Micrografx

Micrografx Inc. was an American software company founded in 1982 by Paul and George Grayson and based in Richardson, Texas. The company became one of the early commercial developers of graphics software for Microsoft Windows, entering the market when Windows was still a relatively new graphical operating environment. Its products addressed several overlapping customer groups: graphics professionals, technical illustrators, office users, business analysts, and organizations seeking diagramming or process-management tools. Micrografx's earliest important product was a vector drawing application originally released as In*A*Vision for Windows 1.0 in 1986. The software was subsequently renamed Micrografx Designer, with the Designer name established by version 2 in 1990. Designer developed a reputation as a capable tool for technical illustration, business graphics, and diagramming. It competed in a market that also included CorelDRAW and other Windows-based graphics applications, but Micrografx generally emphasized practical business communication and technical drawing in addition to professional illustration. The company expanded its portfolio during the 1990s. In 1992, it acquired Roykore Inc. and its ABC Suite, bringing products such as ABC Flowcharter and ABC Orgchart into the business. These applications strengthened Micrografx's presence in organizational charting, flowcharting, and business diagramming. In 1995, the ABC Graphics Suite combined several of the company's graphics products, including ABC Flowcharter, Designer, Picture Publisher, and ABC Media Manager, and positioned the broader offering toward general business users rather than only specialist graphics professionals. Micrografx also developed or marketed a range of adjacent products. Picture Publisher served as a raster image editor, while Charisma focused on chart creation. Windows Draw addressed desktop publishing, Simply 3D provided three-dimensional graphics capabilities, and Webtricity targeted web graphics. The company also offered Crayola Art for consumer-oriented drawing. This breadth reflected the convergence of desktop publishing, presentation graphics, image editing, and business communication software during the 1990s. A further strategic move came in 1997, when Micrografx acquired AdvanEdge Technologies of Tualatin, Oregon, together with its Optima! process-simulation software, for $3.5 million. The acquisition extended Micrografx beyond graphics production into business-process analysis and simulation. By 1999, the company's business-process and diagramming products had been consolidated and released as iGrafx v8, creating a clearer platform for process modeling and analysis. Micrografx ultimately became part of Corel. Corel acquired the company on July 16, 2001, integrating major Micrografx graphics products into its own portfolio. Micrografx Designer continued under the Corel brand as Corel Designer, while other product lines were likewise absorbed or reorganized. The business-process analysis operations were later separated in 2003 as the independent company iGrafx. As a result, Micrografx ceased to operate as an independent software company, but its technology and product heritage continued through Corel Designer and the later iGrafx business-process software business.

Micrografx was established in 1982 by Paul and George Grayson in the United States. It entered the software industry during the early development of graphical interfaces for personal computers and focused early attention on Microsoft Windows. In 1986, the company released In*A*Vision for Windows 1.0, making it one of the early vendors of commercial graphics software designed specifically for the Windows environment. The application was renamed Micrografx Designer with version 2 in 1990. Designer became the company's best-known vector graphics product and was used for technical illustration, diagramming, and business graphics. Its market position differed somewhat from that of CorelDRAW: although Micrografx competed for Windows graphics customers, several of its products were designed for office users and business communication as well as professional graphics work. Micrografx broadened its business through acquisitions and product development during the 1990s. In 1992, it purchased Roykore Inc. and the ABC Suite, adding ABC Flowcharter and ABC Orgchart. The acquisition gave Micrografx stronger capabilities in structured diagramming and organizational visualization. The company later assembled several offerings into the ABC Graphics Suite, released in 1995, which included ABC Flowcharter, Designer, Picture Publisher, and ABC Media Manager. The product portfolio covered multiple forms of visual communication. Picture Publisher was a raster image editor, Charisma focused on charts, Windows Draw addressed desktop publishing, and Simply 3D provided three-dimensional graphics tools. Webtricity was aimed at web graphics, while Crayola Art served consumer drawing needs. This range reflected the expanding role of personal computers in publishing, presentations, marketing, web design, and office documentation. In 1997, Micrografx acquired AdvanEdge Technologies of Tualatin, Oregon, together with Optima!, a process-simulation product. The transaction brought process analysis into the company's portfolio. Micrografx subsequently consolidated its business-process and diagramming products as iGrafx v8 in 1999, linking its established diagramming expertise with process modeling and simulation. Corel acquired Micrografx on July 16, 2001. Corel integrated the principal graphics products into its portfolio, and Micrografx Designer continued as Corel Designer. The business-process analysis products followed a different path: they were later spun out in 2003 as the separate iGrafx company. Micrografx therefore no longer exists as an independent operating brand, although its software lineage survives in products associated with Corel and iGrafx.

• 2003

  Business-process products spin out as iGrafx

  [1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  The business-process analysis operations are separated into the independent iGrafx company.

• 2001

  Corel acquisition

  [1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  Corel acquires Micrografx on July 16 and integrates its graphics product lines.

• 1999

  iGrafx v8 consolidates process products

  [1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  The company's business-process and diagramming products are consolidated and shipped as iGrafx v8.

• 1997

  AdvanEdge and Optima! acquired

  [1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  Micrografx acquires AdvanEdge Technologies and its process-simulation software, Optima!, for $3.5 million.

