Best sw tools, tricks, tips apmp intl conference wingate june 2010
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The document provides a summary of various software tools that can be used at different stages of developing a proposal. It describes over 20 free and commercially available applications for tasks such as mind mapping, project management, screen capturing, color selection, acronym finding, and more. For each tool, it lists the type, vendor, website, cost, main purposes, similar alternatives, and which proposal phases they could be useful for.
![Conclusion Bonus – LifeHacker.com Questions? Your favorites? Beth Wingate, AM.APMP APMP International Director of Education Managing Director Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. 12202 Fox Hunter Place, Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Office: 703.266.2653 Cell: 703.638.2433 [email_address] [email_address] www.LohfeldConsulting.com](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/bestswtoolstrickstips-apmpintlconferencewingatejune2010-110202124527-phpapp02/85/Best-sw-tools-tricks-tips-apmp-intl-conference-wingate-june-2010-64-320.jpg)
Best sw tools, tricks, tips apmp intl conference wingate june 2010
- 1. Developing Your Proposal “Green Thumb” Using the Best Software Tools, Tricks, and Tips Presented to APMP International June 2010 Beth Wingate
- 2. Overview Review and demo 33 free and commercially available applications useful at many proposal stages Online and computer-based applications Discuss: Type: Vendor: Website: Cost: Purposes: Templates: Similar tools: Proposal phase(s):
- 3. Wordle Type: Graphics development Vendor: Jonathan Feinberg Website: www.wordle.net/create Cost: Free Purposes: Generates “word clouds” from provided text Gives greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in source text See how many times particular words appear in RFP or proposal (Amy Barden – APMP-NCA Chapter) Proposal phase(s): Graphics development, review preparation
- 4. Wordle
- 5. MindManager Type: Mindmapping Vendor: MindJet Website: http://www.mindjet.com/products/mindmanager-8-win/overview Cost: $349/person Free 30-day trial Purposes: Visually organize and manage information, people and projects. Create graphical diagrams (mind maps) starting with a central theme and adding branches with ideas, notes, images, tasks—even hyperlinks and attachments. Improve work processes, visually document and implement best practices Visually connect ideas and information to help save time, solve real business problems, improve business processes, and drive innovation Brainstorm and document meeting minutes/actions Templates: included with product Similar tools: FreeMind , iMindMap , Inspiration , Compendium , Freeplane , XMind Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, RFP review, storyboarding, writing, planning meetings, during meetings
- 6. MindManager
- 7. FreeMind Type: Mindmapping Author: Christian Foltin Website: http://sourceforge.net/projects/freemind/ Cost: Free Purposes: Mindmapper and easy-to-operate hierarchical editor with strong emphasis on folding Often used for knowledge and content management (Kirste Webb, APMP President) Similar tools: MindManager , iMindMap , Inspiration , Compendium , Freeplane , XMind Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, RFP review, storyboarding, writing, planning meetings, during meetings
- 8. FreeMind
- 9. dtSearch (Desktop/Network) Type: Search tool Vendor: dtSearch Website: www.dtsearch.com Cost: Desktop version $199/single seat Free 30-day desktop version trial Network version $160/seat for 5 seats Purposes: Instantly search terabytes of text across a desktop, network, Internet, or Intranet site Scrolling word list for instant feedback as you type in a search Look-up word feature, detailing effect of fuzzy, phonic, wildcard, stemming, and thesaurus search Browse and customize thesaurus options Field button showing all indexed document fields Search history display Search reports showing hits in retrieved documents, along with requested amount of context Clipboard options, file launching, and other tools for working with retrieved data Exporting of search results in various data formats for easy use with other programs Similar tools: ISYS Personal Edition, Google Desktop, Windows Search 4.0 Proposal phase(s): All
- 10. dtSearch
- 11. Dogpile Type: Meta-search tool/meta-crawler Vendor: Dogpile Website: www.dogpile.com Cost: Free Purposes: Searches multiple search engines concurrently Similar tools: Mamma.com , SurfWax.com , WebCrawler.com, metacrawler.com , search.com , ICEROCKET.com (searches blogs, Twitter, etc.) Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, storyboarding, writing, graphics development, research
- 12. Dogpile
- 13. GanntProject Type: Project manager, graphics development Vendor: GanttProject (collaborative development effort) Website: www.ganttproject.biz Cost: Free Purposes: Cross-platform, open-source desktop tool for project scheduling and management Runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX Create work breakdown structure, draw dependencies, define milestones Assign human resources to work on tasks, see allocation on Resource Load chart Generate PERT chart from Gantt chart Save charts as PNG images and generate PDF and HTML reports Import projects from and export them to Microsoft Project formats Export to spreadsheets with CSV Share projects with colleagues using WebDAV Similar tools: Dia for Windows , MS Project Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, storyboarding, writing, graphics development
