MindManager 2017 preview

Mindjet have just released a "preview" of MindManager 2017 due to be released in September this year which highlights the following features (my comments in brackets):

HTML5 export of interactive maps which can be opened in most browsers (presumably an expanded and updated version of the current very basic web export facility);
Export map content to "over 700 leading cloud apps" like Slack, Box, OneNote, Google Docs, and Gmail through Zapier (as I understood that this is already available through MindManager Enterprise, I assume this means this facility is being extended to the standard version. I assume this will address the current lack of OneNote integration which a number of users have been seeking);
The ability to transfer Gmail items and send content and status updates into maps as topics using Zapier (fortunately, it appears from the screenshots that MM can still communicate directly with Outlook);
New horizontal and vertical timeline templates which can be filtered (this is a feature which users have called for several years and which is increasingly available on competing products);
A critical path view in Gantt charts (again, a feature which users have long called for);
"Simplified flowchart creation" with new tools including a "fly-out topic shape selector", right-angle relationship lines and new calendar display options;
"Simplified file management" with a unified look covering file storage on the desktop, in SharePoint or in the cloud (Box is the only cloud service specifically mentioned, however);
A technology guarantee that if you purchase either the English or German current version of MindManager after 15 July 2017 you will receive MM 2016 for Windows and MM 10 for Mac now and MM 2017 for Windows when it becomes available (by implication this statement indicates that there will not be a new Mac version any time soon).

Some of these features are interesting and/or useful, especially if the assumption that the Zapier export availability is being extended to the standard version is correct. However, a number of features which users have long sought to have improved or incorporated in MM appear not to have been addressed in this version, if the preview is a comprehensive guide.

Alex Gooding, Champion

1077 Posts
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Posted 3 years ago

3 years ago

Scott Curtis

7 Posts
2 Reply Likes

Having dealt with very large software companies who take their user's feature enhancement requests fairly seriously, I'm not sure I see a huge commitment to meeting the user's expectations from Mindjet, at least not relative to Mindmanager.
As I am not intimately familiar with the company itself, only the software, it does bring to mind the question of whether they have the necessary internal inertia to respond to enhancement requests. Do they rank the requests? Is there a way for other users to promote an enhancement that they really want to see incorporated, as Dessault Corp does with their SolidWorks product?
Mindmanager is an excellent product, but as mindmapping software goes, it is not inexpensive, especially if you are an individual user. Mindjet would be much better served as a company if they were to become more responsive to users needs and requests.

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1 person likes this

2016-07-27T08:01:34+00:00

Bjorn Eriksson

199 Posts
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The usage of this forum reflects how MJ works with users. To my knowledge there is a very low acitivity from MJ representatives. And there is no ranking of ideas and suggestions, this forum must be a gold mine for product management.

2017-01-20T16:21:31+00:00

Marc Smith

1 Post
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Here's a MindManager / SOLIDWORKS integrator - http://www.cadomap.com

2017-01-20T16:53:38+00:00

Nigel Goult (Olympic & MIVAP)

352 Posts
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That site seems very dated and has no recent information/posts on their blog. I would guess it might not be relevant for MindManager versions past MindManager 9 (referenced in the FAQ) or later.

3 years ago

Alex Gooding, Champion

1077 Posts
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I think many people here would agree. While many of the features are welcome and a few (like integration with OneNote, timeline templates and critical paths in Gantt charts) are in response to user requests, there are a large number of other enhancements that have been sought by users that Mindjet has chosen to ignore for years. It has even dropped some features because of technical issues or just because they didn't think enough people used them.

It appears sometimes that the product development process for MindManager takes place in a large cone of silence, in which the developers are unaware of the demands of the program's users. This can be the only explanation for the way in which the company has failed to address these issues, including (to take one example) the huge problem of the increasing gap between the Windows and Mac versions.

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3 years ago

Alex Gooding, Champion

1077 Posts
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Update: as has been noted on the Google map part thread, the fact that no update of this feature (which recently failed due to changes in the Google search API) is mentioned in the preview would appear to confirm Mindjet's intention to drop it entirely until at least the version after MindManager 2017.

