Post on 02-Oct-2021
Sutanu Ghosh, PMP®, MCTS
Talking Points
Why Visio ? – What makes Visio unique ? – Using Visio templates
Visio and Agile – Using Visio in Lean, Kan-ban, Information Radiator and
other Agile techniques – Visio's recent popularity in "Wireframe Diagrams",
Database schema
Visio and Traditional Project Management – Making Schedules with Visio – Creating Ishikawa fishbone diagrams
Building Visio PivotDiagrams
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 2
Why VISIO?
Integrating Data with Visual Objects – Create complex, collapsible diagrams
• Hide the data when you need to see the visuals, display the data when you need details
– Lightweight technical drawings • Floor-plans, wiring diagrams
Low-end CAD – Rich library of standardized shapes – ensures consistency and facilitates easier
validation • Flowcharts, network diagram templates
– Built-in intelligence – e.g., alignment
Integration with Other MS Office SW (Microsoft “Entrenchment”) – MS Excel, MS Project
– Sharepoint workflow (2010)
Competition – SmartDraw, AutoCAD, eDraw
– Prices are comparable, but training and support can be a problem
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 3
Visio Over Excel and PowerPoint
Evaluate your needs – Simple org charts,
timelines and process flows and even timelines can be done in PowerPoint using “SmartArt”
– Thermometer dashboards can be made using the REPT function in Excel
The Visio Difference – Pivot Diagrams
– Swim-lane diagrams
– Network diagrams
– Cause-and-Effect diagrams
– Brainstorming
– Maps and floor-plans
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 4
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Templates
Microsoft (Free) Templates – “Getting Started” probably has
all you need as a project manager
– Don’t forget to use the free MS resources
• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio-help/
Microsoft Partners and Vendors – Check out Visiotoolbox
• http://visiotoolbox.com/2010/templates.aspx
– Microsoft partner downloads
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Shape Data
Visio Shapes Can Encapsulate Data
– Each Visio “shape” is an “object”
• Data with respect to shape, location, size, font, etc.
• “Meta Data” – numeric data that pertains to the shape, but is not related to other shapes – cost, duration, etc.
• “Connection” – or information that ties an instance of a shape with other instances (same or other shapes)
Default Data
– Some shapes contain pre-defined data fields (e.g., “process”, “decision”, “timeline”
– Some shapes do not contain pre-defined data fields (e.g., “on page reference”, “connector”, etc.)
– However, in either case, custom data can be defined
Data Types
– String, Boolean, Number
– Date, Duration, Currency
– Lists (Fixed and Variable)
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 6
Shape Data – Lists
Fixed List – No data can be
entered that is not defined in the list
Variable List – Choices are offered,
but the actual value in the field may be something that is not defined in the pull-down
Create Lists – Use the format field
to define the choices • Must be separated
by a semicolon
Display Shape Data – Edit Data Graphic…
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 7
Insert Tab
Annotation – Visio allows
annotations (strings) to be displayed as a screen-tip
– Use the Insert Shape ScreenTip
Hyperlinks – Insert Hyperlink – Multiple hyperlinks per
shape
Formulae – Insert Field
Formula
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Reports
Why Reports? – Shape data entered may
need to be collated and grouped in a meaningful way
Report Types – Excel – XML – VISIO – HTML
How To – Review Shape Reports
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Flowchart Report Master Name Displayed Text Resources Cost Duration
Decision IF Count 1 Total
Document Document 1 NONE $10.00 0
Count 1 1 Total $10.00
Process Process 1 Res A $100.00 24 eh. Process Process 2 Res B $200.00 48 eh. Process Process 3 Res C $300.00 96 eh. Process Process 4 Res A $500.00 192 eh.
Count 4 4 Total $1,100.00
Grand Total $1,110.00
Making Flowcharts
What is a Flowchart? – A flowchart is a visual means to show a sequence of
activities – Has a definite start and definite end point(s) – Each activity in the sequence of activities has one or more
predecessors and one or more successors • Start point has a NULL predecessor
• End point has a NULL successor
What is the Difference Between a Flowchart and a State Machine Diagram? – State machines depict the transition (or result) of the
activity performed, not the sequence of all activities that need to happen
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 10
Using VISIO In Agile Environments
Information Radiator – Is large and easily
visible to the casual, interested observer
– Is understood at a glance
– Changes periodically, so that it is worth visiting
– Is easily kept up to date
Use Simple Flowchart Shapes – Use shape data to drill
down and produce reports as necessary
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 11
Agile Environments – Task Board
Task Boards
– Easily implemented using “Swim Lane” diagrams
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 12
Agile – Value Stream/Lean/Kanban
Value Stream Mapping/Kanban – Visio offers a the
whole gamut of relevant symbols, but only a few may be relevant for SW Kanban
– Use swim lane diagrams
– Use shape data and display WIP and WIP limits
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 13
Agile – Visuals For PMI-ACP
Charting – Visio uses the same charting mechanism as Excel;
Burn Up/Down charts, cumulative flow diagrams are easily produced
– However, the charting menus/chart types may be more visually appealing, but may have deficiencies • No shape data
• Restrictions – e.g., bar count = 5 (max), pie slices = 10 (max)
– Home Business Charts
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 14
VISIO – Software and Database
Templates
– Many powerful templates
– Recommended
• Conceptual Website
• Data flow diagram
• Program Structure
• Website Map
• Wireframe Diagram
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 15
VISIO – Software and Database
Web Diagram/Site Maps
– More Shapes Software and Database Web Diagram
– Very powerful, but few know about it
– Create “visual specs” and designs
Software Shapes
– More Shapes Software and Database Software
– Create powerful wireframes using Common Icons, Toolbars, Dialogs, etc.
