Using MindMapping to view OLAP hierarchies...

I came across this interesting article by accident. One thing I have always wanted within AWM is a way of viewing a hierarchy or series of hierarchies. In the old days of Express I wrote a various Express programs, EIS code (who remembers Express EIS?), Express Objects extensions, that would list out a hierarchy. However, this article by Robert Brooke takes this idea way beyond anything I have seen because it uses the open source tool called MindMapping. Take a look at the series of articles Robert has written:

http://ofaworld.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/ofa-mindmapping/
http://ofaworld.wordpress.com/2009/06/10/sample-olap-dml-code-gplcode/
http://ofaworld.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/oracle-olap-mindmapping/

Now that is cool!

Now I am thinking if we could just add the MindMapping GUI into AWM and somehow allow people to build a hierarchy visually using the MindMapping GUI that would be something. This would give AWM a very powerful way of designing a hierarchy in a live/interactive manner. One for the OLAP PM team - I think. In the short-term I think it might be possible to use the AWM extension API to add the MindMapping GUI to AWM menus but this would simply launch an the MindMapping tools outside of AWM but that might be sufficient for the moment?

Nice one Robert!