What is Genogram?
In simple terms, a genogram can be defined as a representation of the family relationships of a certain individual. A genogram, for the purpose of understanding, can be given the similitude of a family tree except that the former is much more in-depth. Unlike family trees, a genogram does not merely show the names of the family members in a hierarchical order. Instead, it gives the reader specific information about different members. You can find more genogram examples from the Template Gallery. Have a look at this example:
This genogram shows three generations in a family. If you look at each member, you will see that some of them have little pieces of text written alongside. Take a look at the left-most box marked ’47’. The name of the member is given, which is ‘Brad Harris’, and then little snippets of information are given such as ‘Dropped out of high school’ and ‘Addicted to drugs’, etc. Similarly, other members are also mentioned along with some of their traits and qualities.
Genograms help therapists and psychologists to understand certain genetic patterns within the family. These patterns can relate to personalities, physical conditions, and mental health conditions.
Genogram Makers: What to Consider
There are many different applications and software that you can use to draw genograms. Instead of opting for a pen and paper, you can choose a dedicated application and draw the diagram using pre-set shapes and figures. This is, by comparison, easier and more convenient. If you ever need to have the genogram in physical form, you can simply take a print-out.
When you are choosing between different genogram makers on the web, there are some features and qualities that you should look for to determine their quality. These include:
- User-friendliness: A drawing software should be easy to use and straightforward. For example, EdrawMax has a simple drag-and-drop mechanism using which anyone (even someone who has nil knowledge and expertise on diagram-making) can come up with an expert-looking drawing.
- Compatibility: Your main concern in checking this aspect should be whether or not the software is compatible with the OS you use. There can be some that are only compatible with Windows while others can be exclusive to macOS. However, if any software is web-based, then it has universal compatibility.
- Pre-made templates: A desirable feature in drawing software is templates. Not everyone has the time to build the diagram from scratch. In cases where the user simply lacks the time or is unfamiliar with the drawing process, pre-made templates can be helpful. A user can take a template and then edit the content as desired. The hassle and time taken in creating the base layout are eliminated.
- Support for different file formats: An efficient drawing software will allow you to save your work in any format of your choice. Some of the commonly-used formats are .doc, .docx, .pdf, and .pptx.
- Sharing options: Once you are done making your diagram, it can be a bit of a hassle to first download it and then send it to someone via email or social media. Some software make this process easier by giving users the option of directly sharing the files from the application itself.
Among others, these are some features that you should look for in drawing software. If your selected application checks all these boxes, then you are in the right place.
But you don’t have to do the search yourself. The purpose of this post is to make you familiar with some of the best genogram makers available on the web. Using this software, you can come up with professional-looking diagrams easily.
5 Best Genogram Makers
1.EdrawMax
EdrawMax Genogram Maker is a software that allows users to create a variety of different diagrams which include, but are not limited to, floor plans, ecomaps, genograms, persuasion charts and mind maps, etc.
Using EdrawMax, individuals can easily come up with professional-looking diagrams in a matter of minutes. An outstanding feature of EdrawMax is the wide range of templates that users can select to save time on the base layout. You can choose templates for building plans, electronic diagrams, conceptual drawings, mind maps, etc. The below screenshot should give you an idea of how diverse the categories and templates are in EdrawMax.
Features:
- EdrawMax can be used online as a web-based application, and it can also be downloaded
- Numerous templates are available
- Simple drag-and-drop method
- Various tools and editing options
- Supports multiple formats
Compatibility: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Free Trial and Pricing: EdrawMax is available as a free version and a paid one. You can use the free version with limited features.
Visit the website: www.edrawmax.com
2.Gitmind
GitMind is a free online mind mapping tool that you can use to draw creative diagrams such as organizational charts, conceptual drawings, and project roadmaps. You can import your existing files to GitMind, and later export them to a format of your choice. You can also collaborate with your team members in real time and share ideas on the go.
GitMind has a simple and easy interface that hardly takes any time to get familiar with. You can mess with the styles, layouts, and themes of your diagram. You can also add icons to your drawing. This feature can be really helpful for giving a graphical/pictorial representation of a certain idea or concept.
Features:
- Completely free
- Awesome collaboration and sharing options
- Multi-platform
- Web-based and downloadable
- Pre-made themes
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android
Free Trial and pricing: No paid plans for this one. GitMind is completely free.
Visit the website: www.gitmind.com
3.GenoPro
GenoPro is a tool that is exclusively designed to make genograms and family trees. While the other software on this list can be used to make a wide range of different diagrams, GenoPro has a much more narrow and exclusive functionality.
Using GenoPro, you can come up with family trees and genograms easily. Although the interface is a bit old-fashioned, it gets the job done nicely. You can add family members by using keyboard shortcuts and then move them around by clicking and holding. There are a lot of different editing options that you can use from the ribbon located at the top of the window. GenoPro does require you to get a bit used to it before you can start using it efficiently.
Features:
- Needs to be downloaded
- Helpful keyboard shortcuts for adding family members such as sons and daughters
- The family wizard allows you to put in in-depth info about members
- Variety of Functions and Editing Options
- Can only be used for family trees and genograms
Compatibility: Windows
Free Trial and Pricing: GenoPro has a free trial that you can use after downloading the application. After that, there are different paid plans for single and multiple users.
Visit the website: www.genopro.com
4.SmartDraw
SmartDraw is a downloadable/web-based diagram creation software that you can use to come up with charts, mind maps, business plans, and most importantly, genograms. SmartDraw has a range of useful features and is a decent alternative to Microsoft Visio.
SmartDraw can integrate with other online tools like G Suite and MS Office. Users can also share files easily via cloud services such as OneDrive and Google Drive. SmartDraw is excellent for enterprises since it allows multiple users to collaborate on a single visual. Furthermore, in order to help Visio users shift over easily, SmartDraw also gives the option of importing VSD files.
Features:
- It is web-based and can also be downloaded on Windows and Mac
- Allows collaboration between different team members
- Automated content adjustments give expert-looking results
- Can import and export to Visio
- Intelligent formatting engine
Compatibility: Web (Online version), Mac & Windows (Downloadable)
Free Trial and Pricing: SmartDraw offers a 7-day free trial. There are paid plans for individual users as well as enterprises.
Visit the website: www.smartdraw.com
5.Lucidchart
Wrapping up our list, we have Lucidchart. Lucidchart is a web-based application that allows users to create and share diagrams easily. The collaboration feature in Lucidchart allows team members to work together on a single illustration, plan, drawing, or sketch.
You can use Lucidchart to come up with a host of different graphical representations such as fishbone diagrams, flowcharts, circuit diagrams, and data flow diagrams. Thanks to the collaboration feature, other team members can jointly edit and comment on a document that is under discussion. The changes made by different members are shown in real-time.
Features:
- It is easy to use
- Automatically generate diagrams from your existing files
- Integrates with G Suite, MS Office, Slack and MS Teams, etc.
- Supports Visio files
- Updates are released every week
Compatibility: Web, Android, iOS
Free Trial and Pricing: Lucidchart is available in free as well as paid plans. You can use the free plans indefinitely, albeit with some restrictions. The paid plans can be temporarily experienced by choosing the free trial option.
Visit the website: www.lucidchart.com
Conclusion
There you have it, folks. These were some of the top genogram makers that you can find on the web. Using these applications, you can come up with impressive-looking genograms easily. Some of the listed software offers more features and perks than the others. Hopefully, after reading this post, you will have a better idea of which application suits your need the best.
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