CS Odessa Announces ConceptDraw MindWave Integrates With SAP® StreamWork™

CS Odessa Announces ConceptDraw MindWave Integrates With SAP® StreamWork™
Through Integration, ConceptDraw MindWave 3.0 Allows Teams to Visualize
The Process of Collaborative Decision Making

SAN JOSE, Calif., February 16, 2011 – CS Odessa today announced that its popular ConceptDraw MindWave, a cloud-based mind-mapping application, is available within the SAP® StreamWork™ application. ConceptDraw MindWave version 3.0 is the newest release of CS Odessa’s proven web-based mind-mapping tool, which has been adopted by individuals and organizations around the world. ConceptDraw MindWave can use both cloud- and desktop-based information to generate mind maps. Through integration with SAP StreamWork, ConceptDraw MindWave brings easy-to-use map visualization features to customers. Ease of use combined with ConceptDraw MindWave desktop integration provides organizations with the ability to produce presentations and documentation that augment any planning or decision-making process.

“Mind mapping was one of the most requested features by users of SAP StreamWork,” said Holly Simmons, senior director, OnDemand Marketing, SAP. “With OpenSocial, CS Odessa was able to integrate MindWave easily with SAP StreamWork, delivering value to customers rapidly.”
SAP StreamWork is a cloud-based collaborative decision-making solution that brings together people, information and structure to help teams solve problems, brainstorm, collect feedback, build consensus and/or drive decisions.  By using ConceptDraw MindWave and ConceptDraw Office (a powerful suite of products including ConceptDraw MINDMAP, ConceptDraw PROJECT, and ConceptDraw PRO), with SAP StreamWork, teams can visualize the process of collaborative decision making, and quickly transition from planning to implementation.

 “ConceptDraw MindWave was developed to address our customers’ requirements for collaborative meeting support and finished documentation,” explains Olin Reams, general manager of CS Odessa. “Now by adding support for SAP StreamWork as a collaboration platform, we have addressed many organization’s requirements for an enterprise solution that allows users to visualize collaborative decision making, manage information and prepare supporting presentations. ConceptDraw MindWave integrated with SAP StreamWork provides key value and is a great time saver for a manager’s decision making.”
ConceptDraw MindWave leverages ConceptDraw INGYRE2 integration technology, allowing for effortless content generation. ConceptDraw MindWave can be found in CS Odessa’s collaboration area of ConceptDraw Solution Park and tightly integrates with ConceptDraw MINDMAP and ConceptDraw Office, addressing many of the documentation requirements in modern organizations.

About CS Odessa
Founded in 1993, Computer Systems Odessa supplies cross-platform productivity tools and graphics technologies to professional and corporate users around the world. With headquarters in Odessa, Ukraine, and an office in San Jose, Calif., USA, CS Odessa sells products internationally through resellers in over 25 countries. The ConceptDraw line of products has won numerous awards and is used by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world.
For more information, visit www.conceptdraw.com.
# # #
ConceptDraw is a registered trademark, and ConceptDraw Office, ConceptDraw Solution Park, ConceptDraw PRO, ConceptDraw MINDMAP, ConceptDraw PROJECT, and ConceptDraw Solution Browser are trademarks of CS Odessa. SAP, SAP StreamWork and all SAP logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries.  All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

SAP Forward-looking Statement
Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

PR Contact
Rebecca Hurst
Kinetic.PR, LLC for CS Odessa
rebecca@kineticprllc.com
Office: (650) 679-9282
Mobile: (650) 274-7533

Read more »

Posted in: collaboration,ConceptDraw MindMap,ConceptDraw Mindwave,CS Odessa,SAP Streamwork

EtherPad & Skype Perfect Together

I was in the middle of doing some brainstorming on the topic of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Math, when I had IM'ed Karen Janowski to see how she was doing via Skype; and when I told her what I was doing, she suggested that we put our heads together and come up with some ideas. I decided to give her call via Skype and then Karen shared an EtherPad address with me so that we could both collaborate in real time over the Internet and record our ideas. EtherPad is a Web 2.0 application that lets anyone quickly share a document so that all parties can collaborate in real time. With EtherPad you are just a click away from collaborating with each other in real time. Once I clicked on the link that Karen had provided me, I quickly copied and pasted my initial ideas that I had in a mind map and we were off and running. Using EtherPad, Karen and I quickly added more ideas and when we were through I was able to export my EtherPad session as a Word document to my computer. Karen and I marveled how easy it was to use Skype for the audio component and EtherPad to record our ideas. Give it a try when you are collaborating to find out just how easy and powerful this combination is.

