MindGenius launches new management software with promise of six appeal

MindGenius has launched a new version of its successful project management software that features a range of new functions, including an innovative problem-solving methodology that helps users identify problems from six different perspectives.

The East Kilbride-based company, whose business productivity tools are used by more than 600,000 clients in 160 countries, is seeking to grow its market by adding a series of new features and functionality.

The most ambitious addition is a colour coded, brainstorming function allowing business and project managers to review the impact of their actions in advance from a series of different perspectives.

The 2018 version will also include upgraded and modernised graphics and visuals and a greater number of pre-loaded templates, providing users with ready-to-use roadmaps for popular projects. 

The company was launched by Donald Maciver, a co-founder of Gael which was sold to Ideagen PLC for £20.6m in 2015 after developing and successfully commercialising a quality management implementation software used extensively by the military.

MindGenius combines elements of mind-mapping with Gantt techniques - a bar-chart based means of graphical illustration - and Kanban, a Japanese system of inventory control, to help business professionals, teachers and students capture and visualise information easily, turning ideas into project plans and tasks.

It is currently used by a range of companies and organisations, including the Scottish Government.

Last year the company launched Barvas, a cloud-based version of MindGenius accessible round the clock and from any browser, to meet the changing nature of demand from some users.

Ashley Marron, the company’s CEO, said the MindGenius remains its top seller and that the new version has been developed in response to feedback from customers.

He said: “MindGenius has always been a product that combines mind-mapping and project management functionality. There’s an untapped market of users who use it for managing businesses and products but who don’t see themselves as mind-mappers.

“We’re confident the 2018 version has enough that’s new to suit both groups and we’re particularly excited about our new brainstorming function that really takes the product to another level.”

The ‘parallel thinking; function helps members of a group consider objectives from six different angles or ‘thinking roles’ including considerations of fact, management, creativity, values and benefits, emotion and judgment.

Each thinking role is identified with a symbolic coloured bar and by switching colours, group members can easily focus or redirect thoughts, conversation, or the focus of meetings.  

Mr Marron said: “It’s a theory that’s widely used in business management and it’s been demonstrated that companies can achieve a more effective return on their investment if staff separate their thinking into these clear functions and roles.

“We’ve applied these principles to MindGenius using colour codes whereby users can look at any part of a project or the entire project from several perspectives, with the click of a mouse.

“There’s no shutting down one window and opening another required. The process is simple and straightforward and entirely intuitive.”    

Notes:

• MindGenius Ltd has been producing mind mapping software since 2001 that allows users to capture, visualize and use information.

• Its software focuses on assisting with key business processes such as brainstorming, meetings, and task and project management.

For more information and high-resolution pictures please contact Carlos Alba on 0141 637 6399 or 07880 505647 or email carlos@carlosalbamedia.co.uk