- 14. GanntProject
- 15. Dia for Windows Type: Graphics development Vendor: The Free Software Foundation and authors Website: http://dia-installer.de/index_en.html Cost: Free Purposes: Draw structured diagrams Templates: Similar tools: MS Visio, Open Office Draw, GE’s Imagination Cubed online whiteboard , MS Paint Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, storyboarding, writing, graphics development, reviews
- 16. Dia for Windows
- 17. ColorPix Type: Color picking utility Vendor: Color Schemer Website: http://www.colorschemer.com/colorpix_info.php Cost: Free Purposes: Color picker grabs the pixel under your mouse and transforms it into multiple color formats (RGB, CMYK, others) Use built-in magnifier to zoom in on screen and click on a color value to copy it directly to clipboard Can keep ColorPix on top of other applications Similar tools: Instant Eyedropper Proposal phase(s): Graphics development
- 18. ColorPix
- 19. ColorSchemer/Adobe Kuler Type: Color scheme development websites Vendors: Color Schemer; Adobe Websites: http://www.colorschemer.com/online.html http://kuler.adobe.com Cost: Free online ($49 for PC copy of ColorSchemer) Purposes: Color picker grabs the pixel under your mouse and transforms it into multiple color formats (RGB, CMYK, others) Use built-in magnifier to zoom in on screen and click on a color value to copy it directly to clipboard Similar tools: Instant Eyedropper Proposal phase(s): Graphics development
- 21. Periodic Table of Visualization Methods Type: Graphics development Vendor: Visual-Literacy.org Website: www.visual-literacy.org www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html Cost: Free Purposes: e-learning tutorial on visualization for communication, engineering, and business Focuses on visual literacy or ability to evaluate, apply, or create conceptual visual representations Proposal phase(s): Storyboarding, graphics development
- 22. Periodic Table of Visualization Methods
- 23. Google Earth Type: Graphics development Vendor: Google Website: http://earth.google.com Cost: Free Purposes: Get views of where work will be done (Kirste Webb, APMP President) Fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, from galaxies in outer space to canyons in the ocean Explore geographical content, save toured places, and share with others Similar tools: NASA World Wind Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, storyboard development, graphics development
- 24. Google Earth
- 25. Billion Dollar Graphics Type: Graphics development Vendor: Billion Dollar Graphics Website: www.billiondollargraphics.com/businessgraphiclibrary.html Cost: Free Purposes: Free library of business and information visual solutions Search for graphic solutions (sample graphics/styles online) Save time and money when developing presentations, proposals, marketing materials, business documents, white papers, or educational materials Similar tools: Information graphics article on Wikipedia Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, storyboarding, graphics development
- 27. Magnifier Type: Magnifier Vendor: Microsoft (already on your PC) Location: Start Button >All Programs>Accessories>Ease of Access>Magnifier Cost: Already on PC Purposes: See small details in graphics and on screen Similar tools: ZoomIt v4.1 Proposal phase(s): All
- 28. Magnifier
- 29. Snagit Type: Screen capture utility Vendor: TechSmith Website: www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.asp Cost: $49.95/person 30-day free trial version Purposes: Screen capture utility Edit and combine captures (entire screen, window, active window, region, fixed region, object, menu, web page with links, sequential captures) Share them via favorite applications Organize and find them again later Grab and mark up screen shots to help guide teams through using new technology (Amy McGeady, APMP Regional Director and Wendy Frieman, APMP-NCA Chapter) Similar tools: Snipping Tool Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, storyboarding, writing, graphics development
- 30. Snagit
- 31. Snipping Tool Type: Screen capture tool Vendor: Microsoft (already on your PC) Location: Start Button>All Programs>Accessories>Snipping Tool Cost: Already on PC Purposes: Capture images from screen and use in documents, presentations, user guides Similar tools: MWSnap , Snagit Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, storyboarding, writing, graphics development
- 32. Snipping Tool
- 33. AcroWizard 2.1 Type: Acronym manager/finder/list generator Vendor: Anvil Logic, Inc. Website: www.anvillogic.com/products/ Cost: $79.99/person (Free fully functional evaluation version) Purpose: Analyze document and build accurate table of acronyms in seconds Find acronym definitions Show if acronym is defined in document and defined at first use Include this information in resulting table of acronyms Similar tools: Proposal phase(s): All
- 34. AcroWizard 2.1
- 35. Acronym Finder Type: Acronym manager/finder Vendor: Website: http://www.acronymfinder.com/ Cost: Free Purposes: Online tool to find out what any acronym, abbreviation, or initialism stands for World’s largest, most comprehensive dictionary of acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms Combined with Acronym Attic, contains more than 4 million acronyms and abbreviations Has more than 900,000 human-edited definitions Similar tools: Free Dictionary.com , DoD Dictionary Proposal phase(s): All
