Item: Microsoft Visio
Rating: 7
Author: David Castro

Overall Satisfaction with Microsoft Visio

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use Microsoft Visio in our organization for multiple purposes, we draw new network diagrams, or modify existing ones with new updates. We also create traffic flow diagrams for in house applications, or on cloud apps, this allows the teams to have knowledge of dependencies of the applications and the network TCP/UDP ports used per application. We have many scopes for Microsoft Visio since it allows to use it internally and for customer deliverables as well. The problems it solves is definitely the gap of knowledge to understand how things are designed, work together and also micro application communication and dependencies.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Allows for Multi-vendor product stencils to be used and create a physical diagram
Allows for rack layouts to be created in detailed.
It works online now, so you can update one diagram and it keeps the version updated.
Allows to create connection points in a stencil so you can draw and connect multiple devices to it.
Allows for flow diagrams

Cons

More flexibility like apps draw.io online
Connection points need to be created manually while other apps do it automatically in the stencil.
Stencil upload manual process, while it would be better to exist an online menu of stencils,
Uploading a diagram from draw.io to Visio breaks the original diagram

Return on Investment

Per user license make it flexible to turn on/off individual licenses and save costs.
Based on the multiple use cases of the App the ROI is pretty high (Rack layouts, network diagrams, flow diagrams, application diagrams).
Multi-vendor stencils support or custom created stencils supported.

Usability

I think Microsoft Visio can definitely enhance more of the functionalities and also be a native online tool other than the desktop app, this can compete with the online apps and be better than those. The catalog has to be worked to add more multi-vendor stencils. Apart from this, the desktop app is pretty efficient and works well, and the new updates have make it much better, and the fact that you can download and upload diagrams from other tools make it cross functional.

Alternatives Considered

Excalidraw+, Lucid Visual Collaboration Suite, Google Drive, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude, Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Visual Studio Code

Microsoft Visio is a desktop app, while the ones mentioned are browser native apps, starting from here both work differently. Microsoft Visio is a great app for any company whether small, medium or large since there are so many use cases for it, and you can provide individual licenses and pull them from the users, so it does not need to stay bound to one user, this allows for cost flexibility.

Key Insights

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?

Yes

Did implementation of Microsoft Visio go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Microsoft Visio again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Lucid Visual Collaboration Suite, ChatGPT, Google Authenticator, GoldWave, Notepad++, Microsoft Visual Studio Code, Postman, Microsoft Teams, Cisco AnyConnect, Google Chrome, LastPass for Business, 1Password, SecureCRT, Datadog, Nectar, Planview ChangePoint, Cisco Duo

Likelihood to Recommend

Well Suited:
- Corporate level diagrams such as network, data base, applications.
- Deliverable to customers that also have Microsoft Visio.
- Internal on-premise documentation of physical network, or physical data center, rack layouts.

Less appropriate:
- When the customer uses an online tool for diagraming, and they need a draw that stays consistent,
- Convert Visio diagrams to other tools extension.
- Online Rack layouts.

Microsoft Visio Feature Ratings

Comments

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Microsoft Visio a reliable and flexible tool