Hello all

this is my first post and am impressed with the discussions here.

I am struggling with writing this post. I am familiar with several PIMs/outliners, but I am looking for a tool that will help represent graphically different scenarios.

The application is more towards R&D technical projects, but I am wondering if a script writing or novel writing tool that provides graphical flow displays may do the trick.

Any suggestions??

thanks in advance.

-- Luis

Hi.

What exactly do you need the tool for?

Do you need something like a Gantt chart tool?
Or a mapping tool like VUE (http://vue.tufts.edu/
Something like Storylines (www.writerscafe.co.uk/) or a software that used index cards you can colour and place as need (e.g. Supernotecard - www.mindola.com/supernotecard/).
Or something completely different.

And: Welcome to this nerdy forum.

Franz

Luis M wrote:

but I am looking for a tool that will help represent
graphically different scenarios.

This thread might be relevant:
http://www.outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/3805/0/fast-3d-modelling

Franz Grieser wrote:

Or a mapping tool like VUE (http://vue.tufts.edu/
Something like Storylines (www.writerscafe.co.uk/) or a software that
used index cards you can colour and place as need (e.g. Supernotecard -
www.mindola.com/supernotecard/).

Additional concept-mapping options:

CmapTools
http://ftp.ihmc.us/

Scapple:
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scapple.php

Yeah, based on the minimal background you provide, Luis, I'd also suggest Scapple. And welcome to the forum!

Also worth looking at Inspiration (Mac/Windows/iOS), which combines outlines with mindmaps. Other apps do that too, nowadays, including Xmind and - on iOS - Idea Sketch.

Sorry, just to expand on Idea Sketch, which I've only recently discovered but is becoming a favourite of mine (closest thing to Scapple on iOS): it's deceptively simple. Under the bonnet there's a lot of power, including the ability to attach images.

You might also want to play with Apple's Numbers (I've already bored people to death with my enthusiasm for this whiteboard-like app!)

Welcome to the forum!

Just to add a couple of additional options to those all ready suggested: If you're using a Mac, give Curio a look. And if you're on a Windows machine, OneNote might be a good option. In either of the two, you can combine a variety of elements, from outlines to photos, tables to diagrams.

You can find info on Curio here:

http://www.zengobi.com/products/curio/

Steve Z.

MadaboutDana:

Is there a way to export Numbers files from the iPad to Excel XLS (not CSV)?
I have gone back to LibreOffice Calc for most of my planning tasks. Numbers looks good on the iPad - but without the ability to process the files on my Windows PC, Numbers is not an option.

Thanks, Franz

Hi Franz,

Well, there appears to be in the latest version - it offers you four different options: Numbers, PDF, Excel and CSV, so I'm assuming there's a difference between Excel and CSV. I confess I haven't tried this (I usually use Numbers on iOS to produce complete documents in PDF format). I'll have to experiment.

I'm running on iOS 7 and using the very latest version of Numbers, so may have a different setup to your own!

Cheers,
Bill

Yup, that seems to work. A genuine Excel spreadsheet! It's even made an effort to format it so it looks like the Numbers original (not entirely successful, but they're two very different programs). I'm actually quite impressed!

Thanks Bill.

There is a huge difference between CSV and XLS. CSV is only suitable for exchanging tabular data such as addresses and not for transfering calculations or formatting. And the CSV export filter in Microsoft products is a real mess.

Absolutely - and of course you're right; earlier versions of Numbers only exported CSV. But now it's proper Excel. That's quite a desirable feature, I must say.

FileMaker has always impressed me with its handling of CSV - and of Excel, come to that.

Thanks Franz

mostly to graphically map scenarios with forks on a roadmap.

-- Luis

Thanks Dr. Andus

I have used CMAP for years, but I really like Scapple --- it seems less restrictive on they nodes connect to each other.

-- Luis

thanks to both you and Steve for the posts

-- Luis

Hi Luis,
I think you should try ThinkComposer (http://www.thinkcomposer.com
If you have multiple scenarios, based on a common field (let's call it a "Domain") you can pre-define the types of objects of that Domain, and later use them in your diagrams.

For instance, suppose you provide "emergency supply of energy" and must design multiple solutions for multiple customers.
With ThinkComposer, you could create a Domain where "blue boxes represents Machines, red circles represents Generators and green arrows represents electric-flow between generators and machines" and those object type having appropriate custom-fields (i.e. "KW/h", "Cost", "Weight", etc.).

