The Value Stream Mapping Super Tool - Visio
February 06, 2026

The Value Stream Mapping Super Tool - Visio

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Microsoft Visio

There are two primary tasks that we use Visio for in our Orgnaization. First, we use it to Value Stream Map the processes at each of warehouses every 18 months. From this Value Stream Map we create in Visio, we will then develop our Contiuous Improvement Roadmap.

We also use Visio to create Swin Lanes for new processes and projects that are rolled out in our network to give our users a good visual representation of what they will be doing and how the process should flow.

Pros

  • Built in templates to do Swim Lanes for new processes.
  • Built in templates to do Value Stream Mapping Sessions.
  • All of the shapes need to build out detail process maps for new or updated processes.

Cons

  • Using the arrow shape to connect boxes sometimes does not follow the direction you are trying to make it go.
  • Coverting to a PDF for non-Visio users sometimes cuts off key pieces of the process map.
  • It would be nice to see more native integration with the rest of Office 365.
  • It has reduced the time need to create our Value Stream Maps by 50% compared to use either Excel or PowerPoint.
  • Having Version History makes it easy to see the before and after impact of process changes and ensures the process changes are delivering maximum results.
  • It has streamlined our Continuous Improvement Roadmap creation process and ensures all are being developed in the same manner.
The use of Visio is pretty intuitive. I have had no formal Visio training, yet I was able to pick it up and begin creating diagrams due to the intuitive nature of the menus and commands.

When it comes to some of the more advanced fearures, there is a plethora of information and vidoes on the Internet that will give you step by step instructions on how to complete the task you are looking to do.
SmartDraw was a program that I used at a prior company before we migrated to Visio. It was not nearly as intuitive to use, and even though it is advertised to be able to offer easy import and export to Visio, when I would export it to a Visio file format and share it with a colleauge, they would always tell me that something would look off with the diagram I sent them.

We eventually migrated to Visio at my prior company and thankfully my current company used Visio from day 1.

Do you think Microsoft Visio delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Microsoft Visio's feature set?

Yes

Did Microsoft Visio live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of Microsoft Visio go as expected?

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

Would you buy Microsoft Visio again?

Yes

Visio is by far and away the best tool that I have used to do Value Stream Mapping sessions with the warehouse I support. It has all of the shapes needed built in to be able to represent all areas of the processes. I also like how you are able to make the drawing as big as needed and when printing it out of Visio you have the ability to use the necessary paper size.

The biggest complaint that I have with the software if how it can be cumbersome for non-Visio users (that is, people without a license in the orgnaization) to interact with the Visio Map. We normally have to dedicate one Visio SME to be able to make the changes that Process SME's find since they do not have access to the software.

Microsoft Visio Feature Ratings

Diagramming
8.8
Flowchart Creation
10
Drag-and-Drop Functionality
10
Templates Library
10
Diagram Collaboration Tools
7
Custom Styling
9
Diagram Export and Sharing Options
9
Revision History
9
Cross-Platform Access
6

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