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 16
Making Schedules With VISIO
Timeline Template – VISIO offers a very powerful way to represent a
schedule using a (horizontal) timeline studded with milestones
• This feature was sorely lacking in MS Project until MS Proj 2010
– You can create nested timelines – e.g., to expound on the QA cycle in the overall release timeline
Gantt Chart – This feature is at primitive – Use only if you do not have access to MS Project
Org Chart – You can add custom data to the WBS nodes (see earlier
example) – e.g., Start, Finish, Actual Start, Actual Finish – However, this produces a “network diagram” and not
necessarily a chronological map of activities
Calendar – Schedule Calendar – Not very useful to PMs due to lack of automation
PERT Chart – Schedule PERT Chart – Not very useful to PMs due to lack of automation
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 17
Schedules – WBS
What Before When
– Good practice dictates we make a WBS before scheduling work
Making WBS in VISIO
– Org Chart (previous demo)
– PERT
Summarization Structure
– No default shape data
• Suggested – WBS, Name, Duration, Cost
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 18
VISIO – Schedule – PERT
PERT Shape Behavior – These are simple boxes on
which you can type
– There is no mathematics built into the shapes!
– However, you can define custom shape data, but these cannot be displayed directly on to the shapes; you can only run a VISIO report
PERT Shape Types – “Planning” shape to
calculate critical path and slack
– “Tracking” shape to enter Actual Start/Actual Finish
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 19
VISIO – Schedule – Gantt Chart
Why Use Visio?
– If you do not have MS Project, and all your data is in MS Excel, you can use this feature to draw rudimentary Gantt Charts
Gantt Chart Fields
– Same nomenclature as MS Project
– Very few fields; missing fields include work and dependency type
– Some calculation of dates
• Lag is supported
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 20
Schedules With VISIO – Timeline
Timeline Basics
– Use “Configure Timeline” menu to adjust the length and scale of the timeline.
• Similar to MS Project, you can configure the starting day of the week
• “Fiscal Year Starts On…” is a nice touch
• In the “Time Format” tab, make sure that the “Automatically update dates when markers are moved” is checked
– Use “Change Date and Time Formats” dialog box to make the data precise and readable – similar to MS Project
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 21
VISIO – Schedule – Timeline Shape Data
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Timeline Default Data – Timeline Type (Fixed List)
– Start, Finish (Date)
– Be careful not to delete these fields!
Timeline Custom Data – Similar to any other shape –
you can define custom fields of type String, Number, Currency, Date, Duration, Boolean and List
Milestone Data – Default data is simple but
sufficient
– Custom data is the same as any other “shape data”
VISIO – Schedule – Rich Timeline
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 23
Use a convention – e.g., external deliverables on top, inflexible constraints as diamonds, flexible as “double” triangles
Use expanded timelines
Show overlapping tasks
Always show “Today” and elapsed time
VISIO – Schedule – Multiple Timelines
Multiple Timelines
– Use multiple timelines to show separate (perhaps related) projects
– To simply “zoom in” – use “expanded timeline” feature (previous slide)
Synchronize
– Milestones
– Intervals
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 24
VISIO – Schedule – Exporting Timeline
Command
– Timeline Export Timeline Data
– This command appears ONLY if you have Microsoft Project installed
– Cannot export to Excel directly!
Export as MS Project Format
– Timelines can be exported as .mpp files
• Don’t know why anybody would do that, since MS Project 2010 has a timeline function
Import
– You can import any .mpp file to recreate a timeline diagram
• Vast improvement over VISIO 2007
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 25
Pivot Diagram
Pivot Diagrams – VISIO Professional Only!
– Available in the business section templates
Role of Shapes
– Each shape represents a field in the pivot table
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 26
Pivot Diagram – Demo
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Pivot Diagram – Demo (2)
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Pivot Diagram – Demo (3)
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Pivot Diagram – Demo (4)
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Pivot Diagram – Demo (5)
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Odds And Ends – Create Background
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1. Create New 2. Background Page
3. Insert Graphics
4. Page Setup of Foreground Page
5. Select Background Page
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Q&A
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BACKUP SLIDES
Business Graphics – Fishbone Diagram
Use Standard (Out-of-the-Box) Template
Shapes Include – Effect
– Category
– Primary Cause
– Secondary Cause
– Caveat – Each Secondary Cause may have its own primary and secondary causes
Shape Data – No default shape
data
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 35
Business Graphics – Brainstorming
“Tree” Structure – Similar to an Org Chart, a
brainstorming diagram is a mathematical “tree”
– You can add an “association line” (similar to dotted line report in org chart)
Shapes and Shape Data – You can change the shape
(form) to associate a meaning – similar to an org chart
– Shape data is fully customizable – and can be reported against – as in any other form of flowchart
– No default shape data
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 36
Network Diagram
Rich Palette of Shapes
– Use “Computers and Monitors” and “Network and Peripherals” libraries
Default Shape Data
– Very rich
– Varies by shape
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 37
Office Space Layout
Rich Palette of Shapes
– Use “Cubicles”, “Office Accessories”, “Office Equipment”, “Walls, Doors”,
Default Shape Data
– Very rich
– Varies by shape
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 38
VISIO – Schedule – Calendar
“Cute” – Many cute graphics
– May be suited for social/personal events, but not vey useful for Project Managers
Shape Data – Default Shape Data
• Calendar
• Month, Week, Multiple Week, Day…
• Multi-Day Event
– No default Shape Data for
• Reminder
• Clock
• Attention
• Note
• To Do
© Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 39