Also, each node (Idea) of the diagram can contain a whole new diagram within, and later connect Ideas at different levels by using shortcuts.
Plus, you can export that valuable information as text-files, images and HTML + PDF/XPS reports.
Good luck!

Néstor Sánchez
(ThinkComposer creator)

Luis, welcome to the forum.

To add to the already presnted ideas and considering that you liked Scapple, I would say that any of the so called mindmappers (Freemind, MindManager, MindGenius, MindView, etc, even Inspiration) could do what you want. You would probably want to use the 'affinity' (one-directional) format rather than the classic mindmap which extends to all directions. I'd say that the 'fork' concept can be well depicted with such a tool.

The advantage of some of these tools (and ThinkComposer as well, i think) is that they can also accomodate attributes/values for each node, which you can include in the diagram or not, and you can even perform calculations on these. The hierarchical structure can then be exported to Excel to share with others that don't have the same tool. MindView and MindGenius are particularly powerful in this regard.

Wow, ThinkComposer looks very interesting. I haven't come across that before. I shall be taking a closer look!

As Franz suggested, the main question with these kinds of tools is what is the nature of the task to be solved.

These tools could be ranked within a matrix where one axis has speed of use at one end, and presentability (making the output consumable by others) at the other end. The other axis would go from solving simple problems to complex problems.

E.g. if you have a relatively easy problem, need to solve it quickly, and there is no need to communicate it to others later on, nothing beats a big piece of paper and coloured pencils, or a whiteboard with markers, or some software for hand-drawing (a tablet with a pen).

If the problem is more complex and needs to be analysed in depth over a longer time, with nodes needing to be split, repositioned, maps duplicated etc., then concept mappers and mind mappers would be better (some of which may also have decent export options).

If the problem is already solved and it's about communicating it to others, then a pretty flowchart-maker with nice templates would be the most appropriate, such as SmartDraw (which however would be too slow for brainstorming and analysis).

Flying Logic (http://flyinglogic.com/index.html is another possibility. It's built to use a particular theory of operations management, but can be deployed for much wider purposes. I use it for plotting fiction.

Thank you Néstor !

I just downloaded it and will try in the next few days. This seems very promising.

-- Luis


Nestor Sanchez (ThinkComposer creator) wrote:

Hi Luis,
I think you should try ThinkComposer (http://www.thinkcomposer.com
If you have multiple scenarios, based on a common field (let's call it a
"Domain") you can pre-define the types of objects of that Domain, and
later use them in your diagrams.

For instance, suppose you provide "emergency supply of energy" and must
design multiple solutions for multiple customers.
With ThinkComposer, you could create a Domain where "blue boxes
represents Machines, red circles represents Generators and green arrows
represents electric-flow between generators and machines" and those
object type having appropriate custom-fields (i.e. "KW/h", "Cost",
"Weight", etc.).

Also, each node (Idea) of the diagram can contain a whole new diagram
within, and later connect Ideas at different levels by using shortcuts.
Plus, you can export that valuable information as text-files, images and
HTML + PDF/XPS reports.
Good luck!

Néstor Sánchez
(ThinkComposer creator)

I watched some of the videos and also was intrigued.

My first reaction is that it would be very useful for critical thinking activities, particularly training for students or interns.

It seems to be directed toward code development output.

Thanks Hugh !

Hugh wrote:

Flying Logic (http://flyinglogic.com/index.html is another possibility.
It's built to use a particular theory of operations management, but can
be deployed for much wider purposes. I use it for plotting fiction.

I am very appreciative of all the responses, not only for bringing tools that I was not aware of, but also for the obvious desire of the community to be helpful.

I recognize as I mentioned in my first post that I struggled with how to describe what I was looking for.

Over the years I have tried many tools (MindManager, XMind, Smartdraw, CMAP, wikis, etc.), along with more formal tools such as those related to semantic development. The application would involve both the thinking and creative process and ultimately presentation output --- but not large datasets with intense crunching.

My role is more strategic and programmatic at this point, both at work and with non-profit boards.

Hopefully these last paragraphs gives a slightly better sense of what I have been looking for.

Having said that, I found a very interesting tool that I am looking at right now. Although I am not sure it is what I seek it does fit some of my needs (creative, visual, multiple scenarios) so am going to try it. It is called Aeon Timeline: http://www.scribblecode.com/

Will let you know.

But please if any other ideas come up, let me know.


-- Luis

Luis M wrote:

My role is more strategic and programmatic at this point, both at work
and with non-profit boards.

Sorry, I forgot to mention this: I develop strategic and tactical scenarios to achieve specific objectives and goals.

-- Luis