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3 years ago

jerry.mings

142 Posts
23 Reply Likes

I too read the preview notice of Mindjet 17. In short, I suspect the feature updates are code fixes or improvements to existing features. Furthermore, Version 17 appears to be borrowing features from the Enterprise program and adding them to the single user application. The failure to deal with the Google Search map part in a timely manner is of concern. Overall, the release of version 17 will not show a dramatic or meaningful upgrade for users.

I have been a long time user of Mindjet. I learned over the years the company does not really pay attention to code issues until that issue really impacts the company's ability to sell the product or meet a large scale client problem. To me, that is an unfortunate approach to customer service.

In the meantime, other providers (e.g., Xmind, iMindMap) are working hard to build in features that clients want in their mind mapping experience.

Unless a lot more people start really communicating their concerns and expectations here on the discussion board, I suspect Mindjet will continue to develop what they want with little regard to the voice of the customer. As an example, there is very little commentary about the Google Map part so I can see Mindjet stating there was no a real need for the function.

As other products catch up and eventually overtake Mindjet, I believe Mindjet will continue to drop features and provide slow follow-up to customers.

Until then, I don't expect to see any real innovative or meaningful improvements to the product.

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3 years ago

Bob Levy

82 Posts
12 Reply Likes

Sad to agree with the previous comments. MJ long ago dropped support of the individual clients in favor of the enterprise deals. Follow the money. I suspect over time this will come to bite then as the competition continues to support the entire client base.

I suspect MJ has NOT promoted this community via marketing it's existence. My personal discovery was made via a friend who had "discovered it".

I love the misleading "MindManager 2017 Preview" since it is not available like the title implies. It is only a description of the "features". I opened a chat and was informed no preview is available.

In a previous life in the software vendor world, I developed a process known as PERF.
Product Enhancement Request Form that was used at multiple companies.

SAS had the BEST user enhancement process. They gave every user $1,000 in fake money to spend on a very long list of enhancement requests. Each user could spend as much as $1000 on one very important requirement (to them). Personally I would typically spend $500 on one and as little as $10.00 on others. As a user I really appreciated the effort SAS invested in product enhancement. To bad none of us see that with MJ.

I will have to give serious thought to NOT renewing this year due to terrible support.

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3 years ago

Alexis Van Dam

1 Post
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Will there be a new preview for the mac as well? It feels like there has been not so much improvement for a while on the max version.

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3 years ago

Ary Velstra, Expert Trainer

1614 Posts
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@Bob Levy
The fact that you needed a friend to inform you about this community is actually a huge compliment for the Mindjet Mindmanager team ;-)

Because if you ever have had a need for support, You would probably have gone to the Mindjet website and found the Support button for MindManager in the black bottom of each webpage.
When you click on it, it requests the area you are working from and then you will see the link to this community immediately as well as the download pages and lots more info..

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3 years ago

Ary Velstra, Expert Trainer

1614 Posts
242 Reply Likes

@ Alexis van Dam
Mindjet (much like other tech-companies like Apple) does not give out any information on new product-features, functions and benefits until they are so mature that a date is set when it will be available to the general public.
The fact that we don't know it, does not have to mean that nothng is happening.

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3 years ago

Bob Levy

82 Posts
12 Reply Likes

There is no "preview" other than the "information about what SHOULD be in the 2017 release. just received,
"Dear ,
Thank you for contacting Mindjet Support. There is no planned beta for 2017.

If you need further assistance, simply reply to this email or give us a call.

Best regards,
David Mindjet

Do not understand Mindjet marketing people saying "preview" and not saying Features due in 2017!

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3 years ago

Bjorn Eriksson

199 Posts
15 Reply Likes

I use Trello a lot, really nice functionality.
I sent them a question, and below is the answer. A very good example on communication with the users.

"Thanks for writing to us!

Currently, it's not possible to do a search like you describe—only the beginnings of words can be searched, as you've described. I can see how it would be useful, though, and I’ll pass your interest in this on to our team for consideration. Let me know if there's any additional info you'd like for me to send their way.

If you're curious about how our team decides on what requests we work on, this article gives some insight into that process: http://help.trello.com/article/724-submitting-feature-requests-for-trello

To see what features our devs are currently working on, check out our dev board at: http://www.trello.com/dev. Our mobile boards are available at https://trello.com/b/5tj4qAvo/trello-ios-app and https://trello.com/b/ud59t1fL/trello-android-app, and serve the same purpose for our mobile apps."

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