ConceptDraw Landscape Design Software

Until the average computer screen gets much bigger, most all of these landscape design software programs will be just so much playing around. Computer screens are too small for this sort of drawing (especially after room has been allotted for menus, navigation bars, etc. in the program): it's hard to get any sense of scale. Sure, you can print out the drawing to "blow it up"; but by then, it's a fait accompli.

If such "playing around" helps generate ideas for you, fine: give software a try. But don't expect much. ConceptDraw VI is over-priced, to boot, if all you wish to do with it is draw landscape design plans.

When I approach landscape design software to appraise it, I do so from the perspective of the everyday user: the do-it-yourself landscaper, not the professional. I assume that everyday users lack a background in using drawing software; also that they lack a background in drawing landscape plans. Such users want the program to "take over": they want the software to lead them to the desired results, intuitively.

That is, when I sit down with a new piece of landscape design software and try it out, I expect to be blown away. Unfortunately, the reality is this: all these software companies probably know what their competitors are doing, pretty much; consequently, most all of these programs are basically the same.

Testing out ConceptDraw VI confirmed this impression. The ConceptDraw VI landscape design software offers all the usual features:

• Ready-to-go templates
• Drawing tools
• Ability to import a photo

And so on. Problem is, unless you already know what you're doing, how much can you actually do with any of these features? I come back to the same question I usually pose, from the do-it-yourselfer's perspective, regarding landscape design software: Why not just draw out a sketch with pencil and paper, rather than taking the time to learn a landscape design software program?

ConceptDraw is more than a landscape design software program, to be sure. Besides landscaping plans, you can draw flowcharts, business diagrams, etc. That's how the company can justify a price tag of $299 (as of 2/06/07). Since I'm interested only in landscape design software, this product would have to be vastly superior to get the nod over the less expensive programs out there. But the fact is, I can just as easily "play around" with landscape design software programs that sell at 1/6 the price of ConceptDraw. Consequently, ConceptDraw is a hard sell for me.