tomorrow. Goalscape is not inexpensive but as it is a lifetime license, the price is OK for me. A one-year license to Crystal Mapping (which I find less attractive visually) costs $30, and this is the introductory price.

Franz

As it happens, my boss just asked me to plot out my goals for the next six months, so it seems like the perfect opportunity to put Goalscape to the test.

It is pretty easy and intuitive to use. So far my biggest complaints revovle around the output options. Not the formats, the PDF, HTML, and CSV options seem to work just fine. In fact, the HTML and PDF reports are quite impressive. I wish, however, that there were some options to exclude unneeded information. For instance, I don't need the "Importance Percentage" information, and would just as soon leave that out -- I mean, isn't that only going to create a question in my boss's mind about each of these? I'm responsible for all these goals, so there is no need to export that field into the report. Also, some items don't need the start and completion date information -- those items should print without the field titles for start and end date because they just take up space. Also, which ever goal was highlighted at the time of the export is highlighted in the printout, another possible source of confusion, as someone wonders why I've highlighted "print postcard," but not "sell more books." (The work-around is to be sure to highlight the central goal before export, then there isn't so much confusion.) This is a version 2.x edition of this software. These types of issues should already have been fixed. Especially for the cost.

What I'll end up doing is exporting to a CSV file, deleting the columns I don't need, then exporting from there into Brainstorm or something.

Still, this exercise was interesting and Goalscape made it a little more fun.

Steve

Hi Steve

I work for Goalscape ? sorry for the delay in responding, I only just found this.

You will like the new Reporting options in the latest free Updates: you can now Export to DOCX and XLSX as well as HTML, CSV and PDF; you can also and filter the information that you export, to produce a pdf of (say) just the goal names, importances and notes text. Goalscape is also now fully integrated with MindManager and MS Project: Import and Export MMAP and MSP XML files. Oh and a new Preferences screen for customizing your screen colors, inserting a logo, etc.

It would be interesting to hear your reactions to the new features.

Enjoy the journey!

Hi skylark

I would be very interested to hear your suggestions! If you want to keep it confidential you can post a private message on the forum https://goalscape.tenderapp.com/home

Richard

FYI Goalscape is to be featured again in Bits du Jour one of the following days http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/goalscape-desktop/

In order to see what's next at Bits du Jour you should select Dashboard and then Log in. Note that the precise date for upcoming promotions is no longer publicised. In the words of BdJ: "Over the next few days we will be featuring, in no particular order..."

Happy New Year!

Hi.

The BdJ day for Goalscape will be January, 4. At least, that's what they tell you when you subscribe to notify@bitsdujour.com.

For those who miss the BdJ day: To get a 20 percent rebate on the full price of Goalscape, simply enter the coupon code "SETGOALS2011" (without the ") when purchasing; the rebate is valid till January, 31, 2011.

This is a special rebate for readers of my email newsletter and blog "Outlook optimal". There is also a review I wrote on Goalscape, however only in German:
http://www.outlook-optimal.de/zeitmanagement/artikel/d/goalscape-die-visualisierungshilfe-fuer-ziele-und-projekte.html

Franz

Franz, compliments for your offering. Your Outlook blog looks like a brilliant resource, though my German is too limited to be able to make use of the information. Can you suggest any similar resource in English?

Thanks for the compliments, Alex. :-)

Good sources in English are:

http://www.outlook-tips.net/
http://www.msoutlook.info/
http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/

Franz

Brilliant; many thanks!

I noticed that Goalscape is once again on sale on Bits du Jour. Is anyone using this system? If so, what are your thoughts? Thanks.

Steve Z.

Steve, I've purchased a license for Goalscape during their 2010 promotion. I have used it off and on since then, mostly for presentation purposes. It is quite well thought out as a project management program, but in my case it didn't 'click'. I can think of several reasons for this, but most are subjective, so others may be very enthusiastic about it.

Some indicative issues:

- it is well suited for tasks whose progress can be quantified, but in my case many are not, and looking at my goalscape overview can be quite disheartening (even when I have done quite some work...)
- in terms of screen real-estate use, it is quite inefficient: after the third level, you can no longer see the sub goals unless you hoist towards them--but then lose the overview
- I really don't like Adobe AIR applications and now AIR is no longer supported in Linux; so, the reason for using AIR (cross-platform) in the first place is gone

Goalscape has the information and project management tools I would have liked TreeSheets to have; their combination would make the perfect environment for me.

By the way, today's discussion at BdJ is well worth following, in particular re Goalscape's potential for information management, including writing projects http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/goalscape-desktop

Thank you for the writing link, Alexander.

Leaving aside the issue of cost, Goalscape's UI appears better than a not-dissimilar rival called GoalEnforcer. I wish it exported in OPML and then one could feed its output into some of the Mac outliners or task managers. There's probably a way round this using csv and, say, OmniOutliner Pro, which imports and exports a range of formats, but I haven't worked out quite how that would work.

Thank you, Alexander. After posting my question here, I noticed your comment at BdJ about the Air issue. I've decided to go ahead and purchase the desktop version, as I can run it on my PC and my MacBook. It will, I think, be useful in both realms (work and private). It won't be my main project management tool on either device, but I think it will help me manage one particular sticky project I've been dealing with in my volunteer life, and in the office I think it will help me get a handle on some bigger, long-term projects, as well as facilitating reporting to my boss.

Thanks, again!

Steve Z.

@ Hugh
I believe your best bet is GoalScape's MindManager (.mmap) import/export. The .mmap format is almost universal in mind mapping programs. My suggestion is to install Freemind or Freeplane which as I recall can read and write .mmap files, as well as many other formats such as tab indented texts, which many outliners should be able to read/write.

@ Steve
Hope you like it; I'm sure you'll be able to get things out of it, as you have method and persistence in your CRIMP endeavours :-)

Alexander Deliyannis wrote:

@ Hugh
I believe your best bet is GoalScape's MindManager (.mmap)
import/export. The .mmap format is almost universal in mind mapping
programs. My suggestion is to install Freemind or Freeplane which as I
recall can read and write .mmap files, as well as many other formats
such as tab indented texts, which many outliners should be able to
read/write.

I tried this very thing before I saw your recommendation, Alexander, and you are indeed correct. Freemind, however, had trouble with the file, while Freeplane imported it without a hitch, including the notes. It does not appear to include the meta-data (tags, etc...).

@ Steve
Hope you like it; I'm sure you'll be able to get things out of it, as
you have method and persistence in your CRIMP endeavours :-)

Thanks, Alexander.

Steve Z.

Thanks for the suggestions, Steve and Alexander.

On the issue of price, I do agree that Goalscape is over-priced at the non-discounted level (although I've just bought it with the BdJ discount - Crimping doesn't appear to be vulnerable to post-Christmas belt-tightening...). In the Mac world, compare $99 Zengobi Curio which Steve has recently reviewed: this too can provide a dashboard for projects and goals, not quite as easily, it's true, but the functionality is there. And Curio can also do a lot more.