- 36. Acronym Finder
- 37. Computer Desktop Encyclopedia Type: Dictionary/encyclopedia Vendor: Computer Language Company Website: www.computerlanguage.com/ Cost $44/yearly subscription of 4 CDs (moving to $10/year web-based updates) Free download demo version with 250 terms $4.99 from iTunes Store for iPod Touch/iPhone Purposes: Straightforward definitions of all major hardware and software technologies More than 25,000 definitions of hardware, software, IT, and consumer electronics More than 3,000 noteworthy illustrations, photos, charts, and diagrams Explains correct/incorrect use of terms and includes synonyms Similar tools: Free Dictionary.com , DoD Dictionary , Merriam-Webster Dictionary online Proposal phase(s): All
- 39. Merriam-Webster Dictionary Type: Dictionary Vendor: Merriam-Webster Website: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary Cost: Free online dictionary and thesaurus $29.95 – annual subscription to unabridged dictionary/thesaurus $25 – hardcopy with CD to take anywhere on your computer Purposes: Easier than carrying heavy dictionary around Better word choice than MS Word’s dictionary Similar tools: Free Dictionary.com , DoD Dictionary Proposal phase(s): All
- 41. DoD Dictionary of Military Terms Type: dictionary Website: www.dtic.mil/doctrine/dod_dictionary Cost: Free Purposes: Browse DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms and Joint Acronyms and Abbreviations master database Managed by Joint Doctrine Division, J-7, Joint Staff, as amended through 10/31/09 Download PDF of JP 1-02, DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, as amended through 10/31/09 Similar tools: Proposal phase(s): All
- 42. DoD Dictionary of Military Terms
- 43. Free Dictionary Type: Dictionary Website: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dictionary.htm Cost: Free Purposes: Contains English dictionary, medical dictionary, legal dictionary, financial dictionary, acronym listing, idiom listing, encyclopedia, and Wikipedia encyclopedia link Contains over 200,000 boldface terms and over 33,000 written examples Augmented with Collins Essential English Dictionary and 30,000 illustrations, audio pronunciation feature, etymologies, abbreviations, biographical entries, and usage examples from classic works of literature Provides translations to Spanish, French, German, and Italian—including everyday business, computing, current events, and tourism terms Similar tools: Merriam-Webster Dictionary Proposal phase(s): All
- 44. Free Dictionary
- 45. ABBYY PDF Transformer 3.0 Type: PDF converter Vendor: ABBYY Website: http://pdftransformer.abbyy.com/ Cost: $79.99/person 15-day/50-page free trial Purposes: Intuitive, versatile, multilingual tool converts any type of PDF into editable formats with original layout and formatting retained Create PDFs directly from MS Office applications with one click Combine multiple files from different sources into one PDF Adjust PDF, redact sensitive information, add stamps, turn files to searchable and protected PDF documents, or turn them into PDF/A format Similar tools: PrimoPDF Converter Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, research, RFP review, storyboarding, writing
- 46. ABBYY PDF Transformer 3.0
- 47. PrimoPDF Converter Type: PDF converter Vendor: Nitro PDF, Inc. Website: www.primopdf.com/index.aspx Cost: Free Purposes: CNET ® Download.com "Top 30,” #1 ranked "PDF Software" utility on Download.com PDF creation utility that enables printing to PDF from virtually any Windows application World's most widely-used free PDF creation tool One-click, drag-and-drop PDF creation Create PDF files that can be opened in any PDF viewer Convert 300+ file types to PDF Protect and encrypt information with strong password-based PDF security Set PDF metadata Similar tools: ABBYY PDF Transformer 3.0 Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, research, RFP review, storyboarding, writing
- 49. Chicago Manual of Style Type: Style manual Vendor: The University of Chicago Press Website: www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/contents.html Cost: $35/year for a 1-year individual subscription Free 30-day trial Purposes: Classic style guide for writers and editors available from any computer to answer style-related questions 15th Edition available in book form and as subscription Web site (same content in both) Substantial sections discussing electronic publishing, editing for online publications, and citing electronic sources Includes chapter on grammar and usage by Bryan A. Garner (A Dictionary of Modern Usage) Similar tools: AP StyleBook Online Proposal phase(s): Writing, editing
- 50. Chicago Manual of Style
- 51. Google Translate Type: Language translation Vendor: Google Website: http://translate.google.com/# Cost: Free Purposes: For quick, short translations to common languages (Kirste Webb, APMP President) Similar tools: Babelfish Proposal phase(s): Writing, editing
- 52. Google Translate
- 53. What time is it? Type: Time zone manager Website: http://whattimeisit.com/ Cost: Free Purposes: Helps determine time in another city/continent (Kirste Webb, APMP President) Similar tools: Time Zone Converter , The World Clock Proposal phase(s): All!
