Mindjet Offers Online Visual Collaboration Platform

Mindjet, which already boasts 1.5 million users, has launched a Web-based collaboration suite it thinks sets it apart from the plethora of other, similar online tools: visualization.

The application, called Mindjet Catalyst, enables users to create visual diagrams for organizing and communicating complex ideas and information. Users can also switch from visual views like a process map to a standard outline view without having to touch the contents of the document itself. Here's a look at a sample view:

"We've combined all communications capabilities into a single collaborative workspace," Mindjet CEO Scott Raskin told CTOEdge.com.

Catalyst also allows users to integrate documents from other productivity applications like Word, as well as images, spreadsheets and presentations, and includes integrated chat and Web-conferencing capabilities (although the latter functionality doubles the price from $25 per user per month to $50 per user per month).

Even without the ability to create toggle between a visual and structured representation of a single document, Catalyst is stands out simply by aggregating a variety of communication tools into a single view, much like the forthcoming Google Wave is expected to do.

The suite includes pre-configured “Activities” templates, patterned after traditional maps, that provide the framework for addressing common, specific business problems. Users can modify ideas in one area of a map while a colleague adds supporting details elsewhere, and all edits are captured in real-time. And because the application is Web-based platform, users can collaborate with colleagues working remotely, and access their work products from anywhere via a browser.

The application allows users to share "mapped" ideas with collaborators who don't use the application themselves, making it easier for customers to work with their partners, and they can share links using popular social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

IT administrators can set permission levels for each project or workspace for versioning, security and compliance purposes.