Richard,

It is relatively easy to integrate Dragon into a meeting environment.  First of all, you can just note the use of speech to text in your opening admin instructions to the participants.  And ask them to remain silent for a moment as you complete an insertion.  And then just be facile at toggling the microphone on and off for everything else.  That does take some rehearsal off-line.  (Sometimes I forget at my desk.  And if I take a phone call, Dragon likes to insert "him" to the 90th power times.)

Steve

P.S. I've tried Dragon with some other tools like Inspiration and The Brain.  And it works well with both.  Inspiration especially because as long as your mouse is on the canvas, your next spoken text generates a new node automatically.

P.P.S. And I came across this wild open-source product just last week called TiddlyWiki.  That is a real nice piece of work.  But what is most intriguing about it is the open source paradigm.  There are all these innovative devotees out there building plug-ins adding tons of ad hoc functionality to the product.  Frankly, I wish the construct had gotten established before Bill Gates did.

P.P.P.S. There is also an open-source The Brain analog called Topic Mapping.  I can envision an integration of TiddlyWiki with Topic Mapping to yield something really smashing.

Steve


--- In DialogueMapping@yahoogroups.com, "rscottsc" <rscott@...> wrote:
>
> Sorry, I meant to ask Steve,(not Jeff), about any recognition decrease
> in an open meeting environment.
>
> --- In DialogueMapping@yahoogroups.com, "rscottsc" rscott@ wrote:
> >
> > I'd like to support Steve's comments on using Dragon with Compendium.
> >
> > Although I haven't used Dragon and compendium together in a public
> > setting, I have found Dragon to be a considerable time saver, as well
> > as much easier on the body. As Steve says, there are some minor
> > tweaks that are necessary, but nothing overwhelming.
> >
> > However, I wish I could figure out how to quickly connect and position
> > the nodes, but that requires more sophistication than I have achieved
> > so far with Dragon.
> >
> > From my point of view it is worth the money to buy a good USB
> > microphone, which unfortunately can cost more than the program itself.
> >
> > I would like to ask Jeff if he found any decrease in recognition using
> > Dragon in an open meeting environment?
> >
> > In summary I would say try it, I think you'll like it.
> >
> > Richard
> >
> > --- In DialogueMapping@yahoogroups.com, "sbmack7" <sbmack7@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Jeff,
> > >
> > > Dragon works great with Compendium! Obviously the real timesaver
> is an
> > > adding definitions to the nodes. And from my point of view that is
> > > hyper-critical because that really is the documented
> rationalization for
> > > an argument. That is also the mechanical step that adds the most lag
> > > to the facilitation process.
> > >
> > > Here are some observations to get you started.
> > >
> > > You can buy Dragon Pro at Amazon for $140. But buyer beware. The $50
> > > rebate is a bait and switch. That is for existing owners only who
> want
> > > to upgrade. The lack of clarity on the page cost me $100, because I
> > > bought both my brother and myself a copy assuming I would get $100
> back.
> > > (The bastards)
> > >
> > > A mechanical point I first wrestled with is turning the microphone on
> > > and off when I am facilitating. Which is obviously important
> because I
> > > do not want to capture my dialogue as I am conversing with the group.
> > > The spoken commands to manage the microphone are somewhat
> obtrusive, "go
> > > to sleep", "wake up". However, I found that the accounting
> > > plus sign on a full-size keyboard is a hotkey to turn the
> microphone on
> > > and off. So I can toggle the microphone silently.
> > > Dragon will insert nodes directly onto the canvas using Compendium
> > > hotkey equivalents. Unfortunately for me, it does not properly
> > > recognize "D" for Decision and "M" for Map. However
> > > there is a Dragon solution for that too. You merely have to
> preface the
> > > keyboard letter with the words "Press" or "Type" and
> > > Dragon assumes that you are doing a by-key insertion, so will insert a
> > > proper node. If you experiment, you can determine which nodes insert
> > > properly with just the spoken letter and which need the keyword
> preface.
> > >
> > > I am only a modest Compendium user, and have not really thought much
> > > about a way to verbally connect nodes. So I am still tethered to
> > > keyboard. But I don't really think there is a way to totally
> disengage
> > > from it anyway. However, Dragon does give you better connectivity
> with
> > > your group using any electronic facilitation tool that Dragon may
> > > recognize. I think the best voice/keyboard integration is probably
> > > facilitator-specific.
> > >
> > > Dragon does train up on your voice pretty quickly. But if you are
> > > working with a client who has a domain specific vocabulary, you would
> > > want to have the client e-mail you any special nomenclature and
> acronyms
> > > before your session. Then you could insert the new words in your
> > > vocabulary with your voice prior to the meeting. That does not take
> > > long.
> > >
> > > The microphone that comes with the software is an analog type and
> > > clearly visible. There are less visible ones available on-line
> with USB
> > > connections that are also more accurate. But they are significantly
> > > more expensive.
> > >
> > > So to close, given that you are a quasi-academic (And I won't
> hold that
> > > against you.), I would recommend buying Dragon just for your
> regular day
> > > to day professional activities. And then once you've trained it up
> > > sufficiently, test it out with Compendium. I think that you will find
> > > that it can be an excellent support tool for your facilitation
> > > exercises. Jeff If you do buy it, please let me know how it works for
> > > you, because I am curious.
> > >
> > > Steve
> > >
> >
>