- 54. What time is it?
- 55. GoToMeeting Type: Online collaboration Vendor: Vendor: Citrix Website: www.gotomeeting.com Cost: $49/month $468/year (20% saving) Purposes: Online meeting solution Hold on-the-fly or scheduled presentations, perform live demos, and collaborate on documents in real time Participants don't need your application to view your files Takes 2 minutes to set up and a few seconds to start a meeting Unlimited use for same monthly fee Similar tools: WebEx , Skype , DimDim Proposal phase(s): Solutioning, RFP review, storyboarding, writing, planning meetings, during meetings
- 56. GoToMeeting
- 57. Skype Type: Online collaboration Vendor: Skype Website: www.skype.com Cost: Free Purposes: Free, face-to-face, internet-based communication versus using a telephone Can show desktop Can send text messages while talking Requires a headset (or use computer’s built-in microphone and speakers) to talk to each other Requires web camera to make free video calls Secure, encrypted Skype-to-Skype (computer-to-computer) calls Calls to standard telephone or mobile numbers are encrypted until they reach public switched telephone network (PSTN) Easiest and cheapest way to talk to international folks. Particularly with the video conferencing – easy to read people’s facial expressions and to literally hold up pieces of paper or whiteboards to say “is this what you mean?” I find it essential when dealing with different cultures to see the people I’m talking to. A lot gets lost in translation in email or even in words over a telephone. (Colleen Jolly, APMP-NCA Secretary) Similar tools: WebEx , GoToMeeting Proposal phase(s): All
- 58. Skype
- 59. Philips 660 Digital Voice Tracer with Dragon Naturally Speaking v10 Type: Document dictation and speech recognition Vendor: Phillips/Nuance Website: www.consumer.philips.com/c/dictaphone/speech-recognition-edition-lfh0660_10/prd/us/ Cost: $140 Purposes: Dictate documents and notes on the move Back in the office, plug recorder into PC, transfer file, and let Dragon NaturallySpeaking automatically transcribe dictation 99% speech to text accuracy 140 hours recording, 1 GB storage w/ MP3/WMA player and USB mass storage device functionality, 5 MP3 format recording modes Alarm clock with voice play, user configured timed recording, file split, auto divide, and time stamp insertion Voice activated recording - automatically records only when sound is detected, no wasted memory when operated hands free Extra large screen provides at-a-glance overview and extra large speaker reproduces quality sound Proposal phase(s): All
- 60. Philips 660 Digital Voice Tracer with Dragon Naturally Speaking v10
- 61. Sony eReader/Reader Library/ Overdrive Media Console Type: eBook and software Vendor: Sony (Sony Reader and Reader Library) Overdrive (Overdrive Media Console) Website: Sony eReader: www.sonystyle.com Reader Library: http://ebookstore.sony.com/download/ Overdrive Media Console: www.overdrive.com/software/omc/ Cost: Sony eReader: $169-$399 Reader Library: free Overdrive Media Console: free Purposes: Store/search RFPs in meeting, borrow reference books from library, carry favorite reference books with you (style guide, dictionary, APMP articles/body of knowledge papers) Similar tools: Kindle, Nook Proposal phase(s): Pre-RFP research, solutioning, storyboarding, writing, reviews, editing
- 62. Sony eReader/Reader Library/ Overdrive Media Console
- 63. Morale booster Type: Online pizza ordering! Vendor: Papa John’s, Dominos, Pizza Hut Website: www.papajohns.com www.dominos.com www.pizzahut.com Cost: Free (minor charge for pizzas and other items) Purposes: Vital tool to support the health and well-being of your proposal teams at all hours of the day and night Also useful for providing support in home-based situations while developing proposal-based materials Proposal phase(s): All!
- 64. Conclusion Bonus – LifeHacker.com Questions? Your favorites? Beth Wingate, AM.APMP APMP International Director of Education Managing Director Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. 12202 Fox Hunter Place, Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Office: 703.266.2653 Cell: 703.638.2433 [email_address] [email_address] www.LohfeldConsulting.com