Microsoft Visio

Presence of a grid makes layout easy

Ability to scale a diagram allows us to start small and built out

The built-in icon sets are very helpful and make the diagrams more purposeful

Cost of the subscription can be expensive

Icon sets can be difficult to find for non-general use

Not possible to amend a Microsoft Visio file without the software

Icon sets

Ease of use

Backward compatibility of Microsoft Visio files

Monthly subscription costs add up - Negative

Software generates accurate and easily managed diagrams with minimal training - Postive

Time saving using Microsoft Visio vs. another existing or freeware software - Positive

Data flow diagrams

Work flow diagrams

Organization charts

The Free Microsoft Visio Viewer allows us to distribute Visio diagrams for collaboration

Visualizing Workflows

Visualizing Processes

Diagrams

I think it has just about everything someone could ask for.

Flowcharts

Diagrams

Significant positive impact by allowing us the ability to remove unnecessary steps in our processes.

It is easy to learn and onboard new team members

The templates are fantastic especially when creating materials quickly

There are lots of pre-made icons to choose from

It is hard to collaborate and track changes between users

Connectors are very difficult to use and glitchy at times

Expensive to purchase and implement

Ability to use existing templates

Most be simple to use for new users

Needs to integrate with other Microsoft software

It has made it easier to create visual representations quickly

It has eliminated outside software needed to create certain graphics

It's made it easier to represent data in our selling process

Creating graphics for proposals

Visualizing data in client reports

Creating org charts for internal use

Process flows

Business analysis

Project planning

Easier to develop multi department flows, when you're outlining the flow, currently if you need to shift where swimlanes are located it completely alters your diagram (when boxes are connected with arrows) and you have to basically restart it.

This is the most nit picky thing ever, BUT, while working through a process flow if you realize you need to change the basic standard flow shapes to another shape you have to go back and redo the whole thing. If there was a way to change the shape by right clicking on the box instead to instant switch instead of copy/paste/realign/reconnect to switch out the shape I would personally be forever grateful. I once did a workflow in all start/end process circles, so dumb, but I had to go back through and rewrite the whole thing into the process boxes. It was a super large workflow. It was such a pain in the ass.

I didn't realize that Visio could be used for Gantt charts and project management until this review. To make those features more user-friendly or as a separate tab would allow users to track business process flows AND if kicking off a project - link the project timeline to certain steps.

Return on investments due to identifying savings or gaps while documenting steps and servers needed in process flows.

Increased resource capacity, easy to see where we can change a manual process into an automated one while documenting processes.

Team planning and project kick off meetings, great visual to use while documenting the process our operations customers need our team to accomplish.

Kickoff meetings for projects, great to document customer expectations of how they would like us to develop their process with our technology.

Current and future state project documentation made easy with organized diagrams.

I've even used Visio to clean up a Microsoft word smarart diagram my husband created for his employees, he's a chef. He was so happy to see all the processes and sub processes clearly outlined for his staff to follow for the state food safety requirements.

My team only has one use for Microsoft Visio - process flows. After reading questions in this review I'm excited to explore other capabilities in Visio. I was not aware of them before this review.

Project management

Project timelines

Super easy to quickly throw together business workflows to understand process operations.

Easy to separate lines of business and teams with swimlanes

Great for producing step by step training material for new employees for process operations.

Formatting can be frustrating at times moving around the process flow.