MindManager
The Power of Working Visually

People intuitively understand that “a picture is worth a thousand words” and yet so many of the tools that organizations give their workers are linear and donot allow for visual thinking and working. The concept of mind mapping, first introduced by Tony Buzan, quickly became an indispensable method used to spark innovation and visualize ideas. And in corporate meeting rooms around the globe, the use of white boards with colorful mind maps can still be seen, bearing witness to a recent brainstorming or strategy session. But what happens when that white board gets erased? Or better yet, what could happen if the white board was actually a digital tool that could continue to live on and allow for ideas to immediately become actionable and of ongoing use by the teams that created them?

It is precisely this possibility that propels MindManager’s new Head of Product, Blair Young. “As someone with a highly technical background, I obviously value software tools that enable linear thinking and working styles, such as Microsoft’s Office suite. But when people like me can add a complementary tool like MindManager to their work, it is like fireworks!” enthuses Young.

MindManager, an information visualization software that simplifies the way enterprises and their teams capture, organize, and share information, has taken what Buzan first introduced and broadly expanded the possibilities. Young, who joined MindManager in April 2019,explains, “As big data takes center stage in the business world, access to accurate and up-to-date information is more critical than ever for enterprises to efficiently drive activities such as ideation, teaming, and decision making. MindManager’s solution transforms scattered information—both enterprise data and information owned by a knowledge worker or subject matter expert—into dynamic visual maps. In effect, our customers are using MindManager maps as a visual front end for their data.” The result, notes Young, is that teams can more quickly communicate knowledge, brainstorm ideas, and execute on projects.

Young underscores that Microsoft is an essential part of the modern workplace, offering a solid foundation for enterprise collaboration and communication.

MindManager acts as the visualization tool within the Microsoft ecosystem, enabling users with seamless access to business data in an enterprise

The addition of MindManager to the Microsoft ecosystem drives incremental value into the already strong Microsoft offering. MindManager’s deep integrations with the Microsoft product suite enable Microsoft users to visually manipulate data from Office applications in a naturally efficient way. For example, a user can import a Word document, work on it visually, share it with other users in the group for feedback, and export it as a PowerPoint document for a presentation. Thus, MindManager acts as the visualization tool within the Microsoft ecosystem, empowering users to seamlessly manipulate business data within the enterprise. MindManager, a Gold Certified Microsoft Partner, remains current with all Microsoft updates and product launches to ensure the technology integration remains strong at all times.

Acquired by Corel in 2016, the company has benefited from increased investment across the entire MindManager organization. This, in turn, has allowed MindManager to maintain–and grow–its strong commitment to its customers. “MindManager, first established out of Germany almost 20 years ago, has never lost its ability to have the finger on the pulse of its users,” saysYoung.

So what is next for MindManager now that Young has joined the team? “MindManager will continue to evolve the functionalities of its solution to improve the end-user experience. We are looking to empower both the individual knowledge worker using our software as well as the enterprise that invested in it with phenomenal benefits,” concludes Young.