Read more »

Posted in: collaboration,EtherPad,karen janowski,Skype

Catch the Google Wave

I had some time today and watched the introduction of Google Wave at the Google IO Developer Conference that was on YouTube. It was an eye opening presentation of what is around the corner. If Web 2.0 has taught us anything- it is all about collaboration and with the introduction of Google Wave we are sure to be thrust into a new paradigm of collaborative computing. No more passing emails back and forth to engage in communication- but more of a real time dialog. The demonstration really makes you think how this is going to shift how we communicate and work with each other. Since Google will be providing this as Open Source we should see some real innovations in extension and gadgets that can be built on top of the application. One can only imagine what will be possible with Google Wave when your team has access to this type of innovative collaborative work space. Check out the presentation below and enjoy. I invite you to comment after you have previewed the video.

Read more »

Posted in: collaboration,Google,Google Wave,Google Waves,project management

MindMeister Adds New Features

The MindMeister Team shared this update with me which I thought you would find interesting. MindMeister is an online application that allows you to do mindmapping right within your browser With each update the program adds more and more functionality. One of the really powerful features is the ability to share your mind maps and collaborate with other people over the web. Check it out and tell me what you think.

What's New in MindMeister

* Links on ideas

Support for internal (between maps, or also to individual nodes) and external (websites, email addresses) links on ideas

* Automatic layouter

No more overlapping ideas and branches with the new auto layouter - can also be triggered manually on "messed up" maps by pressing F8
* Note and link previews

Notes and links on ideas can now be previewed by hovering over the respective icon, including site previews
* Reworked, more organic lines

We've changed the line drawing mechanism so that mind maps now hopefully look more organic. The poll in the last newsletter went in favor of the slightly rounded lines (with about 40%)
* Automatic canvas resizing

The map canvas will automatically resize to the size of the map, e.g. on import of large maps or when adding lots of ideas
* Changes view date slider

In changes mode the footer will display a date slider that you can use to constrain the time period for which changes are shown. Clicking on links in notification mails will only highlight changes since your last visit.
* Start new map from idea

You can quickly create new maps from ideas through the right-click menu, and the new map can automatically be linked to the current one
* Export as PDF

The map canvas will automatically resize to the size of the map, e.g. on import or when adding many ideas
* Enhanced printing

Choose whether you want to print in full size or fit to page, and with open or closed branches
* Browse public maps

You can now browse, search and view all public maps on MindMeister - let us know which ones you like through the good old star rating system!
* and much more...

Read more »

Posted in: collaboration,mind mapping,mindmeister,Web 2.0

The Vyew

There are a lot of new start-up companies on the web that are bring us Web 2.0 functionality at little or no cost. With more training opportunities being available on the web companies are trying to carve out space on the web for content and desktop sharing. One interesting software application that runs within a browser can be found at Vyew. Vyew is a service that will allow you to share your files, pictures, maps, as well as your desktop using any standard browser. Individuals who are hosting a session can set up their presentation ahead of time and then invite users to share their Vyewbooks with the information. The Vyew service offers users the capability to annotate on the screen as well as the ability to chat once guests are logged into the Vyew room. Hosts can upload Powerpoint, Word, and PDF documents to their Vyewbook so that viewers can have access them during a web conference. I found the environment very easy to navigate and while Vyew is a application that is constantly being upgraded it has proven to work well. Vyew also offer free conference call numbers for those who need to talk one another. Vyew also offers desktop sharing so that you can demonstrate applications on your computer. While not as full featured as dedicated sharing applications Vyew will allow you to demonstrate any application that you have on your computer screen. I am amazed that applications like this reside on the web at no cost to the user. Considering the features and the functionality I think that you will find Vyew
one site you will want to visit. Let me know what you think once you have had a chance to use Vyew.

Read more »

Posted in: collaboration,vyew,Web 2.0,web conferencing

Virtual Presentation

Karen Janowski did an awesome presentation on how to engage students in the writing process using various features in Microsoft Word. Karen's tips and tricks were really appreciated by my Graduate students who are studying for their Master of Arts Degree. Karen who is a Assistive Technology Specialist from Boston was able to talk with my class via Skype and was able to share her desktop with the class using GatherPlace. GatherPlace is a very easy to use cross-platform tool for hosting Internet sessions so that you can share your applications and desktop. There is no software to install and it allows Windows XP as well as with Mac OSX users to host sessions. There is a free 14 day trial which you should take a look at. The presentation went very smoothly and the students were able to ask Karen questions and interact with her as if she was in the room. I will be exploring some other tools for collaboration which afford a whole host of options and features.

Read more »

Posted in: collaboration,GatherPlace,karen janowski,presentation,Skype,video conferencing