• 1995

  ABC Graphics Suite expands the business portfolio

  [1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  Micrografx packages ABC Flowcharter, Designer, Picture Publisher, and ABC Media Manager in the ABC Graphics Suite.

• 1992

  Roykore acquisition

  [1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  Micrografx acquires Roykore and the ABC Suite, adding flowcharting and organizational-chart products.

• 1990

  In*A*Vision becomes Micrografx Designer

  [1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  Version 2 adopts the Micrografx Designer name, which becomes the company's principal vector-graphics brand.

• 1986

  First Windows graphics product ships

  [1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  Micrografx releases In*A*Vision for Windows 1.0, an early commercial vector graphics application for Microsoft Windows.

• 1982

  Micrografx is founded

  [1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  Paul and George Grayson establish Micrografx in the United States.

Micrografx combined professional and technical graphics capabilities with software for mainstream business communication, diagramming, and process analysis. Compared with CorelDRAW's stronger emphasis on professional graphics, Micrografx positioned parts of its portfolio toward general business users and organizational workflows.

• Vector graphics and technical illustration · 1986

  Micrografx Designer

  Micrografx Designer was the company's principal vector-drawing application. It originated as In*A*Vision for Windows 1.0 in 1986 and was renamed with version 2 in 1990. The product served technical illustration, diagramming, and business-graphics users and was later continued by Corel under the Corel Designer name.

• Raster image editing

  Micrografx Picture Publisher

  Picture Publisher was Micrografx's raster-oriented image-editing application. It complemented Designer's vector capabilities and formed part of the company's broader graphics portfolio and ABC Graphics Suite.

• Flowcharting and diagramming

  ABC Flowcharter

  ABC Flowcharter provided tools for creating flowcharts and structured business diagrams. Micrografx obtained the product through its 1992 acquisition of Roykore and later included it in the ABC Graphics Suite.

• Business graphics suite · 1995

  ABC Graphics Suite

  The ABC Graphics Suite was a business-oriented bundle that brought together ABC Flowcharter, Micrografx Designer, Picture Publisher, and ABC Media Manager. It represented Micrografx's effort to offer general business users a broad set of visual-communication tools.

• Charting software

  Micrografx Charisma

  Charisma was a Micrografx application for creating charts and other business-oriented visual presentations.

• Desktop publishing

  Micrografx Windows Draw

  Windows Draw was a desktop-publishing product in Micrografx's range of Windows graphics and business-document tools.

• Three-dimensional graphics

  Micrografx Simply 3D

  Simply 3D was a three-dimensional graphics application intended to make 3D creation accessible within the company's broader consumer and business graphics lineup.

• Web graphics

  Micrografx Webtricity

  Webtricity addressed the growing need for graphics production related to websites and online publishing during the expansion of the commercial web.

• Process simulation

  Optima!

  Optima! was process-simulation software acquired from AdvanEdge Technologies in 1997. Its addition helped Micrografx move from graphics and diagramming toward business-process analysis.

• Consumer drawing software

  Crayola Art

  Crayola Art was a consumer-oriented drawing application, extending Micrografx's portfolio beyond professional and business graphics into family and educational-style creative use.

• 2003

  Separate the business-process analysis businessStrategy

  Background

  After the Corel acquisition, the business-process analysis products represented a distinct software activity from Corel's principal graphics portfolio.

  Action taken

  The business-process operations were spun out as the separate iGrafx company.

  Aftermath

  The iGrafx name continued the process-modeling and analysis lineage that Micrografx had developed through its diagramming products and the Optima! acquisition.

  Source

• 2001

  Corel acquires MicrografxM&A

  Background

  Micrografx operated across graphics, diagramming, and business-process software markets that overlapped with Corel's graphics portfolio.

  Action taken

  Corel acquired Micrografx on July 16, 2001, bringing its principal graphics products into the Corel portfolio.

  Aftermath

  Micrografx ceased to operate as an independent company. Designer continued as Corel Designer, while the business-process products were later spun out as iGrafx.

  Source

• 1997

  Acquire AdvanEdge Technologies and Optima!M&A

  Background

  Micrografx sought to extend its graphics and diagramming business into process simulation and business-process analysis.

  Action taken

  The company acquired AdvanEdge Technologies of Tualatin, Oregon, together with Optima! software, in a transaction valued at $3.5 million.

  Aftermath

  The acquired process-simulation capabilities contributed to the later consolidation of Micrografx's business-process and diagramming products under the iGrafx name.

  Acquisition price. $3.5 million (1997)

  Source

• 2003

  iGrafx business-process operations become independent[1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Micrografx's business-process analysis products were subsequently spun out as the separate iGrafx company.

• 2001

  Corel acquires Micrografx[1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Corel acquired Micrografx on July 16, 2001, absorbing its graphics products and ending the company's independent corporate operation.

• 1997

  Micrografx acquires AdvanEdge Technologies[1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The company acquired AdvanEdge Technologies and its Optima! process-simulation software, extending Micrografx into business-process analysis.

• 1992

  Micrografx acquires Roykore and the ABC Suite[1]Micrografxen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Micrografx expanded into flowcharting and organizational-chart software by acquiring Roykore Inc. and its ABC Suite, including ABC Flowcharter and ABC Orgchart.

1. 1Micrografxen.wikipedia.org