Sutanu Ghosh, PMP, MCTS

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 1 2 Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 4

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/enus/visio-help/ Microsoft Partners and Vendors Check out Visiotoolbox http://visiotoolbox.com/2010/t emplates.aspx Microsoft partner downloads Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 5

Shape Data Visio Shapes Can Encapsulate Data Each Visio shape is an object Default Data 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) 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 pulldown 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

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 Insert Tab Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 8

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 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 Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 9

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 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 Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 22

VISIO Schedule Rich Timeline Always show Today and elapsed time Use a convention e.g., external deliverables on top, inflexible constraints as diamonds, flexible as double triangles Show overlapping tasks Use expanded timelines Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 23

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 Import Don t know why anybody would do that, since MS Project 2010 has a timeline function 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 2 1 4 3 Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 27

Pivot Diagram Demo (2) 5 6 Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 28

Pivot Diagram Demo (3) 1 2 Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 29

Pivot Diagram Demo (4) 2 1 3 Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 30

Pivot Diagram Demo (5) 1 2 3 Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 31

Odds And Ends Create Background 1. Create New 2. Background Page 3. Insert Graphics 5. Select Background Page 4. Page Setup of Foreground Page 6 Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 32

Q&A Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 33

BACKUP SLIDES Sutanu Ghosh, June 2010 Slide 34

Business Graphics Fishbone Diagram Use Standard (Outof-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